A Tale of Two Authors

I’m always excited to discover great reads from new authors. In May I found such a book and was eager to write my review. This past week I received an email from the author thanking me for the review and asking me to post it on Amazon. I was shocked to say the least!

After taking a deep breath I reminded myself that this is her first book and she may not be aware of how offensive this request is to an independent bookseller. Books that we are particularly excited about can be nominated for the Indie Next List which promotes new authors much better than one review among many on the online giant. I explained this to her as kindly as I could, pointing out that not only did I nominate her book, but it was chosen as a notable pick for August. The sting of her request was slightly diminished after looking at her site and seeing indiebound.org listed as a site to purchase her book.

On the flip side, in May of 2009 I wrote a short review of an amazingly original first novel by Brian DeLeeuw. This one was chosen for the Indie Next List last summer. Yesterday in the mail I received the paperback version, which will be out in August. The book was not only signed, but personalized! Included was a letter from Brian thanking me (me - not "Dear Reader"!) for nominating In This Way I Was Saved and promising to thank me in person if he’s ever in Wisconsin. In the letter he discusses his strong feelings about the increasing relevance and necessity of independent bookstores in this current age of depersonalization and tells us to keep fighting the good fight. Wow! Now this is an author I want to support! He does not have a link to Indiebound on his website yet (Brian, if you are reading this, please add one.), but the first link to purchase his book is an independent bookstore. It is authors like Brian that make me love coming to work each day.

I had to include both covers and would love your opinion.

Personally, I prefer the hardcover (left) over the paperback (right)

Books to Babies

One week ago today I became a grandma. I know what you are thinking – I’m waaaaaaaay too young to be a grandmother and you would be right. My first born is on the verge of passing me up in age.

Packing baby and new mommy up to come home from the hospital after an extended stay we all felt a little apprehensive. It’s been a few years since we had a baby in the house. The hospital did what they could to help with the transition by sending us home with everything we would need – a folder full of information, a t-shirt from the hospital, and baby’s first book.

Our hospital, in partnership with the local school district, started a Books to Babies program to spread the word about the importance of reading to newborns right from the start. Each newborn is sent home with a book and brochures about the benefits of reading to baby.

Like the folder full of information, we followed these instructions right from the beginning. Baby and mommy both have trouble staying awake during story time, but it gives them an opportunity to cuddle. When grandpa reads he adds in the animal sounds. The entire family perks up and listens in - what kind of noise could he possibly come up with for the gerbil?

We don’t have much to offer a newborn, we are merely bookstore owners, but we have plenty of love and books – lots and lots of books. Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny are coming home tonight. Mommy put in a request for Pat the Bunny– with the stuffed bunny of course. Starting today and for the rest of his life, we will be building his personal library one book at a time. Any suggestions?

A Little Help Please

Looking around the store I can’t help noticing all the reviews haphazardly taped on shelf edges. These little slips of paper seem to really help customers make their selections, but they are also a big help to me.

I can’t tell you how many people have asked if I read every book in the store. I wish! I love to read or I wouldn’t be in this business. New books come out every week so there is no way I can keep up. More often than not the books I am most excited about sharing with my customers will not be published for months. So, what’s an overworked bookseller suppose to do?

Reviews help me decide if certain books will appeal to my customers. Those, along with blogs, articles, past sales and catalogs help me make buying decisions. They also help with recommendations.

This is why The BayShore Bookworms was created. Customers can help by reading and reviewing books. The program is geared toward new releases, but if you read something you can’t wait to talk about, write us a sentence or two about the book. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. These kids had no problem sharing their opinions. Grade school students and teens, how cool would it be to send your friends into the local bookstore for them to see your review displayed beneath your favorite book?

Join The BayShore Bookworms or just drop off any reviews you have written on your own. If you don’t know what to read next, stop in and let’s chat. Or read about why your friends and neighbors loved a book. This is a community bookstore, so your input is invaluable to us.

