We spoke with Sharon Wheeler, who owns Purple Crow Books, about Nancy Drew, Lee Smith and what she’s reading.
What’s your ideal reading scenario?
These days, I love to read in the bathtub in the winter and on my porch in the summer.
What books are currently on your nightstand?
There is a long list of books – including “Redemption Road” by John Hart and “The Summer Before the War” by Helen Simonson – on my nightstand. I always keep a pile going.
Which childhood books have stuck with you the most?
I was an avid reader as a child, frequently taking my flashlight to bed to read beneath the covers. I entertained myself often in a backyard hammock with North Carolina ghost stories by Nancy and Bruce Roberts. I read these over and over again. Like many girls my age, [I wanted to be Nancy Drew] when I grew up.
What’s the one book right now you’d like to recommend to everyone?
Lee Smith’s “Dimestore: A Writer’s Life.” I’ve long been a fan of hers, and this book captures so much of her resiliency, strength and humor. She lives in Hillsborough and is a frequent visitor to Purple Crow.
Who would you want to write your life story?
I would most certainly pick a Southern women’s writer … probably Lee or Jill McCorkle.
