A Change in Trends

“Nothing is permanent but change.” - Heraclitus

There has been talk on blogs, including my own, about the inability of independent bookstores to compete against chain stores. Therefore, I was taken by surprise when I read on Boston.com that an independent store, Brookline Booksmith, welcomed patrons of a nearby Barnes and Noble store that had recently gone out of business.

According to the article, Unchained Success, “Booksmith is not the only independent bookstore proving surprisingly sturdy in a stormy economy. Other small booksellers are withstanding the downturn with the same combination of community involvement, personalized service, events, e-commerce, and such extras as cafés or gifts or used books, that enabled them to survive the onset of megachains and Amazon.com.

"There's a standard line that the independents are collapsing and they're all going to disappear soon. I think that's a little dated," said John Mutter, editor of the online newsletter Shelf Awareness, which tracks the book industry. "Most of the independents that are left are much stronger than the group as a whole before."

There was also good news in the article about the general book business during this serious recession. “Nationwide, sales in bookstores of all types fare better than in many businesses. The Census Bureau reports that bookstore sales in January 2009 were virtually unchanged from January 2008, compared with an 8 percent decline in total retail and food service sales. The big chains did not share that good news. Barnes & Noble's store sales dropped 5 percent last quarter compared with 2007, capping a year that CEO Steve Riggio called "the most challenging year that the company and the industry have ever experienced." Fourth-quarter sales in Borders superstores plunged 15 percent, and the chain closed 112 of its Waldenbooks locations in 2008.”

I hate to hear of any bookstore closing, but I am pleased to know that folks are still shopping for books and that maybe the independent bookstore won’t become obsolete after all.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: Heraclitus, Barnes and Noble, Booksmith, Amazon, Boston.com,

What’s Great About Being a Writer?

“You always find things you didn’t know you were going to say, and that is the adventure of writing.” – John Updike

It wasn’t difficult to come up with ten items yesterday for my list of the hardest things about being a writer. However, it was even easier to list reasons why it’s great to be a writer. Here are ten (in no particular order) of the many reasons why I love being a writer.

Becoming so absorbed in what I’m writing that I lose myself entirely

The joy of rushing to write when the solution to a scene I’m stuck on hits me like a bolt of lightning or the idea for a new book or short story

Watching my characters develop and being surprised by where they lead me

The thrill of seeing The Ride displayed in the front window of a Barnes and Noble Bookstore

The excitement of my first television interview on WINK TV with Sarah Augusthy

Reading unsolicited good reviews of my work

The opportunities to meet other authors and to learn from them

Someone telling me how much they enjoyed reading my book

The euphoria I felt when I received a publishing contract

A sense of pride and accomplishment at seeing a project through to the end

What do you consider great about being a writer?

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: The Ride, John Updike, Barnes and Noble, WINK TV, Sarah Augusthy,

Shopping Seasons in Bookstores

“Success is when reality exceeds expectations.” –John D. Gerhart

At the signing I did before Christmas in Sarasota, I thought most of the bookstore customers appeared to be stressed, unhappy or rushed. As though on a mission, they refused to let anything distract them from their goal. According to my personal unscientific survey, the average time they spent in the store was under fifteen minutes. Many shoppers came in only to purchase gift cards. I felt like an annoying roadblock on a busy freeway as I stood near my book signing table.

This Saturday, however, there were smiling faces and people willing to stop and visit even if they had no intention of buying my book. Some of the customers that were in the store when I arrived were still there when I left two hours later. It was refreshing to see so many browsers and buyers spending quality bookstore time.

I can only assume that the time of year had everything to do with the difference in customers’ personality changes and buying habits. I thought a pre-Christmas signing was ideal. Now my thinking is that unless the book has something to do with the holidays or is by a well-known author, after holiday signings are more pleasant and more productive.

Do your shopping habits change with the seasons? Have you found a particular time of year to be better for conducting book signings?

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Linda Chierico for arranging the signing event. Also, thanks to David and the other Clearwater, Fl., Barnes and Noble employees who worked Saturday, for making me feel so welcome. I’m not sure who is responsible for the window displays but I’d like thank them as well. What a great feeling to walk by Barnes and Noble and see my event poster surrounded by copies of The Ride displayed in the front window!

