My Favorite Bookstore:
One More Page Books, Arlington, Virginia
By Art Taylor
The last time I was in public with a large group was Saturday, February 29, 2020 at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA—the book launch for my collection The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense, a shared event with writer Amber Sparks, author of And I Do Not Forgive You.
A special event in my mind—for obvious reasons!—the launch seems even more extraordinary in retrospect: a crowd of friends, lots of conversation, lots of hugs, fun interaction with the audience during the event, everyone staying to chat afterwards too, check out new releases and bookseller recommendations—and check out the wine and chocolate selection too!
But here’s the twist. Forget it was my book launch. Ignore (if you can) how the lens of the pandemic makes any big gathering seem magical, otherworldly even. Instead, know that this is the way I always think of One More Page, that energy, that sense of connection, whether in the spotlight or in the standing-room-only section for another writer’s event. Thanks to Eileen McGervey and her team, One More Page has become a place our Northern Virginia community of writers and readers meets and greets and connects and celebrates.
I miss those connections and I miss the quiet mid-afternoons too, browsing the shelves at greater leisure. But while online ordering isn’t quite the same, One More Page still adds a personal touch. When I ordered a book for Christmas for our son Dash, one of the booksellers tucked in an advanced copy of an extra title, thinking it was one he might enjoy. (And he did! They know their customers.)
In January 2021, One More Page celebrated its 10 year anniversary. No party, of course, but we toasted the bookstore from afar, virtually. And we’ll look forward to the party when it does happen, the events ahead, the next decade and more.
Art Taylor is the author of The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense. His fiction has won the Edgar Award and the Anthony Award as well as multiple Agatha, Derringer, and Macavity Awards. He’s an associate professor at George Mason University. Find him at www.arttaylorwriter.com.
