How to help out an Indie store

Occasionally I see a post so good I just have to repost it. I know, this is kind of cheating in the blogger world, but this one go me thinking. Besides, Joe Konrath basically did the same thing--though he also listed a whole lot more.

But I think the power of this concept is that it goes hand in hand with Indie authors, which it's highly likely I'm becoming. As we seek to share our words with others, the idea of building a locale that can survive on a local level, an Indie bookstore just for you, is really appealing. See what you think.


"Do You Have A Local"
By Ruth at Central Crime Zone

"This blog is dedicated to all of the wonderful folk who feed my addiction for books in the most personal of ways. Sometimes it's nice to walk through the door and have everyone know your name. More importantly, it is astounding to think that I can go to 40 different cities in this country, roll up to the counter and the Bookkeeper is gonna be able to put my book of choice in my hand. This number would be even higher if I was better traveled.


This past weekend Crimespree flew to Minneapolis for Writes of Spring, an annual event held at ONCE UPON A CRIME. How heartening it is to see Authors rally around their local book store. Even better? Seeing the folks coming out to buy books. It warmed my heart to see that all that booky energy.

The last four times I've been to my own local, MYSTERY ONE BOOKS in Milwaukee the crowd has also been good. It's worth mentioning that on Super Bowl Sunday .. in Wisconsin, Robert Crais had an audience of 70 people. Not bad at all.

Have I lost you? Are you thinking there goes Ruth with her Rose Colored glasses.. If you're still here I have an idea... a crazy, silly & wonderful idea. All I need is a little help from my friends. All I need is a little help from the people I haven't met yet but stumble across this blog. All I need is a commitment.

Do you remember the rush when you stumbled across that perfect book? Do you recall a cover calling to you, the flap copy adding to the harmony, and possibly a blurb that sealed the deal? When you read that book it was yours. The book belonged to you and was yours to talk about, share, put into other folks hands. It was the discovery that made it special.

For most fiction readers that feeling I just described along with print reviews is the way they find these treasures, for now. The casual reader likes to walk into a store and find the book that's going to get them through that chilly weekend or long plane ride.

Summer is coming and with it the beach & vacations. An outlet is gone for those who are part time readers to get their fix. The closing of Border's presents any number of problems to everyone with any conscious awareness of the Publishing Industry. Last year the box store accounted for 13% of all book sales.

There's an opportunity here. Last year Indy stores accounted for only 2% of Sales. Let's change that this year. Let's Make it 8%.
That co-worker who asks you what to read? The friend who asks you what you think they might like? Surely all of us can find two people to walk into an independent bookstore of our choice who've never been to one before.

That's it. That's my plan. If all of us do this we can help the Indy dealers who lay the footprint for the best sellers of tomorrow. These smaller stores may not have as many end caps or focal points as a Borders but they are full of reading goodness and staff who knows how to put the right book into the customer's hand.

There will be hard choices for writers, publishers, distributors and the consumer in the months ahead. But for the now, let's gift our family, friends and acquaintances with a choice they never knew they had. The Indy Book Store.

This idea is so simple I bet Joe Konrath has time to play and a desire to help."

Book Blogs

Today I stumbled upon a new web site, Book Blogs, which is really a massive aggregator of people blogging about books. They might be authors, readers, reviewers, you name it. Looks like about 13,000 people have signed up. The site has the potential to quickly broaden one's social media involvement.

Seems like the more I do with social media, the more I realize it's a world filled with more to do and interact with than I even have time to consider. But it's also fascinating. How do you manage to expand your reach while at the same time managing the rest of your life?

Preparing for Literary Conference Thoughts Take 2: the Pitch Is Everything

A couple of more quick thoughts on this topic before we call it close tonight. There are tons, I mean TONS, of resources out there on getting ready for a conference. Authors Incognito had a couple of great posts on pitches and queries. For example, Danyelle Ferguson talked about "The Essentials on How to Prepare for a Pitch Session," and Jenn Johansson talked about "The Perfect Elevator Pitch." By the way, great photos, ladies!

Here's another great resource: Kristin Nelson, literary agent, has a great blog worth following. Go to her blog and search for "pitch" or "query." You'll find sample pitch letters and a query workshop with 11 entries, as well as a lot of detail on agents.

I suggest looking at blogs by agents you like, or by agents your friends like, and see what they have to offer about this. Many of them, like Kristin, have samples or suggestions.

I just Googled "elevator pitch" and got over a million hits. Yeah--way too many to wade through in one setting, but you'll find plenty of good things out there.

I think more than anything, you want to have something simple and concrete to talk about regarding your book or project. If I could only give one piece of advice, it would be to hone over and over your pitch until you have it concrete, simple, and engaging. Have the 6 word version, the 25 word version, and the 100 word version. And know them by heart. But always bring them with you--written down. If you know what your story is about, then you know what you want to do at the conference and who you want to meet.

But don't worry if you don't have something worth pitching. Find your genre and talk about that with people.

And don't eat too much. This may sound silly, but bring a toothbrush and some dental floss. The last thing you want is to feel embarrassed or simply uncomfortable because of something you ate. You can always sneak off to the restroom to assess the situation. But you can't take the discomfort back if you later find you've had spinach in your teeth all day!

Saints in the Marshall Islands

My article about Saints in the Marshall Islands just appeared in the April 2011 Ensign and Liahona. To read about these extraordinary members, go here. There's also a pdf version. Click here, and scroll down till you see the article, "Sailing True in the Marshall Islands."