Two locally owned, independent stores dedicated to providing our customers with an interesting, eclectic selection of books and the finest coffee available. |
To everyone who has walked through our door....
the last ten years would not have been possible without your support. Thank you for all the books you have bought and the coffee you've drunk. Thank you for your constant kind words, good wishes and thoughts all year long. We only see some of our best customers one or two times a year... but we appreciate them just as much as we do our locals who stop by every day. Thank you all for supporting an independent, local business.
We know we can count on you to keep us going for another 10!!
2002 - 2012 |
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Happy Birthday... to US!!
Believe it or not, on July 22, 2012, Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books will celebrate our TENTH year in business!!! Seems like just yesterday we were so happy to be selling Craig Lee of California our first book (a Garfield treasury, go figure)! There were a lot of things we ha dn't figured out yet and we've made a lot of improvements over the years but ONE thing has stayed the same for all TEN years... we still bring you the freshest coffee, the finest espresso drinks and the best selection of books. To mark the occasion we freshened up our logo (look left) which can be found on several special edition Tenth Anniversary signature gift items- a top of the line embroidered hat ($ 21.95) in khaki, texas orange or navy featuring a contrast twill brim and leather strap (the dates 2002- 2012 are above the strap); NEW incredibly soft T-shirts in heather gray, dark purple and white ($18.99) and big hand thrown pottery mugs ($ 19.99).  Want to be part of the Tenth Anniversary celebration? Get some special edition gear and wear it with good karma in mind. After all, for ten years we've been rockin' Peace. Love. Books and Coffee!! Ready to order? Call us at 252-261-5510!
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Between the Lines
 Right now on my nightstand is Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Strayed decided to hike the trail as therapy following the death of her mother and her own divorce. The first time she actually put on her loaded down pack was to take her first steps on her planned 1,100 mile hike. Her break-downs and breakthroughs make for really good reading. In fact, when Oprah decided to resurrect her book club this summer, Wild was the first pick. I'm ready to go out for a hike myself! Am also highly recommending The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. What if, after every possible predicted end to the world, the planet's rotation simply slowed down? This should make the crossover to the YA market as well. Also recommend Robert Goolrick's latest Heading Out To Wonderful about a stranger's acceptance in a small Virginia town and how quickly it can all go wrong. Stephen L. Carter (The Emperor of Ocean Park) has a new novel out, The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln. Chris read the advance and said it was entertaining. Angel Khoury gave a big thumbs up to Freud's Sister (August 28) by Goce Smilevski; in 1938, Freud was granted an exit visa for himself and ten others to London. He took none of his four sisters who ended up in the Terezin concentration camp. Got Wayne Grey to try The Ice Princess and created another Camilla Lackberg fan. Wish they'd translate her books faster!! Her latest to come across the ocean is The Preacher, a follow-up to Princess.
Sad news about Nora Ephron, but several book clubs had good reviews for her sister's novel The Lion Is In. As always, Dorothea Benton Frank has a Lowcountry hit with Porch Lights. Mark Haddon's latest novel, The Red House, was eagerly anticipated by his fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl had lots of buzz before it even came out and is living up to it. A thriller that some say is not quite so dark as her previous outings. Glen Duncan's follow-up to The Last Werewolf (which I found interesting) Is Talulla Rising. Will the werewolf race die out? or will Talulla manage to protect her newborn child and keep things howling? Below Stairs, Margaret Powell's memoir of her service in a 'great house' is selling well with Downton Abbey fans.
Out in paper in time for great beach reading- Courtney Sullivan's Maine, JoJo Moyes' The Last Letter from Your Lover, The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall, Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The last is a magical, fantastical book that is so hard to describe but a must-read! Michael Parker's The Watery Part of the World delves into the Theodosia Burr disappearance in the 1800's and is set in North Carolina on fictional Yaupon Island. I've been wanting to read this one- was always fascinated by that mystery. Esmeralda Santiago's Conquistadora is now out in paper, Paige raved about this one. I really liked Ben Winters' The Last Policeman. If the human race has months to prepare for what will be a catastrophic collision of earth with a meteor, do men's laws still apply? First in what is gonna be a great trilogy.
Some new books with a local bent to them are A. Burgess Jennings' Currituck County from The History Press- full of interesting pictures from days gone by; Currituck native and author Travis Morris also has a new collection- Another Breed of Currituck Duck Hunters: Fresh Tales from Native Gunner. Can't wait to check it out. Also in stock Roanoke Island resident William K. Brown's Mullet Roar & Other Stories by an Outer Banker and Susan West and Barbara Garrity Blake's book Fish House Opera, an interesting narrative capturing 'the emotional highs and lows of North Carolina fishermen and their families'. Carole Marsh's children's book The Mystery of the Lost Colony was recently named a Battle of the Books selection. Marsh has written a number of books with Outer Banks backdrops in this popular mystery series. Chesapeake Seaglass Publishing has just released their 2013 calendar (it's beautiful) along with a new boxed set of 20 notecards. Selling like hotcakes. Also cool is our latest waterproof folding guide on Snakes of North and South Carolina. Really good pictures- maybe I'll finally figure out the difference between a cottonmouth and a brown water snake.
