Independent Bookstore Reader's Challenge

If you are like me, you love a good challenge and I found the perfect one. This challenge came to us from the brilliant minds of Kim and Claire at The Bookstore People. Their Independent Bookstore Reader’s Challenge involves a very few simple guidelines:

Go to independent bookstores that are new to you between January 1 and December 31, 2009 and have some sort of interaction. Here are the different levels you can sign up for:

· Scout - Visit 2 independent bookstores (easy!)
· Specialist - Visit 2 subject matter specialty bookstores (i.e., travel, children, cooking)
· Nationalist - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore in a state you do not live in
· Continental - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore in another N. American country (that would be the USA, Canada or Mexico)
· Globetrotter - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore on a different continent (if you’re going to Europe, check out Bookstore Guide)
· Type A Personality to the Max - Satisfy any two categories

To find other great independent bookstores in your area, check out the IndieBound Store Finder.. While there, join the IndieBound Community where you can add indie retailers in your area, become a fan of your favorites and add reviews.

Visit The Bookstore People blog whose primary purpose is “to highlight independent bookstores wherever we find them to encourage people to visit them and buy their books from them. We believe that bookstores are an essential part of a community, a place where ideas and thoughts are shared and explored.” They’ll list everyone who is participating and provide updates and information. They will also be posting reviews of the stores you’ve found and liked, so if BayShore Books is one of them, please let Kim or Claire know. At the end of the year they’ll have a random drawing among everyone who satisfied their challenge for a gift certificate from IndieBound.