Interview with a Bookseller: Katie

Jan 3

Who are you? What do you do at the store?

Katie Vanderpool, Bookseller at heart, Shift Manager on paper

What genres do you read?

My comfort genre, the one I always come back to, is romance. Teenage-me loved curling up with a Harlequin on a winter night and while the book covers have changed, I still enjoy the HEA (happily ever after). There is something just so comforting for me when I know that everything will be okay in the end. This year, my reading resolution was to push myself outside of my genre, so I also try to read at least one fantasy or science fiction book, one mystery, and one non-fiction a month. So, while my favorite genre belongs in the contemporary romance section of the store, my two 5-star reads for the year are shelved in the science-fiction and fiction shelves.

What is your favorite book?

I have very strong feelings about this question. My mom taught me not to use the word "hate", so I will say I intensely dislike it. My favorite book?!? It depends on when you ask. When I am down and need a good laugh? Screwballs by Jay Cronley, or The Reunion by Meghan Quinn can turn my bad day around. When I am feeling nostalgic? I received a beautiful copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte as a gift from a brother in high school, and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was a book I read with my mom as a girl. They both remind me of home. Or maybe I need to be reminded that I can do hard things? A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle reminds me that if I take a breath and focus on the job in front of me, then I can get through just about anything. Or maybe I just need a good cry? The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo are both beautiful stories that reduce me to tears.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.png

What is the book that changed or affected you the most?

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle was the first book I read where the hero of the story was a girl. Up until then, I had been reading my older brother's Three Investigators books, his Batman comic books, or books like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables which were about girls but not exactly action-packed; but Meg Murray showed me that a young girl, who was sometimes unsure of herself, could rise up and be the hero of the story. That she could be the person that other's around her could count on.

What’s a book that helped you get out of a book slump?

I recently read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden when I was having trouble getting into a new book. The chapters were short, the mystery was compelling, it was dual point-of-view, and it had a fun twist. Most times, though, I pick up my Essential Calvin and Hobbes if I need to "cleanse my palette" before starting a new book, or if I want to read, but am not really in the mood to start something new yet.

What’s a book that you read at the exact right time?

Huh. I've never thought about this before. I've always thought that people come into your life when you need them, but I haven't thought that way about books. I guess The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo came into my life when I needed to be reminded to keep my heart open, even if it had been bruised a little. “You must be filled with expectancy. You must be awash in hope. You must wonder who will love you, whom you will love next.”

Are there any books you own several copies of? Why?

I started dating my husband when we were both in high school, and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens was my favorite book at the time. He stills buys me copies of the book if he finds one with a cool cover.

What is your earliest book memory?

Instead of reading us children's books at bedtime, my dad would recite poetry. I went to bed listening to the likes of "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe, "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Tennyson, "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, and "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service. I'm sure it was slightly frustrating for my mom to have to come upstairs and calm us down afterwards. After all, who wouldn't get riled up after "Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them", or be scared after the whispered "Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

What is your favorite place to read?

I always read for awhile when I wake up, and again before I go to sleep - so, I guess that my bed is my usual reading spot. But if we have a fire going in our fireplace I enjoy sitting in my Grandmother's rocking chair and reading next to the fire.

Show us your bookshelf! How do you organize it? What are the vibes?

Our main bookshelf has some loved books from everyone in the family. The other book stacks are books that are waiting to be read or loaned out to just the right person.

What advice would you give readers? Non-readers?

I guess I would tell readers to explore. Look outside of your normal genres every once in a while. The best way to do that might be to talk to someone that has read quite a bit in another genre, and tell them what you like about the books you have read. I bet we can find something in another genre with the same elements you love. Or, just come to the bookstore when you have time to explore other sections. Pick up the books, look at the covers, read the synopses, read the shelf talkers, and talk to the people around you or a bookseller. Make it an experience so you will be excited to go home and start the new adventure. Are there non-readers? I don't know if there are. There are people that read memes, some prefer to read current events such as the newspaper or an editorial, there are those that read academic articles, some read stories, and some that read subtitles. Everyone reads. Just be honest about what you enjoy when you come into the bookstore. Don't expect to want to finish a 400 page book about WWII strategies, when what you really love to read are funny Instagram memes. We want you to love your book and be excited to pick it up everyday, so when you come see us at the store tell us what you love to read right now, and we will make it our personal mission to find you the perfect book. It's honestly my favorite part of the job.

Tell us a controversial book opinion

This shouldn't be controversial, but for some reason it still seems to be. Graphic Novels are books, too. They are a great choice for kids because they expand vocabulary, help build mental images while reading, and teach them that reading is fun and enjoyable. They are also a fun genre for adults to explore. The Heartstopper series. Need I say more?

Why do you read?

It depends on my mood. I read at night to unwind and relax before bed. This is when I need my Happily Ever Afters. In the morning I tend to pick up a non-fiction book to get my brain activated and thinking, and on the weekends when I have more hours to binge I love to get caught up in a mystery or thriller for the adrenaline rush.

What do you love about bookselling? About our store?

All week long I look forward to my Sunday afternoons at the store with Vince, but I love that I get to hang out with so many great humans at Dog-Eared. The booksellers really are all friends. We laugh behind the counter, we give each other a hard time, we talk about books (those we are reading and those we would never read), and we share what is going on in our lives. Dog-Eared Books has created an amazing environment and culture and I hope that the customers feel that when they spend time with us.