IOU

Those of you who receive our monthly newsletter have probably stopped in by now to pick up your free copy of IOU: New Writing on Money. If you don’t receive the newsletter, What are you waiting for? Sign up on this blog or on our website.

Concord Free Press is experimenting with “generosity based publishing” and they are taking us, along with other independent bookstores, along for the ride. They have supplied us with copies of their fourth book to give away to all those interested in participating. The concept is simple: pick up a copy of the book, make a voluntary donation to a charity or person in need, chart your donation on their website, and then pass the book along to someone else so the giving keeps going.

The donations are posted online so it’s exciting to chart the progress of the books. It’s fascinating to see what causes are important to our customers and who they choose to donate to. If you like this idea, you can make a donation to this small publisher so they can keep the idea going. They also have t-shirts and posters for sale on their website. If you live outside of Wisconsin, you can find a participating bookstore near you.

Let’s help Concord Free Press connect reading and giving like never before!

Summer Camp

Memorial Day is the kickoff to the long awaited summer! Finally many of us can put away the textbooks and required reading and choose books just for fun. During the summer no excuse is needed to pick up some light reading. Now there is no need to read Moby Dick when you would much rather read the latest James Patterson mystery or Debbie Macomber romance.

This is a difficult time to be a bookstore owner. Each day as I wander the shop my must read list grows longer and longer. I imagine myself lounging on the deck this weekend with a cool drink and a copy of No Time to Wave Goodbye, written by a Wisconsin gal who knows how surviving a long Wisconsin winter should be considered an accomplishment worth celebrating. Or Coop written by another Wisconsin author who knows what it means to work hard and understands the need to relax.

Running my hand over these titles gives me something to look forward to each day. Is it any wonder that I feel a little sad each time one leaves the store? I realize my job is to share my excitement with other readers and I should feel pride when one of my favorites is chosen to be enjoyed, but some small part of me feels like saying goodbye to a child off to summer camp. This summer when you stop in to discover your perfect beach read, please take care of my child and if you loved it as much as I did, let me know. Let’s discuss it, share a tear, maybe a picture or two.

Required Reading

This should be required reading for every eighth grade girl!

Can you guess which book a customer was talking about when she made this statement?

Let me give you a clue. It is a children’s book. Much like Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a great graduation gift. Many children’s books find a niche with a completely different age group than was initially intended. Some children’s books are given as gifts because of sentimental reasons, others because of the message hidden inside what at first glance is a simple story.

The book the customer was talking about is Be Happy! By Monica Sheehan. This book was originally published as a self help book and last month reappeared as a children’s board book. The format makes no difference, although the illustrations in the new edition really liven up the pages. Remembering back to eighth grade, and all through high school, this customer was spot on. Be Happy! is a great reminder for anyone of any age.

What are some children’s books you have given to grown children or received as adults that made a difference in your life?

What are you reading?

“What are you reading?”

Sometimes what should be such a simple question is so difficult to answer. More often than not what I am reading has absolutely nothing to do with what I would like to be reading.

There is a pile of books by authors and publishers that I offered to read and review, foolishly thinking I could fit this into my schedule. There is another pile customers have been inquiring about. How can I give an honest assessment on a book I haven’t read? Reviews by others do make this task a little simpler, which is why the BayShore Bookworms began. Members choose one book a month, supplied by BayShore Books, to read and review. This benefits all of us since I can’t possibly read every new book set to be released and the members can choose subjects they have an interest in without paying hardcover prices.

My last book tower is new titles by authors I already know and love. Unfortunately these must be viewed as the lowest priority. I can recommend the latest installment based on my knowledge of the author and his or her previous work. This is the reality that is hardest to handle, though.

So, what am I reading right now? A book that must be completed and reviewed by the end of the month. I don’t remember the author or title, but I will by time I’m done with it. After that? This month’s book club pick, which I have been anxious to read since its release in hardcover – a year ago. What do I wish I were reading?