I’ve placed plenty of orders from online bookstores.  Amazon.com, Half.com, even a purchase or two from Barnes and Noble and Abe Books.

But last month was the first online book order I’d ever received of which each book was wrapped carefully in brown paper and tied with a string.

It’s amazing we didn’t drool all over the keyboard as we browsed the selection in Lanier’s Book Shop.

Gene Stratton-Porter—my husband’s family has been collecting her work since before he was born.  And Lanier had five copies of Michael O’Halloran, when Merritt had only ever seen two in his life!  (Oh the richness of the South’s book shops!)

Louisa May Alcott—hardback copies that looked like those I’d seen in the local museum.  And a collection called Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag that couldn’t stay out of my shopping cart.

Augusta Evans—author of that amazing and beloved St. Elmo. Lucy Maud Montgomery—creator of one of my favorite fictional characters.  Annie Fellows Johnston—known everywhere for her Little Colonel.

We looked through the book listings and looked through them again.  Finally we settled on just a few Gene Stratton Porter works.  And that copy of Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag that Lanier’s husband doubted my husband had ordered!

When the package arrived, I waited patiently until my husband got home from work, and we all opened it together.  The girls delighted in the paper and strings.  Merritt and I exclaimed over and again at the beauty of the books, the lovely illustrations.  There was even a personalized bookmark from my new favorite bookshop!

Lanier is celebrating one month of business with a giveaway over at laniersbooks.com.  She’s even going to conduct it by writing names on pieces of paper and drawing them out of a hat.

Don’t let the fact that it’s conducted via the internet fool you—Lanier’s Book Shop is the real deal: a good old-fashioned, book store with personal attention to detail and the most lovely Southern proprietress.  “Antiquated gems and gently-loved jewels”—you’re bound to find something that belongs on your bookshelf over at Lanier’s Books.