I recently spent a Saturday in Gruene—a historic district of New Braunfels known largely for Gruene Hall, a dance hall famous for hosting iconic musical talents including Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams and Willie Nelson. Gruene regularly hosts artist events and attracts people who appreciate art in its many forms. Recently, Gruene hosted the 33rd Annual Texas Clay Festival, an event showcasing the work of 80 talented potters and clay artists.
As I took my time admiring each booth’s offerings, I was moved by the sheer diversity of design and how many ways a single piece of clay could be transformed into something beautiful, something useful, something unique. It felt as though each artist revealed their specific personality through their offerings. For someone who the phrase, “throwing a bowl” means something entirely different, I enjoyed learning about how they practiced their craft. One artist’s style—employing technique and tools similar to Ukranian Pysanky egg etching—caught my eye. I stopped, we chatted, and I fell in love with her work. I’m writing this post while drinking coffee from one of her stunning mugs. Her art continues to brighten my day, and this experience reminds me that art in all its forms, offers an experience.
I’m sometimes drawn to art because of the story behind the piece and the story of the person creating it. For me, those things are all intertwined, connected. Art touches us in a way that’s not easily quantified but deeply resonate. It’s distinctly personal, particularly human.
AI tools have now entered the chat. It can feel discouraging for artists to create in this new era of AI and LLM tools, all claiming to write/design/create better than we can. But can they, really?
I don’t think so.
I can’t imagine those creations will connect with people in the same way. Human created art moves us, stirs something in us, stays with us. AI will likely improve certain aspects of science, automation, engineering, and medicine—which is not something I discount– but art? We need less RAM and more soul.
AI has exacted a particular kind of pressure on those who create for a living. I am one of many authors whose novels and short stories were found in LibGen, a database of pirated works that was used to train Meta’s LLM. I was neither asked nor compensated, and while Anthropic is in the middle of a settlement suit related to their own behaviors, I have little faith that these companies will do better in the future. They’ve shown us who they are. I’m taking Maya Angelou’s advice on this one.
You know those authors whose distinct voice shines in their work (Sara Gran and Tana French)? The musician whose sound and lyrics move you to hit ‘replay’ countless times (Stevie Nicks, Prince, Tom Petty)? The painting that moves you? I still remember the first time I saw Sargent’s El Jaleo at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston. I was deeply drawn to its movement, beauty and scale. Which artists move you and why? And if you’re an artist, what compels you to continue? Whatever it is, keep it close and tend to it often because what you create might be a gift to others.
I’m still writing because it’s what I’ve always done. I don’t know how to stop, nor do I want to. I see the world in stories, and there are still so many characters and places I need to explore. I simply can’t imagine doing anything else. For me, writing a novel is like following a winding trail, filled with side quests and new discoveries. My process is sometimes messy, often imperfect and completely human.
And one more thing—I’ve used the em dash for longer than I can remember and probably more than is recommended. Em dashes aren’t a sign of using LLMs—we were here first. =)
Laura Oles is the award-winning author of the Jamie Rush mystery series. Her work has appeared in crime fiction anthologies, consumer magazines and business publications. Her debut mystery, Daughters of Bad Men, was an Agatha nominee, a Claymore Award finalist, and a Writers’ League of Texas Award finalist. Depths of Deceit, her second novel, was named Best Mystery by Indies Today.She loves road trips, bookstores and any outdoor activity that doesn’t involve running.She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her family.
If your idea of the perfect vacation getaway includes time on the beach, a bookstore visit and a coffee shop stop, then I have the perfect place for you. Coffee Waves is one of my regular stops when visiting the island, and on a recent weekend trip, I pulled into the parking lot and found my dream come true—a new bookstore!
I’ve long believed that Coffee Waves was the perfect place to host a bookstore. The shop has a substantial nook with welcoming open arches and enough room to browse, sip and read. This area is now home to Sea Shelves by the Seashore. As I took time to scan the shelves, I was impressed with the varied selection and thoughtful choices offered. I felt the selection reflected a love of books and a mission to offer a wide range of options to readers of all ages. It was also a lovely surprise to find my Jamie Rush novels on the shelf!
