Manzanita, Oregon is my favorite Oregon beach town for many reasons: the wide open and sparsely populated beach, the few but tasty restaurants, and the Cloud and Leaf bookstore. As I come through the drizzly coast range, I can already feel the pull of the little book shop. The door is usually propped open, a soft light emanating from inside. The smell of clean paper is mixed with fresh rain. Colorful titles jump forward requesting my attention; mystery, humor, literature, best sellers.
The owner is a soft-spoken, friendly woman who without a pause invites my book to joint the others. With delight, I see that my story has a new home in the local authors section. After years of work and buckets of self-doubt, my dream has come true. My book is on the shelf.
