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The Lost Pages Bookstore
Once upon a time, Donnie Nelson was a bestselling author of fantasy novels. He had the fame, money, and career he had always dreamed about, but fame led to temptation, and Donnie surrendered to it, destroying his family. Then his mother died. Writer’s block set in, and Donnie retreated to a new career as a used bookseller in the tiny Oklahoma town of Sagebrush.
There he stayed, year after year, unable to write, his royalties drying up, living in the back room of his store, which lost money every month. Until he got a call from an old acquaintance who told him his high school creative writing teacher had died. Fighting his insecurities, Donnie made the drive home to attend the funeral of the woman who had ignited his love of writing.
He returned to Sagebrush with two unwanted guests who turned his life upside down and just might pull him out of the shell he built around himself. He might even find happiness again in The Lost Pages Bookstore.
There he stayed, year after year, unable to write, his royalties drying up, living in the back room of his store, which lost money every month. Until he got a call from an old acquaintance who told him his high school creative writing teacher had died. Fighting his insecurities, Donnie made the drive home to attend the funeral of the woman who had ignited his love of writing.
He returned to Sagebrush with two unwanted guests who turned his life upside down and just might pull him out of the shell he built around himself. He might even find happiness again in The Lost Pages Bookstore.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2023
About the author
Steven E. Wedel
60 books140 followersI’ve been writing stories since I was a teenager dreaming of fame and fortune in the literary world. While I’m still waiting on the fortune part, I’ve published over 50 books, mostly in horror, but also in literary fiction, thrillers, Westerns, young adult, and children’s genres—sometimes under other names.
My writing tends to explore the darker sides of life, often blending the supernatural with raw human emotion. If you like slow-burn psychological horror with depth, you’ll probably find something on my shelf worth reading.
In my other lives, I’ve worked as a machinist, journalist, corporate writer, public relations guy, and English teacher. I have a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Oklahoma, and a background in journalism, too. I'm a lifelong Oklahoman, currently living in the central part of the state with a couple of dogs, a cat, and too many books.
When I'm not writing, I'm probably kayaking, camping, or spending time with my kids and grandkids.
Feel free to reach out—I enjoy connecting with readers.
My writing tends to explore the darker sides of life, often blending the supernatural with raw human emotion. If you like slow-burn psychological horror with depth, you’ll probably find something on my shelf worth reading.
In my other lives, I’ve worked as a machinist, journalist, corporate writer, public relations guy, and English teacher. I have a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Oklahoma, and a background in journalism, too. I'm a lifelong Oklahoman, currently living in the central part of the state with a couple of dogs, a cat, and too many books.
When I'm not writing, I'm probably kayaking, camping, or spending time with my kids and grandkids.
Feel free to reach out—I enjoy connecting with readers.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 3, 2025
Audio. 3.5 The story started strong and then kind of turned into a soap opera that was a little too much, a little too fast. I was invested enough to want to see what happened and overall it was an easy listen. This was despite the fact that it was an AI narrator. I think? The inflection of some of the sentences were off and the odd word was mispronounced.
February 14, 2024
Great feel good book. The AI voice is a little sterile but not bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 12, 2024 (3.5 rounded to 4.0).
Donnie Nelson is the owner of a used bookstore called “the Missing Pages” in a tiny Oklahoma town known as Sagebrush. He was a best selling author of fantasy books. When his mother dies and his marriage falls apart, a case of writer’s block sets in. When he comes across Sagebrush and the Lost Pages Bookstore, he buys the store, lives in the Bookstore’s back room continuing to try to break his writer’s block with no success. The shop is losing money every month. He is living on noodles cooked over a hot plate. The bright spot of his day is when Sherry Brown, the local bank teller, trades him food for the loan of a romance book every day. When his high school creative writing teacher dies, he makes a trip to his home town to attend her funeral. He arrives home to find out that he has acquired a stowaway—a teenager who is on her own and decides she wants to stay with him. Christening herself “Josey” , she proceeds to improve everything in his life—even coaxing him to adopt a dog and setting things up with a woman Donnie has been watching for some time.
Wedel has created a quirky group of characters and a place and time that creates relationships that will make all of them a “found family”. The characters are likable and the story of people helping people is enjoyable. Recommend to readers who enjoy books-about-books, bookstores, found family and small towns.
Donnie Nelson is the owner of a used bookstore called “the Missing Pages” in a tiny Oklahoma town known as Sagebrush. He was a best selling author of fantasy books. When his mother dies and his marriage falls apart, a case of writer’s block sets in. When he comes across Sagebrush and the Lost Pages Bookstore, he buys the store, lives in the Bookstore’s back room continuing to try to break his writer’s block with no success. The shop is losing money every month. He is living on noodles cooked over a hot plate. The bright spot of his day is when Sherry Brown, the local bank teller, trades him food for the loan of a romance book every day. When his high school creative writing teacher dies, he makes a trip to his home town to attend her funeral. He arrives home to find out that he has acquired a stowaway—a teenager who is on her own and decides she wants to stay with him. Christening herself “Josey” , she proceeds to improve everything in his life—even coaxing him to adopt a dog and setting things up with a woman Donnie has been watching for some time.
Wedel has created a quirky group of characters and a place and time that creates relationships that will make all of them a “found family”. The characters are likable and the story of people helping people is enjoyable. Recommend to readers who enjoy books-about-books, bookstores, found family and small towns.
March 12, 2026
I really liked the story. Unfortunately, I listened to the audiobook which was an electronic voice by Google books. The inflections and pronunciations were pretty weird and took away from the experience.
January 3, 2026
Very good book, very good story. Sad, heartwarming, and relatable. I unfortunately listened to the monotonous, mispronounced audiobook. Horrible narration! AI sucks!
March 18, 2026
Any book about a bookstore fine by me
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews