On a chilly, gray day, I welcomed the opportunity to step into Cowan's Book Nook. As warm and inviting as it's name, Book Nook celebrated it's grand opening on Friday.
Owners Barry and Melinda Cowan -- who also operate Cowan's Book Nook in Ellijay -- recognized the need for a top-notch bookstore in Blue Ridge. A great addition to the town's thriving downtown area, the shop is full of a large selection of books including fiction, non-fiction, and best-sellers. The store also features an impressive array of children's and Christian books. The space is light and airy, with sitting areas so that after you've browsed and chosen a book from the shelf, you can sit and relax and leaf through your selection. 
On hand to help celebrate the grand opening was cartoonist Don "Duck" Edwing. His cartoons have appeared in Playboy, Look, and The Saturday Evening Post, but Edwing is probably best-known for his work with Mad magazine, where he wrote the iconic Spy vs Spy comic strip for 12 years. A true character -- full of tales of his fascinating life and quick with a joke -- Edwing is in the process of making a move from Florida to Blue Ridge.
Also on hand for the celebration was author Jerry Roberts signing copies of his memoir entitled "My First Forty Years." Roberts didn't set out to publish a book, he just wanted to ensure that his children had a written account of his life. Once finished, he asked a friend who was in the publishing industry to give his manuscript a read, and the friend was very impressed with Roberts' writing, and encouraged him to publish the autobiography.
Stop in and visit Cowan's Book Nook in the downstairs plaza of the Mulberry Building at 576 E. Main Street, Suite C, in beautiful downtown Blue Ridge. 706-946-BOOK (2665)
Barry & Melinda Cowan
