Raven
"Hi! You're early!"
The words slipped out brightly and automatically as I hurried from my office, already adjusting my smile into place. The young woman waiting near the front of the store looked like she might bolt away at any second - hands clasped tight, shoulders drawn in, eyes darting over the shelves as if she were afraid to disturb something sacred just by standing there.
I loved this part of my job.
Indie authors. First signings. That delicate, electric balance between hope and terror when someone realized their work was about to be placed in strangers' hands. Being an independent bookstore meant I didn't just sell books — I built bridges. Between stories and readers. Between creators and communities. It mattered to me in a wat nothing else ever had.
"I hope that's ok
