Welcome to your monthly update from

Watermark Book Company!

Below, you'll find what's new in the store, upcoming events,

book reviews, and more!

Hello to all of my happy readers!!!

Wahoo!! Our trip was soooo phenomenal, and I am grateful to have had those experiences. We were gone 20 days and we drove 2,300 miles, and traveled two countries. We were able to drive the whole country of Iceland, although it was very uncertain for a beat. They had received a ton of snow right before we got there. Part of the highway that we wanted to travel was closed due to bad weather. So after having driven about 12 plus hours already in one direction, we needed to wait and see if the highway would open back up and let us travel through or...were we going to need to turn around and travel the road that we had come in on. We waited til the last minute and then they opened up what I affectionately now call "Avalanche Highway." I will say: it was wild and scary driving through it. The snow was piled HIGH on both sides of the highway and we were following a lead truck. I just looked at Ben and we didn't breathe for the 6 miles. Iceland was marvelous. The northern part of the country is so awesome; that was the part that we had yet to see and experience before.

Image above....we got to explore an ice cave. We got to see and touch a glacier up close.

Scotland was warmer, greener, and did NOT have dark beer for me--hahahah! We had such a wonderful time driving all the way from Glasgow to Inverness and back to Edinburgh. We saw so many castles, ate magnificent food, and met so many kind people. Janet and I rode on the train that was featured in the Harry Potter movie. We went to Isle of Skye, which is an island off of Scotland, and stayed there for 2 days at this lovely manor. Our favorite city was probably Oban--it just felt so fun and easy to explore. We spent 10 lovely days driving around and we finished our time with the Royal Palace and the Royal Mile. To my husband's delight, I shouted "SHEEEEEP" every time we saw them on the side of the road. And if they were lambs...Well, I would just lose it. I am so fun to travel with.

image above... is of An Storr, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. This was supposed to be a pretty easy hike, however I found it VERY challenging with my knee, lungs, hips, you name it. But at the very top of this hike it was the most incredible view.

When I was in Iceland I read Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, by Eliza Reid. This book was awesome; it really talks about the differences between Iceland and other countries. The author is married to the President of Iceland. She is Canadian but has lived in Iceland for many years, and even took intensive language lessons to learn the language faster. I tried to read The Lost Queen, by Signe Pike. It was just too much for my travel brain--too many characters and too in-depth of explanations for me. It happens. I read Tender is the Flesh, by Agustina Bazterrica. This may have been one of the darkest books I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed it--it was dark, descriptive, and a true page turner. Please note that this title is NOT for everyone, or even many. The idea behind this title is that ALL animals become infected with a virus that prevents them from being consumed or even kept as pets, then the government convinces everyone that they are cannot get enough protein without meat in their diet. So they end up allowing "special meat," and that is exactly what it sounds like. The book works!! I don't know how, but the author brilliantly covers all the questions and it just goes. I listened to 70% of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers, by Jesse Q. Sutanto. It was cringey to me, I found the "voice" of the book to be like outrageously overexaggerated. I couldn't do it. So I listened to Homebodies, by Tembe Denton-Hurst. This was an interesting book. I liked it, however, I did not like the main character and I feel like it really speaks to the strength of a writer if they can write a book with someone I don't like, but I can't put it down. This book takes place on the east coast. The main character is a Black writer, who feels that she is the token Black person at work. She feels wrongfully fired from her position and goes back to her hometown to figure herself out. This book is very much about relationships and how people change and also how some ...never do. In celebration of Poetry Month... I read the Luther Hughes book A Shiver In The Leaves. This author will be featured at an event that we are a part of later in the month of May; see details further down in this newsletter. It was wonderful, simply marvelous. It spoke to people of color, discrimination, and the queer community.

I will be finishing Cabin Eight, by Susan Specht Oram - she is a local author and our guest for Independent Bookstore Day. I will report back next month. This month I am going to read: Love Letters For Joy, by Melissa See, a YA book and it just looks too cute for words. I am also going to read Bubble Trouble, by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, a middle grade read that looks very fun. It comes out this summer. I am looking forward to reading The Handyman Method: A Story of Terror, by Nick Cutter and Andrew Sullivan. It releases in August. It just looks terrifying and I am here for it! I also hope to read The Quiet Tenant, by Cle'mence Michallen, which follows a widower in a small town who has a secret...He kidnaps people and murders them. He has kept it hidden and someone getting close to him threatens to ruin it all. This book is out in June. I will hopefully listen to Not Funny, by Jena Friedman, and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, by Ryan Stradal, which just looks good and interesting. Lastly I hope to listen to Amazing Grace Adams, by Fran Littlewood.

