|
By Jennifer Picard/Appeal-Democrat
November 17, 2005 - One by one, they each take a turn in the green chair.
Sitting under a soft spotlight surrounded by smiling faces, they read poetry,
short stories and wry observations. They read what they want. They read what
they write.
 Some start nervously, taking cover in the comforting chair. It can't be easy
putting your work - yourself - on the line like that. They smile sheepishly
at the small crowd surrounding them - some familiar, some not - and with voices
low, they take a leap of faith and find confidence in sharing.
There are others, though, who anticipate their moment in the spotlight much
like a child does Christmas. The excitement in their eyes is evident as they
settle regally into that chair with dog-eared notebooks spread across their
laps. Their confidence is disarming, their talent undeniable. This is what they've
been waiting for all week. It's just a typical Sunday night at Amicus Books
in Yuba City.
Chris Kaufman/Appeal-Democrat
Julie Forbush of Arboga reads selections of her work during a recent poetry
reading at Amicus Books
Literary Mecca
Those two words aren't usually used to describe Yuba City, but
that's exactly what Kara and James Davis envision. The owners of Amicus
Books, which opened in April, see their small, cozy bookstore as a
Mecca for writers, book lovers and the community at large.
“Our community is growing and expanding, but we seem to have gotten
bypassed when it comes to bookstores,” Kara Davis said. “We want this
to be a comfortable place to hang out, read, learn and share.”
To that effort, they've crafted an inviting space in the loft of
Hillcrest Plaza filled with a variety of used books, interesting
antiques and trinkets, and plenty of places to curl up for an afternoon
of reading. And, of course, there's the green chair.
“This is best chair in the whole store,” Kara Davis said as she
reclined in it during a recent interview at the store. “I don't know
what it is about it, but everyone loves it. It's the chair we use
during our poetry readings.”
The chair also lent its name to the poetry group that meets at 6
p.m. every Sunday in the bookstore. The Green Chair Poetry Group is a
discussion-oriented evening where everyone is encouraged to read his or
her piece, whatever it may be.
“We like to tell people that it's not censored,” James Davis said.
“We'll never tell you, ‘You can't say this.' But we've asked people to
be respectful of each other, to recognize that not everyone shares the
same beliefs and to self-censor, if necessary.”
“Every once in a while it may be offensive,” Kara Davis added.
“There are some curse words used, some dark themes, but that's part of
writing and part of life. You're expressing yourself and we want to
give you a certain amount of leeway to do that.”
The group is open to anyone. The Davises ask that you bring
something to read - whether it's your own work or a favorite piece by
someone else - as well as an open mind. And you never have to read if
you don't want to.
“We do have people who come just to listen or participate in the
discussion and that's great,” Kara Davis said. “Some nights we have a
few people, the regulars, and other nights we're going to 3 or 4 a.m.
just to fit everybody in.”
A book of their own
The success of the poetry group inspired another project for the
duo - compiling and publishing a book with works from local authors.
“Our whole attitude is being one with the community,” Kara Davis
said. “We wanted to build something together that could have a lasting
impact. We hope this book will do that. It's amazing - an emotional
history of our area.”
The group worked on the concept of the book together, agreeing on
themes and categories, with a number of local authors, poets and
photographers donating their works to it. “WordColors” is scheduled for
release Dec. 11, and the Davises are planning to host a reading and
book signing for it. It can be pre-ordered at the bookstore or through
its Web site at www.amicusbooks.com.
“It's not a negative book,” James Davis said. “It's very positive and uplifting. It has a lot to offer the community.”
Building a foundation
Proceeds from the book, after publishing costs, will benefit the
literary arts in the community. The Davises would like to start a
literary foundation with the money.
“There are so many writers in this area and they're so good,” Kara
Davis said. “We wanted to do something about it. We want to support
authors in our community and see their dreams reached.”
“It's not that there aren't writers around here,” James Davis
added. “Ever since we opened the store, they've been coming out of the
woodwork. We want to be able to nurture that.”
The foundation would offer writing and publishing workshops, as
well as advice for shopping manuscripts. Once the book is published -
“It's kind of crazy right now,” Kara Davis said - they plan to focus on
the foundation and what it can offer to the area.
“This is a nice place to unite, get organized and make an effort to focus support on the literary arts,” she said.
A home for local authors
One of the best things about having their own bookstore, the
Davises said, has been discovering the amount of talent in the area.
“It's amazing,” Kara Davis said. “We've lived here most of our
lives, but the more involved in the bookstore we get, the more we find
out about our local literary talent.”
The Davises sell and promote local authors and their books for no cost.
“All local authors, as long as it's appropriate, we're happy to
carry their work,” Kara Davis said. “It's not to take money from them,
but rather to provide them with a platform to be heard.”
Author information is also provided on the store's Web site in the
Literary Lounge section. Some of the local authors featured include
S.I. Alexakhin, Thomas Dickerson, D.J. Nold, D.E. Leas and Suzanne
Strisower.
“We design a free page for them with bio information and sneak peeks at their books,” James Davis said.
What's in a name
“Amicus” is a Latin word for “friend” or “friendship.” The Davises
said they'd always wanted to use the name and found the bookstore the
perfect fit.
“Our goal is to offer friendship and interaction through our
bookstore and the things we do here to benefit the community,” Kara
Davis said.
They're hoping to make a few more friends in the area.
“Of course, our ultimate goals as bookstore owners is to stay in business,” she added. “We hope the community supports that.”
|
