Reading Report
Last night, I celebrated the launch of GIRL'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT with a public reading at Borders Books and Music. I had a fantastic time, seeing old friends, making new ones, and watching the merger of different groups in my life (librarians, meet SF folks, meet lawyers, meet family...) The store started out with 60 copies of the book and ended up with 2.
There's a lot of discussion among writers, bemoaning the rise of the mega-stores and the death of independents. I love independent bookstores - the quirky feel to them, the treasures that might be lurking as the Long Tail emerges live and in the flesh. I love the cats that may or may not be waiting among the shelves, and the coffee/tea/cider that perfumes the air. I love the informed and knowledgeable staff who know books, who love books, who breathe books.
And yet ... (You knew there had to be an "and yet"...)
My books tend not to do well in independents. My books are not Deep and Meaningful. They are not High Literature. They do not Change Lives. They're fun stories, well told (if I do say so myself), but they're not the stuff of Highbrow Culture.
I've found GIRL'S GUIDE in every store I've visited but one - an independent.
The Borders where I did my reading tries its hardest to function as an independent. It brings in local authors. It partners with local schools, providing books and poetry slam opportunities and other services. It supports local musicians. Even as the chain has cut back and regionalized, the specific Community Relations Manager has bent over backwards to preserve the feeling of a neighborhood business. Last night, as I left, I was warmly invited back for next year.
I love doing readings. I love my local Borders store. Now, if I could just do something about the massive wave of fatigue when I finish one of these events!
Mindy, wondering if she's the only one who finds chains more supportive of genre
There's a lot of discussion among writers, bemoaning the rise of the mega-stores and the death of independents. I love independent bookstores - the quirky feel to them, the treasures that might be lurking as the Long Tail emerges live and in the flesh. I love the cats that may or may not be waiting among the shelves, and the coffee/tea/cider that perfumes the air. I love the informed and knowledgeable staff who know books, who love books, who breathe books.
And yet ... (You knew there had to be an "and yet"...)
My books tend not to do well in independents. My books are not Deep and Meaningful. They are not High Literature. They do not Change Lives. They're fun stories, well told (if I do say so myself), but they're not the stuff of Highbrow Culture.
I've found GIRL'S GUIDE in every store I've visited but one - an independent.
The Borders where I did my reading tries its hardest to function as an independent. It brings in local authors. It partners with local schools, providing books and poetry slam opportunities and other services. It supports local musicians. Even as the chain has cut back and regionalized, the specific Community Relations Manager has bent over backwards to preserve the feeling of a neighborhood business. Last night, as I left, I was warmly invited back for next year.
I love doing readings. I love my local Borders store. Now, if I could just do something about the massive wave of fatigue when I finish one of these events!
Mindy, wondering if she's the only one who finds chains more supportive of genre
ceolnamara
Now I know I need to write you a letter. I've been toying with the idea for six months now.
Perhaps on the weekend, after my classes are through.
I would have loved to have seen you, but it's quite a haul from your place to mine!
*lol* The #1 reason I decided to work at the calendar kiosk again was because I wanted time to read. That is usually the only reading time I have these days! I finished Girl's Guide to Witchcraft at work...lol.
I hope that the GREs went well!
(Anonymous)
I picked up "Girl's Guide" in a B&N last week and read the first 50 pages. I liked it immediately: the voice, the characters, and the Georgetown setting. It was hard not to buy it. (Crazy busy week, and if I bought it, I'd finish it in one setting rather than getting things done.) As soon as I move into my new place, I plan to buy it and make a temporary hermit of myself :)
I love independent bookstores, too. There aren't too many around here, but when I went to school in Ohio, I used to love this one bookstore that was in a house in German Village (Columbus). It was so cozy, and they had the greatest selection of classics. And yes, there was a cat (an angry cat, but still).
Have you tried getting independent booksellers to carry "Girl's Guide?" Chick lit might not be what they specialize in, but I'm sure they'd be happy to support local writers.
-Stacy
I should re-initiate my efforts to get hte local independents to stock my book. I was - alas! - soundly rejected when I pitched the Glasswright books to them, riding the "local author" angle pretty heavily. Perhaps with the more mainstream GIRL'S GUIDE...
You're right, though - authors should not passively sit back and be ignored - we need to keep moving the pieces forward!
Read Girls Guide
Re: Read Girls Guide
::glowing::