Authors Dawn Byrne and Marie Gilbert at Bogart's

Marie Gilbert, Joanne Costantino, and Dawn Byrne

Dawn Byrne and I always have a great time together when we do the book signings for Tall Tales and Short Stories, an anthology published this past year by the members of the South Jersey Writers' Group. But yesterday’s signing was the most interesting one that we’ve done so far this year. Dawn, Joanne Costantino and I were at Bogart’s Books and Cafe located at 210 North High Street in Millville, NJ, and all three of us had an absolute blast!

Bogart's

Amy, who is the owner, has done such a wonderful job with this bookstore. There is a touch of the bohemian in this quaint little shop that begs you to stay and take your time searching for that special book.

Even the bathroom has character; make sure to ask for the 3D glasses. There are comfortable tables and chairs in Bogart’s for you to rest, sip your hot tea or coffee, page through your purchased book, or listen to music. Check the Upcoming Events page of their website for scheduled entertainment. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of one of the special inhabitants who live at Bogart’s.

Alaina and Nolan

Yes, Bogart’s has ghosts, and since I attract ghosts, I got to meet 'Andrew' as soon as I entered the shop. He made sure to tell me how happy he is to be living in a bookstore. Amy confirmed that there are a few spirits occupying the building and she and her staff have encountered them on a daily basis. I’ll be going back with my team to do a more thorough investigation.

We sold lots of books and met a lot of nice people; a few who were interested in joining our group. Here is Nolan and Alaina, who bought the first book of the day. Hey, Glenn Walker, we found someone who loves pop culture and French fries and "Doctor Who" as much as you do. He’s a friend of SJWG member Sarah Hawkins-Miduski. Glenn, meet George Scully.

George Scully

After we packed up, we headed over to the Levoy Theatre to check out the NJ HorrorFest that was taking place inside the theater. Imagine our delight when we bumped into, and spoke with, William Katt (from "The Greatest American Hero," the original Carrie, and he coincidentally played a writer in House) in person. Sorry, I didn’t get a picture with Mr. Katt, the famous TV star. Dawn and I were like two giddy schoolgirls and forgot that we had a camera. We giggled the whole way back to the car. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

William Katt

Back to business, our friends at Bogart's need your help to qualify for a grant. Please go to Chase Mission Main Street Grants, type in the zip code for Bogart's: 08332, into the business search box, and then vote for Bogart’s Book Store. You must be logged into Facebook to vote. Thank you!

If you'd like to know what's on the schedule for the South Jersey Writers' Group, please feel free to stop by our website, and the calendar of events there.

And, if you're a writer in the South Jersey area looking for support, camaraderie, and most of all, information about the craft and the business, the South Jersey Writers' Group is open to new memberships through the end of the year. Details on membership and all the gatherings, workshops, and events that the group provides can be found on our website.

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