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It's blowing hard outside. Rainy too. But not as bad as those Doppler-crazed weathermen are making it out to be. Sometimes I think they really really really really REALLY want a disaster so they can go "See? We told you it's sooo bad."
Today, I brought some books to my UBS and there were many customers there. It seems that at the first sign of stormy weather, many residents head for the bookstore to get a load of books. I have to agree--what better way to spend rainy afternoons locked up in the house but with a heartwarming romance novel? It was fun spending an hour talking about books with strangers who also loved reading the same genre. I introduced them to different authors and they even bought a couple of my books ;-). Hopefully they'll enjoy my book as well as my recommendations.
There were probably about ten of us in the store and as usual, I liked to ask things that I'm curious about:
"Do you order online?"
"Do you read reviews online?"
"How do you get to know new authors?"
None of these women order any of their books online. They don't go to any romance sites online either. They buy any books recommended by my friend, the bookseller, because that's the only person who knows their tastes. If they need any books that aren't available, they ask her to order/buy it. For example, erotica is the hottest genre and most of them enjoy the stories, but none of them ever go to any sites online to order. They just buy what my friend gets in her store from the Ellora's Cave catalogue book. So, let's say, if I tell them to try my friend's Lauren Dane's books, they'd ask my friend to get those and I can help her by pointing her to the online sites ;-).
This is why I love going to an independent bookstore. The owners that I've met know their customers and read the books themselves. My friend can't return certain books, like the ones sold by Ellora's Cave, so she has to order carefully or eat the expense if the book doesn't sell. She relies on customer feedback as well as friends like me, who know the authors and can tell her what kind of story/style/etc. so she can figure out whether her customers would enjoy such a book.
I feel very fortunate that my friend's store is doing so well because so many inde stores have gone out of business. Through her, I can also gauge what the readers are reading. I feel sometimes that being online so much, I lose part of the big picture. There are so many readers who don't care about the online stuff that I or my friends do, yet they are voracious readers too. They just go about their hobby a different way.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
It's A Dark And Stormy Night
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7 comments:
Heh, I love finding new authors online. But then again, I didn't find your books online, I liked the cover of VHis. LOL
BTW, I finally found Driven. Been taking a look. We'll see.
Stay safe down there. They were saying Fay might take yet another run a Florida. Sheesh!!
LOL, Jenn, me lurvs you. You always respond to blogorama with the quietest smile.
The closest bookstores for me are Barnes & Noble and Borders. I sometimes go to an independent store -New England Bookfair. The pros for going there is they discount paperbacks 20% - the cons are they shelve items by publisher first, then title.
I've discovered authors on-line and through book magazine reviews.
I've had intersting chats with other bookstore patrons about various books and authors and always mention on-line sites when I do.
Hope you're feeling better.
Thanks for Chapter 2.
I will definitely write a letter to Walmart regarding VHers.
Genn, being online so much, it's easy to forget that the majority of readers aren't. They still buy books by good ole fashion browsing, or word of mouth. And a lot of stuff that you see peeps complaining about online, off line other peeps are going, 'yeah so what?'
Aww, thanks for the love! I love indie bookstores and I wish there were more of them!
Mo,
Yes, I've bought books just for the covers alone ;-). And I do like some of the ones that horrify and embarrass people, LOL.
Let me know what you think of Driven. And my friend, Liz Maverick's books.
Mel,
Sometimes it's like roofing online; you need a pair of sunglasses and earplugs.
;-)
Mec,
Glad you're enjoying Big Bad Wolf. I've found many a new reads through recs online too but I just wanted to add that many, many readers don't. AND I didn't for years and found many authors from talking to my booksellers. They are more knowledgeable about what their customers, that's all I'm saying.
Vanessa,
Exactly. That's why I love to talk books with different people. Sometimes they set me straight about how narrow-minded I've become. Also, they're so eager about trying out new stuff and I get to recommend my friends' books to them.
Lauren,
I know! I've been lucky to have seen some of the best in the States. I signed a few times at Beth's in Colorado Springs and she is SO WONDERFUL. Then there are some real gems near Detroit.
Hehe, I'm still reading Driven. So Liz's books will be next. Holy smokes on Driven though. It started out a bit slow for me, but good grief!! did it ever pick up. I'm not quite finished but I expect some seriously good stuff for the finale which is coming up. I am just before the big climax now. OMG!! I just love Wizard. He kills me, he really does. I simply can't wait to read Hidden as well.
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