I had the good fortune to meet the owner, Myra Barreiro, on a recent visit and enjoyed getting to know her. I wanted to learn more about her background and her journey in bringing Sea Shelves to life. When I invited her to share her story with Austin Mystery Writers, she was gracious with her time. Below is our conversation:
LO: Hi Myra! Thank you so much for speaking with us. Please share a bit about yourself.
MB: Hi! My name is Myra. I have lived in Port Aransas for four years but have been visiting for 13. I grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas. In the time between graduating high school and opening my own bookstore, I have served 4 years in the United States Army as an Intelligence Analyst, worked for Lockheed Martin for 7 years (also as an Intelligence Analyst), graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Public Health, and–most recently–helped manage and run two local shops for several years in Port Aransas. I have two extremely smart and handsome boys, a dog named Kahlua, and a black cat named Michael B. Kitty… that’s what I call him, but he has several names.
LO: Many people dream of one day opening a bookstore. What made you decide to bring this idea to reality?
MB: It’s funny how opening a bookstore seems to be a dream for many. I am very happy to have had the chance to turn my dream into a reality. So, as mentioned before, I was helping to manage two local shops, and had been doing so for a while, but it was time for me to move on and create something for myself, something I thought this community desperately needed. I had been dreaming about opening a bookstore on the island for several years, and stepping away from my previous position allowed me to move forward with that dream.
LO: I’ve always thought the back lounge area of Coffee Waves was the perfect location for a bookstore or reading area. How did this relationship come about and how long did it take?
MB: When I decided I was going to make this bookstore dream happen, finding the perfect location was pretty high up on my list of priorities. I drove all around the island looking for properties or buildings, units with potential. I asked realtor friends if they had any info on empty commercial spaces, but nothing piqued my interest. There were spaces, but they were either already under contract or not in the right location, weren’t the right size, and out of my price range. I started to think my dream would remain just that, a dream. I almost gave up until I started thinking on a smaller scale. I had a crazy idea to maybe ask other businesses if they wouldn’t mind letting me take up a bit of their space. Set up shop in an existing shop. I wondered if that was a thing, so I did a search on the internet and sure enough, it was something that was happening all over. I took some notes. Wrote out pros and cons and key things to bring up while talking to businesses to get them onboard with the idea. After researching a bit more, I started a list of potential businesses that might be willing to let me move forward with the idea of putting a bookstore inside of their existing shop.
Naturally, Coffee Waves was at the top of my list. Who doesn’t love a good book with a cup of coffee? And they have that overflow seating area?? It seemed like the perfect place to make it happen. I came in and asked if I could schedule a meeting with someone to discuss the idea. We scheduled a meeting, met up, and I pitched my idea. I said, “I don’t want to take away from your seating, I just want to occupy your wall space.” They mulled it over for about a week and decided to give me the green light! I was so unbelievably elated until I realized I had about 2 weeks to get this dream up and running before the chaos of Spring Break! I immediately placed an order for shelving and my first book order and haven’t stopped since.
LO: You’ve done a wonderful job of curating both titles and genres. Can you share a bit more about how you choose what to carry?
MB: I receive recommendations every now and then of specific titles or authors, but the curation of titles has been mostly research. When I initially thought of opening a bookstore, I wanted to focus solely on beach, island, small fishing town, and vacation themed reads, but not everyone is into that and I wanted to give people options, so I started researching. What were people reading in 2024? What are they looking forward to reading in 2025? Best-selling genres? What are the top favorites and must-read titles of all time? Favorite classics? What’s trending on BookTok? I took my findings and curated what you’ve seen in the bookstore and continue to add to it every week.
LO: What do you love to read? And has opening Sea Shelves impacted your reading in any way?
MB: My favorite genres are psychological thrillers, mystery, and horror. I’m drawn to scary stories with twist endings and stories that make you think.
