Dear Friends of A Novel Experience,  
    
      What a way to go into the New Year! We are so appreciative of your support during the holidays--we had a record-breaking month. Thank you, everyone. The best part of the holidays is seeing folks from near and far who stop by and catch us up with what's been happening in their lives--from Jewell and Jeremy's visit with their over-the-top Christmas present to each other (that would be Elliot) to our once-a-year customer Rebecca from Healdsburg, California. We love seeing our "regulars" who stop by to check if they can snag any used George R.R. Martin titles (sorry, they go out as soon as we shelve them!) and everyone who keeps us in the loop with local news--and, gives us suggestions for books to stock.

      For the New Year, we are going to focus on a couple of initiatives. First, we're going to read. We're going to read...books. During the holidays, we rediscovered how setting aside our gadgets and opening a book was remarkably calming. No humming, buzzing, ring tones, or anticipatory distractions...a delicious satisfaction in confounding the Machine's algorithms. We were reminded again about how monumentally noisy our lives have become. Try this for 10 minutes at a stretch and see what you think.

      Our second plan is to offer more opportunities for face-to-face sharing, conversation, and civil discourse. We're going to do more of our "one-time" non-fiction book groups (see below for January 22nd's title). In February we are going to convene our first "Living Room Conversation"--it's a model that's being employed across the country for substantive, energetic, and respectful discussion on  topics of national importance.  We're looking forward to Ryan Cumming's first classical guitar concert in February. And, we always invite you to join one of our monthly book groups--they are fabulous opportunities to share the love--and challenge--of ideas kindled by a book.

BELIEVE: The store before renovation--next up: The Old Zebulon School!

      Big news! The first fundraising campaign to get a roof on the old Zebulon School was a blow-out success! Our community raised over $120,000 to begin the renovation of this grand old lady. Once finished, it will serve as a nexus for the arts, business and civic uses. The most amazing thing was the spirit that suffused the three month campaign--it was truly inspiring. We'll keep you updated!

One of our favorite images: Ethel by Jan Fields

      Entries for the 2017 "Dog and Pony Show" photography exhibition are coming in--the deadline is January 9th and we'd love to see your images. (We'd love for the winner to take those three donkeys as well...)  See below for more information.

      This month in our Gallery we are presenting "Humans of Pike" thanks to the generous gift of prints taken by photographer Brant Barrett of South Carolina--he was a 2016 SlowExposures Artist in Residence and "Pop-Up" participant. Come see who he captured for posterity--Brant wants his subjects to take home the prints at the close of the show.