Each year, the little town where I live has what's called a "Chocolate Walk" (gee - could it have anything to do with the chocolate factory in the middle of town?). People purchase tickets ($15.00 and all proceeds go to charity) and then can go to 30 different stores in town and have something chocolate. It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m. And there are rules - you have to wear the button that came with your ticket and you have to get your ticket stamped - one time to each place only. It is a day dedicated to decadence. There are truffles, brownies, cakes, cookies, smoothies, fruits dipped in chocolates, french toast, pretty much anything you can imagine - in chocolate. Most people have learned to bring along a container for their samples.
Yesterday was Chocolate Walk day. I don't participate in the walk since I have to work - which I did yesterday. By the time I got to work at 1, town was packed. Curb-to-curb people strolling in the beautiful weather, all with their eyes on their next chocolate fix. Our store featured a small restaurant that specializes in smoothies. (If your store isn't a food place, you bring in someone who is).
In addition to the chocolate draw, it's a day when a lot of people get shopping done for the upcoming holidays. We had a lot of customers in for the chocolate who also browsed our shelves and purchased books - which is always nice.
One thing I love to be able to do is recommend books to people. In our store, my specialties are Romance and YA paranormal, though the three of us who work there have knowledge of all the sections (it's a very small store, but very well known!). What stymies me all too often is people saying they love author A, who else would they like? I'm okay if it's an author I know, but too often, it's someone I'm not familiar with and I'm lost so I ask for the "type" of book they like and try to go from there.
So, my question to you is... what authors would you team up to recommend as similar in style?
Vicky, what a fantastic way to spend a day. I want to live there.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what authors I would pair together as similar because my tastes are so eclectic.
What about Julie Garwood and possibly Eloisa James. I enjoy them both but don't have time to read any more.
LOL - We have about 10000 people who agree with you! And they come from all over for this one day. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip on Julie and Eloisa. I'll keep them in mind. And I understand about the no time to read. I work in a bookstore and have no time to read! :)
What a lovely tradition! Of course I'm okay with anything that involves chocolate!
ReplyDeleteAuthor pairings? Hmmm...that's a tough one. I tend to read certain authors for certain types of books. I love Marjorie Liu and Kim Harrison for their very distinctive paranormal romances. I love anything by Jennifer Crusie or Janet Evanovich who do oh so funny, not so perfect heroines, Anne Stuart for her dark heroes and Suzanne Brockmann for her alpha males.
Where is this place? A chocolate walk for $15?? Forget shopping, lead me to the chocolate.
ReplyDeleteAuthor matches? Michael Connelly fans would like Stephen Jay Schwartz or Robert Ellis or even Will Beall, though he only has one book out.
Thanks for all the suggestions! As for the chocolate walk - Lititz, Pennsylvania. It's held the second Saturday of October every year. :)156
ReplyDeletewow he is good looking and i like the cover he done they are
ReplyDeleteoutstanding he could do the ones with the kilts and knock the ladies out