If opening the store has had any impact on my reading, I would have to say that I am now more willing to read and am interested in reading genres outside of my favorites. Thrillers will probably always be my favorite, but I’ve come to appreciate and enjoy reading other genres as well. I have over 1200 titles on the sea shelves and would love to get through them all. Maybe one day I will(:
LO: I met Beatrice when purchasing a book during my last visit. Please tell us about her.
Meet Beatrice!
MB: I’m jealous she had the chance to meet you before I did.
Beatrice is amazing. Hardest working employee I have. She’s great. Since not taking away from the coffee shop’s seating was a big selling point in setting up the bookstore here, the books are out and exposed during the coffee shop’s business hours, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. As much as I’d love to be at the bookstore all day, I have other responsibilities outside of the shop that need my attention, and sometimes I just need to step away for a quick lunch or to run a quick errand. That’s where Beatrice comes in. She holds it down while I’m away. It was an easy decision to set up a self-checkout option, giving customers the ability to make a purchase even if I was not physically present. Customers seem to love having the option to checkout with Beatrice, and I think giving her a name makes the experience a little more personable for them. Definitely a great addition to the bookstore.
LO: Anything else you’d like to share?
MB: I would just like to say that this entire experience of opening a bookstore has been a roller coaster ride and a dream come true. I encourage anyone who has the same dream to go for it if they are ever presented with the opportunity. Taking the first step will be scary but definitely worth it.
I would also like to thank Coffee Waves Port Aransas for giving me a chance to live out my dream in their space, and Laura Oles for this interview and giving me the opportunity to share my story.
LO: Thanks so much, Myra, for sharing how Sea Shelves started as a dream and became a reality. I know Sea Shelves is quickly becoming a favorite of locals and visitors.
***
Some readers may know that my mystery series is set in a fictional version of Port Aransas. Maybe Jamie and Cookie will make a stop into Sea Shelves one day? Jamie’s always on the lookout for an Elmore Leonard novel, and I know she’d love this place.
Laura Oles is the award-winning author of the Jamie Rush mystery series. Her work has appeared in crime fiction anthologies, consumer magazines and business publications. Her debut mystery, Daughters of Bad Men, was an Agatha nominee, a Claymore Award finalist, and a Writers’ League of Texas Award finalist. Depths of Deceit, her second novel, was named Best Mystery by Indies Today. She loves road trips, bookstores and any outdoor activity that doesn’t involve running.She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her family. (https://lauraoles.com)
Have you ever dreamed of leaving your current life behind, moving to a new city, and opening up a bookstore?
I had the good fortune of meeting someone who did just that. In a chance encounter while attending the Malice Domestic Agatha Tea and Closing Ceremonies, I ended up sitting next to Sam Droke-Dickinson (she/her), owner (with husband Todd Dickinson) of Aaron’s Books. The store is named for their son, Aaron, who was two and a half years old when they opened their business. The bookstore’s tagline is Family Owned. Fiercely Independent. Community Minded. We had a wonderful conversation about her journey from working in Washington D.C. to moving to Lititz, Pennsylvania. I was so intrigued by her story that I asked her if she would share it with our readers.
LO: Tell me a bit about your previous life—the one before you chose to open a bookstore.
SDD: Our store is in a small town in Central PA, but we’re not from the area (more on that later). Before opening the store, we lived and worked in the DC area. I was a middle school social studies teacher, and before that various arts administration jobs. My husband was a lobbyist and government programs analyst for several science and medical non-profits.
LO: What was the catalyst in your decision to move and open a bookstore?
SDD: The commute and need to constantly be on the go in DC was not fun. Add into the mix a young child and we needed to find something else to be doing. At the time my husband was a stay-at-home dad and was really enjoying his time away from office politics and such. I was teaching and commuting early in the morning every day and staying up late planning and grading. We decided, with the house prices soaring, that was the time for us to make a move. So, we sold our house and moved up to Pennsylvania. We picked it for several reasons, one being that it was exactly the half-way point between the grandparents. Once we found a place here, we decided to be our own bosses and open a used bookstore. We both loved books, and I had an administration background, and he was a “people person”.
LO: I would love to learn more about your town and your community. How do they factor into your daily life as a small business owner?
