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At the risk of sounding like a huge hypocrite let me first explain. I have previously stated in this blog that I'm not a fan of the big box bookstores. There's nothing like the feel of a local, independent shop. Cottonwood Books is one of my favorite spots in town and I hold a special place in my heart for Octavia Books in New Orleans. The provide a certain level of personal attention you just don't get when you step inside a Barnes & Noble or a Books-A-Million, but Baton Rouge has made shopping independent increasingly difficult. We might as well be called the chain store capital of Louisiana.

That being said, however, I am a closeted Barnes & Noble freak. It's like being a Backstreet Boys fan or having a secret crush on Barry Manilow. I totally dig its vibe, the excitement. It has a distinct smell of new books combined with coffee brewing and I find it simply intoxicating, plus there are books everywhere you look. I just love being around people excited about reading and engaging in literary conversation. That's part of the reason I am so excited about the grand opening today (November 14) of the newest store in Perkins Rowe.

Last night I followed the traffic and the searchlights down Bluebonnet to attend the special preview party open to the public at the new store. John Folse was on hand signing books and serving up the most delicious Creole tomato and tasso jambalaya, as well as the most succulent duck gumbo I've ever tasted. The piece de resistance, however, was a massive chocolate cake with books on it – books I tell you! There were bands playing, stories being told and dance performances to take in and everywhere you turned children were seated in the aisles reading, which to me, is one of the most precious things ever. There's nothing like witnessing the power reading can have on a child. It's one of the things I miss most about being a teacher.

If you didn't get a chance to check out the festivities last night be sure to head over. On November 17 the store will host an author extravaganza, featuring local authors Terri Hoover Dunham, author of The Legend of Papa Noël; Kerri McCaffety, author of Obituary Cocktail; Gaye Morrison, author of Simply Big Cookies; Erica Spindler, author of Last Known Victim; and Timothy Weeks, author of Ol’ Middler Saves the Day signing copies of their books. And, at 3 p.m. Clifford the Big Red Dog and Winnie the Pooh will be on hand to meet their little fans.