I sold a few books, had a good time, and the day exceeded my expectations so I consider the event a success.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: The Ride, Barnes and Noble, book signing, Clearwater, Christmas, John Gerhart,

Book Signing Horror Stories

“Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well.” -Epictetus

I have a book signing event coming up on Saturday where I’ll be signing copies of The Ride. I’ve not done many signings so I searched the internet in hopes of finding helpful hints. Among the useful suggestions, I also ran across book signing horror stories. I don’t want to focus on the bad stuff, but I admire the authors willing to share their tales of woe and doing so with such a sense of humor. Here are a few of my favorites:

From Reading Under the Covers is a story about a lesser-known author who was seated next to Stephen King at a signing. I can only imagine how invisible that poor author became. Although, I think if I was sitting next to Stephen King, I might not care.

On Author, Author I read where only two people entered the bookstore during the signing and one of the two was related to the author. On this same site, is another story where the author’s books were accidently shipped elsewhere.

There’s a funny article called Dylan Jones: A bad book signing. He sold two books, so I’m not sure I’d consider it bad. However, the story that goes along with it is very funny and involves a customer who asked him to move out of the way.

My favorite was written by Bob Eckstein about his disastrous holiday book tour. It seems his tour coincided with some horrible winter storms. To me his story is even funnier because the book he’s promoting is The History of the Snowman.

I also discovered there is a book full of book signing mishaps called Mortification: Writers’ Stories of Their Public Shame by Robin Robertson.

I’ll try to take the advice of the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, and let things happen as they do happen. Still, I can't help but hope that my event will be a success and not one that will qualify me for a spot in any Mortification book sequel.

If you are able, please drop by Barnes and Noble at 23645 US 19 North in Clearwater, Fl., from 1 to 3 PM on Saturday, January 17. And, please pass the information along to and family, friends and acquaintances you may know in the area.

Do you have any book signing tips or horror stories to share?

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: The Ride, book signing, Epictetus, Dylan Jones, Bob Eckstein, Mortification, Barnes and Noble, Clearwater, Stephen King, Robin Robinson,

Bookstore Customers

“I get crazy in a bookstore. It makes my heart beat hard because I want to buy everything.” -Reese Witherspoon

Thanks to Sandi Gershman at the Barnes and Noble on Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, I held my first bookstore book signing. Unfortunately, not all bookstore customers have the same attitude as Reese Witherspoon because they all didn’t rush toward my table to purchase a signed copy of The Ride. Still, I found the experience enjoyable and educational.

It was a bit strange to spend a few hours in a book store and not be wandering up and down the aisles browsing through the many titles. Instead of focusing on books, I concentrated on watching the customers and their responses towards me (I should say, my perception of their reactions).

Many patrons looked as though they were on a mission and were in and out in a matter of minutes with purchase in hand oblivious to me or anything else in the store. Some customers smiled in acknowledgement and kept on going; some stopped to ask questions about writing or about the book. Some of those people bought the book, some did not. Some people assumed I was a store employee and asked me to help them locate a specific book or other item. Then there were the people who avoided eye contact, as if by looking at me they may somehow be hypnotized and forced to buy a book they had no interest in owning. Other customers went out of their way to avoid the area I was in altogether as though it was taped off as a crime scene.

I understand. I really do. I’m an easy touch—the type that hates to say no to anyone—so in the past, I have been guilty of weaving through a store circumventing a signing table to avoid putting myself in an awkward situation. No more.

Now I go out of my way to attend book signings as a way of offering my support as a fellow author. It turns out that I have enjoyed the books that I may have missed otherwise. An example would be the books I bought recently from Ad Hudler at One for the Books in Cape Coral. Househusband and Man of the House were funny and presented an interesting viewpoint on gender, role models and raising children. Now I want to go back and buy his two other novels.

I’m wondering, do you go out of your way to attend a signing or to avoid them? Are you comfortable looking through a book if the author is present? Do you feel obligated to buy if you stop to look? Are you able to fan through the book, make a comment to the author and walk away? I’d really love to hear your comments on this.