Sarah is in the middle of Everlost by Neal Shusterman, the Skinjacker trilogy that's been really popular this summer with YA readers. Middle schoolers have been buying the Pseudonymus Bosch series that begins with book one- The Name of This Book Is Secret. (they crack me up when they come looking for it and then say, 'I can't tell you the name of the book I'm looking for because the name of the book is secret. hardeehar.') Elementary readers have been devouring the Shark Wars series and the Pirate School chapter books. Big hits at story time have been The Amazing Adventures of Bumblee Boy, The Pirates Next Door (love reading that one) and Victricia Malicia (a bookloving, landlubbing pirate girl!). Parents of recent grads have been picking up How to Succeed in College (While Really Trying)- a Professor's Inside Advice by Jon Gould.
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Flotsam & Jetsam
 July Fourth was a ton of fun! We started the day out in the Town of Duck Fourth of July Parade- always a good time! Even though our Find Waldo themed float didn't take a prize, we salute Sun Realty, Four Seasons and the DVFD for their wins! Thanks to all the volunteers who came out in their best Waldo togs to walk with us and hand out goodies! Did we mention that ABC.com ranked Duck's Fourth festivities as the #2 best small-town Fourth of July celebration IN THE COUNTRY?!!After some watermelon at the Park, we headed over to Manteo for afternoon festivities including a dunking booth featuring Town staffers, apple pie, decorated bike and hat contests, bouncy houses and- of course- funnel cakes! 
Sad news from Roanoke Island- Andy Griffith died on July 3; Mr Griffith's career started with The Lost Colony and even after making it to the big time his heart never left Manteo. He lived just outside of town and made too many contributions to the community to mention. On July 5, H. A. Creef passed away. Mr Creef was the owner of the Pioneer Theater on Budleigh Street. The Pioneer has one 8pm show a night and the movie changes weekly. You can always be sure that whatever's playing is fairly family friendly and popcorn is only a buck.
Calling all divers! If you're interested in doing some beach dives during your stay on the Outer Banks, give the awesome people at Roanoke Island Outfitters at 473-1356. They do daily beach dives, spearfishing lessons, kayak tours and more. Lots of quality equipment too.
Events at the Town of Duck Park are in full swing- Tuesday and Thursday evenings feature live music, Thursday mornings has storytime in the amphitheatre, Tuesday morning theater/toy time and much more. The full schedule is posted at townofduck.com be sure to check it out before you arrive!
Later this month in Manteo we'll be welcoming cookbook author Elizabeth Wiegand (July 24), Outer Banks mystery writer Joseph. L.S. Terrell (July 25) and fishing guru Stan Ulanski (July 26). Please call 252-473-1056 for details.
And on a final note, Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books at the Waterfront shops will close early (1pm) on Sunday, July 22, so that we can all get ready for our annual employee cookout which this year falls on the exact ten year anniversary of our opening! Everybody sing along... Happy Birthday dear Cottage, Happy Birthday to US!
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 Jamie's Book Club This is a bit of a spoiler for any member of the club who hasn't received their book yet (they're on their way!), but On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves is the July selection for Jamie's Book Club. This beautiful novel tells the story of a young teacher, Anna, who is off to spend her summer in the Maldives tutoring T.J., a 16 year old cancer survivor. The rest of his family has gone ahead, and Anna (age 30) and T.J. are headed to the island on a seaplane that crashes after the pilot has a heart attack. They reach a small deserted island and must learn to make do with the little bit of wreckage that washes up, the few resources found on the island and the strength they give each other. This is NOT a Fifty Shades wannabe but an incredibly interesting book about survival, fortitude and relationships. In both stores it is my #1 beach read for July! |
 FIND WALDO LOCAL!! Just in case you missed our earlier emails, or haven't noticed we've been All Waldo All the Time on Facebook, let us tell you about a monthlong scavenger hunt we're hosting called Find Waldo Local! Waldo is 25 years old and to celebrate we've partnered with 19 businesses in Duck and 19 on Roanoke Island. A 6" Waldo is hidden in each store and when found, the seeker receives a card from that business. Collect 15 cards and you'll be entered in a great prize drawing to be held on July 31st (you need not be present to win). We're also holding weekly' Facebook Fan only' contests- tell us where you think Waldo is and, if correct, we'll enter your name in that drawing! Visiting the Outer Banks in July? Stop by either Duck's Cottage or Downtown Books for the complete lists of all the businesses where Waldo is hiding! |
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