SDD: Lititz is your quintessential small town. It really is the scene for so many cozy mysteries. A main street with small shops, a town park, lots of festivals. No murders though (phew!). Our store is right in the middle of the downtown area, and we’ve lived a mile or less from the store for the last 15 years. At one point we lived in an apartment above the bakery next door. Our town has 73 indie businesses and only 1 chain (a Subway). The town has worked hard to keep it that way, so the feeling of community is very important. We have always felt that we should be active and supportive participants of the community, as citizens and business owners. We were part of the core group that started a “Second Friday”, which is one Friday a month all the shops stay open late and there is music and events around town. About 12 years ago the town council tried to take away all the open flags so we worked to get them to allow a standard flag that all the businesses would fly and then I designed that flag. My husband has served on the board of our local Main Street Program non-profit for 10 years. And last year I ran for school board (I didn’t win). For us, community is not just living and working in the town but helping to make it better.
LO: : So many people dream of opening a bookstore. What was the process like for you?
SDD: We tell people not to do what we did. We went in completely blind to any and everything. We just got books and put them on the shelves. It was about three months in that we started joining industry organizations and spent a good seven years learning from workshops and conferences. We STILL are learning. The great thing about the indie bookstore world is that we help each other. We share things that work and don’t work. We have meetings and conferences every few months. And just last year the Professional Bookselling Certification Program was launched by our regional trade association (New Atlantic Booksellers Association). My husband was president of the association when they first started planning the program. Right now, it is six modules from inventory management to event planning. It’s run like a real school with lectures, round table discussion and homework. I’m finishing up the Store Operations module right now and have learned all sorts of things relating to personnel and financial management. For anyone that is interested in the dream, I highly recommend they seek out their regional trade association. The resources there are bountiful. And bookstore people really are the best people!
LO: What advice would you give to someone who is considering opening their own bookstore (or purchasing an existing one)?
SDD: The love of reading is great, but it’s not going to pay the bills. Take some basic marketing and accounting classes. And realistically, kiss your free reading time goodbye. People have this vision of opening a shop and then just sitting at the counter reading all day. Those are the rare days… and you don’t want to have them because that means you don’t have any customers, and customers are what pay the bills. That being said, after 17 years I can’t imagine doing anything else. It took us time to grow, and there were a lot of pains. But it is so worth it when we see books and people connect. In fact, a teen that used to shop in our store a decade ago, just opened her own shop in the next city. It feels good to know that we’ve been around long enough to inspire the next generation of booksellers.
LO: What do you love the most about running your own bookstore? What are the challenges? Any misconceptions?
SDD: Is it cheesy to say the books? Unpacking the boxes each day is like a birthday and Christmas rolled into one. I have to tell myself that I can’t take every book home. It’s a struggle. I’m a Type-A personality so I just love the day-to-day operations of the shop. The administrative things, the planning, the handling of issues. And the absolute best thing is when someone finds their “perfect” book on our shelves, especially the kids. Having a robust selection for young readers is core to our mission. The challenges are the same as most businesses- the work/life balance and money. No one has ever gotten rich owning a bookstore, but no one goes into bookselling for the money. It’s for the love of sharing books. At least I hope that is why we all got into this business. The biggest misconception is that bookstores are dying. That may have been true in the late 90’s early 2000’s, but right now there is a huge growth in indie bookstores. New ones are opening every week. Indie bookstores outnumber chain stores in this country. Most offer online shopping, e-books, and audiobooks too. So, the idea of the struggling little “shop around the corner” that can’t offer what the big guys do is very outdated. The other misconception, which is born out of a stereotype, is that indies don’t carry genre books. So many of us do and are run by genre readers. Lots of people think that indie bookstores are snobby… and there are some that are, but they are the rarity these days.
LO: Anything else you’d like to add?
SDD: I encourage all authors to check out their local bookselling regional trade association. They usually offer author level memberships. That is truly the best way to see what is going on in your area in bookselling and to make connections with booksellers and publishers. Be active in the book community at all stages of your writing and publishing process.
Austin Mystery Writers 