Sunday's blizzard made for some amazingly beautiful winter scenery around the island paradise.

I had a lovely chat with a visitor from Connecticut who had come to the island with her husband just to see it in winter, and was rewarded with photo opportunities galore. We shot photos of Broad Street together yesterday at twilight. Epic!

This year on decorating night the Bookworkers donned a jaunty cap and picked a favorite book. In case you don't know everyone, here's a little more background about everybody - they're the best and they make the magic happen year-round.

Here they are in elfin alphabetical order... click the pictures to link to the books. (We're running low on some of the titles due to the effectiveness of the pictures dangling at the point of sale, but we're happy to reserve copies for you when they return!)

By day Beth is the Assistant Membership Coordinator at the Nantucket Historical Association, but a few nights a week she moonlights with us.She's a great cook (thanks for the cookies, Beth!) & crafter - you may have seen her this summer at the Farmer's Market, where she and Dani sold their cool stuff.

Like me, Beth likes great YA books, and we both loved "The Hunger Games" and it's sequel "Catching Fire." The only problem is that we have to wait until next spring for #3! Hurts so good...

Cristina Blank, sun-worshipper, got lured back onto the schedule a fair bit this fall, and those of you who know her know that that was entertaining.

She is a voracious reader of literary fiction often of the angsty type, and she loves to talk about books. The new Niffenegger was her absolute favorite of the fall (I must say my suburban Cleveland self wasn't as into it, but that's why there's more than one book in the world!)

Dani Henke's enthusiasm is contagious. She's the creative wunderkind from Iowa behind cool endeavors such as: set design at the Dreamland this summer, The Pear crafts line at the SN Farmers & Artisans' Market and on Etsy, and lots of awesome displays at Ye Olde Bookworks.

We're working on some fun activities with Dani this winter to keep us all busy & inspired, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In the meantime, ask her what kind of cool books are striking her fancy!

You all know Mr. Burns from years of experience, so you know he means business when it comes to good writing. He's been a fan & friend of Colm McCann for years, having met him at various literary festivals from Vermont to Ireland, so he was thrilled that "Let The Great World Spin" won this year's National Book Award. [Note: It is indeed awesome book, and if I wasn't so camera-shy I would have picked it too.]

Erin Dancik is a gifted primary class teacher at the Nantucket Lighthouse School. (She taught both my kids- thanks Erin!) She has more cool life experiences under her belt than seems possible for her age... maybe she is as magical as her students believe!

When she's not teaching or crafting her own cool stuff for her Etsy site, she travels and reads a lot. She thought the new John Irving deserved a shout-out in an elfin cap.

Melanie Kotalac is always doing something incredibly interesting, and this fall is no exception. She's been extra busy competing in surf competitions, scalloping / sailing / and/or working with her husband Rick at Brant Point Marine, travelling to Providence, and checking out all manner of artistic events wherever she finds herself.

No wonder David Byrne's journalistic book about biking through the cities of the world appeals to her! "Peripatetic," in the true Aristotelian sense, means "seeking wisdom & learning while walking about," and Melanie's got this angle of books covered.

...because she knows everyone and their parents and their children and their second cousin's ex twice removed. She's amazing! A true island gem.Try her skills as personal shopper--especially if kids are involved--and I bet you'll agree.

As for books, she'll push Italo Calvino's "Baron in the Trees" on you if she hasn't already, because she's all about the books that will change your life and make you a better person. We can definitely get behind that!