Please stay safe, happy, and healthy...Happy Reading!!

Brandy~

Author Events, Book Signings, and Shop Events

Thank you for making this anniversary so much fun!!! We will draw the winners for our raffle baskets TODAY--Monday, May 1st--on Facebook Live! If you are one of the winners, we will contact you directly to pick up your prize.

Independent Bookstore Day was a blast. We still have some of these tote bags available, free with your purchase of $75+!

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Susan Specht Oram was our featured author on Independent Bookstore Day. We loved having her! If you weren't able to come to the event,

we have signed copies of her books here at the shop.

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Coming Soon...

We will be open late for July Art Walk on Friday, July 7th--

we have a surprise for you...Stay tuned!

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Join Our Team!

We are looking for a new team member--someone who is a great fit and will help round out our team! Please bring a copy of your resume to the shop if you are interested in applying!

🌷 Get Ready for Mother's Day! 🌷

Mother's Day is May 14th!

Send your mom a card to let her know you're thinking of her.

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We are happy to gift wrap that perfect book you found for your mom.

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Give them a fun surprise with pencils, magnets, and coloring books.

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Graduation Season

🎉🎉Graduation Season is upon us! Get ready to send your graduates off on their next adventure with books, cards, and fun gifts! 🎉🎉

This Just In

New spiral-bound journals.

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Stickers that look like stamps!

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Why should you ever lose your page when such cute bookmarks exist?

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New prints and patterns from Foot Traffic for adults!

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This Just In for Kids

New to the shop--Slumberkins! These adorable stuffies come with matching board books to teach kiddos about their emotions.

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New Foot Traffic socks for the kiddos, too!

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🌷New from local author Jeannette DeGeode--Tulip Town Remembered!🌷

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📙 New in Paperback📙

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📗 New in Hardcover📗

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Upcoming Events

May

Saturday, May 13th at 7:00 pm at the Lincoln Theater

Speaking Our Truth: an Evening for LGBTQ+ Students and Their Allies

Poetry reading featuring Seattle poet Luther Hughes & LBGTQ+ poets and Allies

The Skagit River Poetry Foundation and Skagit PFLAG are teaming up to produce this awesome evening. We are excited to be selling books at this event! For more information, visit The Skagit River Poetry Foundation website.

Sunday, May 14th

❤️ Mother's Day-OPEN ❤️

Celebrate the mothers in your life with cards, chocolates, candles, books--we have it all!

Monday, May 29th

🇺🇸 Memorial Day-OPEN 🇺🇸

We will be OPEN on Memorial Day.

June

Saturday, June 17th

✒️ Book Signing 1-3pm 🖋

Local author J. Bradley Meagher will be here for a book signing on Saturday, June 3rd from 1-3pm. The Sea Fever is a memoir of family boating in the Pacific Northwest, and would make a GREAT gift for Father's Day!

Saturday, June 17th

🌈 Anacortes Pride Parade 🌈

We are proud sponsors of Anacortes Pride Parade!

Come check out our booth at Causland Park after the parade!

Sunday, June 18th

Father's Day

Are you ready for Father's Day? We are!

Come find that perfect card, book, and gift for the dads in your life.

Monday, June 19th

Juneteenth-OPEN

We will be open on this holiday!

Watermark Book Club

Watermark Book Club is on Zoom! It is a closed book club, and you can let us know if you would like to be added to the waitlist. In the meantime, feel free to read along with us!

This month we are discussing Yearbook, by Seth Rogen.

Here's what Brandy has to say about the book:

"This book was really fun and interesting. I learned a great deal about Hollywood, about someone who uses pot for social anxiety, and about the amount of antisemitism that Seth has faced. The book is serious and absolutely hysterical! There is a WHOLE chapter dedicated to Nick Cage and it is brilliant. Enjoy!"