Yipes! Suggestions?

[IamSam]

Thanks to a Dr. appointment with a specialist up there, I found myself aimlessly driving arond the greater Durango metropolitan area, seeking an escape route and wondering how the damn place had practicaly turned itserlf into Denver over-night. Just in time, I spied a little Tibetan Buddhist/Gift rip-off store. I'm sure the Dali Llama would be amazed to see what ridiculous profits American store owners are amassing for trinkets from his war torn little country. I wandered into the shop to see how tourist prices are getting along these days, and the answer is very nicely. Namaste. I selected the cheapest prayer flags they had and some dragon incense to burn for Cicero. I think I am the sole practicing (sort of) Buddhist in Cortez, and I love tacking up my prayer flags outside to send wafts of lovingkindness chants and the Heart Sutra over the rooftops of my bewilldered neighbors.

ANYHOW... The next store I went into is one of my most favorite bookstores in the world, as well as being the only shop in at least a hundred miles that carries nothing but new books - and an excellent selection of them, too. Plus, guess what? They had a sign in the window annoucing that they were looking for an additional bookseller to add to their staff! Wow! I should buy prayer flags more often!

The bad news is that they've already had 90 applicants for just that one job. Doesn't surprise me, the unemployment here being as high as it is. The girl at the counter didn't want to hand out anymore apps, even when I gave a quick run down of all my qualifications. "There's lots of qualified peope in this town," was her glum reply. Still, I managed to get her to hand over the final application they're ever going to consider in the next 20 years and promised to return it first thing.

Driving home, I considered the the sorts of people who make up the typical clientele of the place. 1) Tourists, naturally - good for buying massive coffee table books filled whith photo-shopped scenary of the surroudring area. Guide books to local birds-mammals-butterflies-flowers-mushrooms-turquoise colored lizards. Lotsa maps. 2) Faculty and students from the local college, of course. The Englist lit group has a substanial number of works from their latest publications on the shelves. Also, tons of poetry from more or less the same college gang. Fat bound bodice rippers for bored Moms who'd much rather be in Vegas than flitting at mosquitoes on some trout stream that fishing writer, Ed Engle proclaims as the latest stretch of fly-fishing heaven, etc., etc.

The one big gap in my literary knowledge is where I'm hoping you can give me suggestions. I am pretty out of touch with the 30 and under crowd. I get a kick out of the "kids," usually. But it's been 20 years or more since I last paid attention to their reading tastes (such as they were. From one little I can tell, they seem to like poorly written vampire books (where is Anne Rice when you need her?), authors like Nora fucking Roberts; and maybe anime' and other comix styled as novels?

Also, who is writing good fantasy stuff these days? I am ashamed to admit that the last thing I've read that comes even near that genre is The Stand, by Steven King.

So milleniums, I'll be pulling an all nighter and I need your help. Much as I'd like to see you all read the complete Edward Abby, I have a feeling he may be considered somewhat passe'. So, who's REALLY good out there today?

Thanks and I'll let you know how it goes.