If any authors out there have suggestions on how to make book signings more successful, I really need to hear from you.

Thanks for stopping by.


Tags: The Ride, Reese Witherspoon, Barnes and Noble, Ad Hudler, book signing, One For The Books,

Best Times or Worst for Authors May Depend on Who You Are

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” - Charles Dickens


According to an article I recently read online, Best and worst times for book business, the days of growing an audience for emerging writers over several books may be a thing of the past. If books don’t start out at the top of the best-seller list, they’re deemed failures.

Evidently one major publishing house is temporarily not acquiring new manuscripts in an attempt to stay afloat. Yet another, that represents some of the biggest commercial authors around, is giving bonuses to every employee equal to a week’s salary, in addition to regular bonuses.

Ester Newberg, a literary agent representing some blockbuster authors says, “It is seriously going to be a time for known commodities. I would hate to be starting out in the business.”

So much for my timing!

Although this is certainly is discouraging news to authors like myself, I can’t help but feel fortunate that I found a publisher who is still willing to take a chance on “unknown commodities.” Thank you, ArcheBooks!

In an attempt to change my status from unknown to known, I’ll be doing a book signing for The Ride at Barnes and Noble, 4010 South Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, Florida, on Saturday, December 6, 2008, beginning at 3:00pm. If you will be in the area, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello. Or, if you have friends or family in the area, please pass the word along. Remember books make great gifts and this is the holiday season.

Thanks for stopping by.



Tags: The Ride, Archebooks, Dickens, Barnes and Noble, book signing, best-seller list,

An Author Can Always Dream

“Everything starts as somebody's daydream.” -Larry Niven

Finding The Ride on the New York Times Best Seller list; hearing from Oprah’s producers that my book is going to be her book of the month; walking into my local Barnes and Noble and finding the book prominently displayed on the front table; and, winning the lottery are four of my favorite things to daydream about. Can you guess which is the least likeliest to happen?

Less than one percent of manuscripts submitted are published, so I know I am a very lucky person. Still I imagined the most difficult daydream to pull off would be winning the lottery.

At least that was my guess prior to reading Can You Buy Your Way onto the Front Table at Barnes & Noble? on on Big Bad Book Blog. Click on the title to read the entire article. Although it was sad to learn there is no way for me to occupy this coveted position, I found the write- up most interesting.

According to the article, premier shelf placement, or even what books to carry and promote aren't decided by the store manager or employees, but by category buyers. These decisions usually occur five to six months in advance of publication. This means you must have a rep that solicits a ‘buy and a placement’ promotion. But first, you must have a publisher that actually has the money to afford this sort of promotion. Another stipulation is you must be an author who already has name recognition, a platform and a marketing plan.

The hurdles unknown authors from a small publishing houses such as ArcheBooks have to stumble across to have any chance of success are already too numerous to count. So it is rather disheartening to learn that although you have an excellent product, corporate bookstore offices are not interested. I wonder how many wonderful books have fallen into black holes simply because the author and/or publisher do not have the money to compete with ‘the big boys.’

Of course, there are always exceptions and success stories like J.K. Rowling or Dan Brown to keep this author’s daydreams alive.

On the other end of the spectrum, I stumbled across One For the Books http://www.capecoralbooks.com/ bookstore in Cape Coral, Florida. It’s what a bookstore used to be; shelves from floor to ceiling crammed with new and used books. It is obvious, the owners Don and Monica, love what they do. They also kindly agreed to place a couple of autographed copies of my book on their shelves. If any of you are looking for a signed copy, I hope you will check them out. We need to support our independent booksellers before they all disappear.

What are your favorite daydreams?

Thanks for stopping by. See you next week.


Jane Kennedy Sutton
Author of The Ride
http://janesutton.com/
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/



Tags: The Ride, Archebooks, Larry Niven, New York Times Best Seller List , Oprah, Barnes and Noble, lottery, Big Bad Book Blog, Rowling, Dan Brown, One For the Books, Cape Coral