Joe Hill is the spectacularly-talented author of Heart-shaped Box. This is not the kind of book I normally read or recommend, because it’s considered “horror” and I am a weenie. But Toddly liked it so much, I had to give it a whirl. To my shock (not my horror) I loved it. Trying new things can be a little scary, but that’s the only way to grow.
Anyway, Joe and me have more in common than you might think. We are both rabid supporters of independent bookstores. We proudly shout our indie support from the tops of the barricades.
Joe has declared March to be “Love-Your-Small-Bookstore Month”. I second that motion.
Will you please join us?
Visit the closest indie bookstore to you this weekend. (Don’t know where it is? Indiebound will find it for you.) BUY A BOOK THERE. Buy a cookbook, or a book that gives spring cleaning tips. Buy a book for a child. Don’t know a child? Buy a book that explains how to make one. Buy something off the IndieNext list, ask the booksellers what their new favorite is. (Booksellers are wicked smart, you know.) Buy a book to help you understand the economic crisis, or cats, or the history of cod. (Yes, I’ve read that one, too. Fascinating.)
Indiebound makes many convincing arguments why we should be buying local. “Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43. Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors… Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint….More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.”
Here at the Forest, we’ve had our eyes opened to the importance of shopping local. Because of that, we’re in the process of changing all the bookselling links on my website. Here’s a sneak preview, from the WINTERGIRLS section of the site, still under construction. What do you think?
A Saturday morning in March is the perfect time to join the revolution. Give a shout-out to your favorite independent bookstore in the Comments section!
13 days til WINTERGIRLS comes out…
The site looks terrific! The images are chillingly perfect for the book, reminding me of scenes.
I’m with you on loving my independent bookstore. I’ll order my copy of Wintergirls from them today!
Thank you so much!
Buy a book that explains how to make one.
Hilarious! As soon as I find out where a bookstore like that is I will go and do that. 🙂
I’m obviously not paying enough attention. I was at a great indy (Full Circle Books in OKC) earlier this week and wanted to give them some business, so I asked for Wintergirls. A wee bit of confusion ensued until the brilliant librarian who was shepherding me around pointed out that it hadn’t been released, yet. Guess I’ll have to go to my great local indy in Bethlehem, even though they lost their coolest bookseller recently.
Anybody anywhere near Grand Rapids, Michigan? Get your tushie to Pooh’s Corner children’s bookshop.
Sounds like Stephen & Tabitha King raised their boy right, huh?
I wish my town or the town beside me had a indie book store. I love the atmosphere in the hometown stores,it’s like the employees want to be there. I am co-owner in a small custom frame shop and art gallery. People love coming out to see us,because we are in an old farm house in the country. We love our jobs and the customers know that. I do try to support the used book store in the city that’s an hour away as much as I can. It’s musty, cobwebby, dusty, and big and exactly the way I like it.
The website looks fantastic. Honestly. I clicked on it, thinking “OK, it’ll be good, because usually her website is pretty good.” But the layout, the background, the font, size, and color are all just. . .perfect. Kudos to your webmaster!
–Brian
What a great idea for March.
Here’s a shout-out to my three favorite local independents. Yes, I am so so so lucky to have these so close.
Hicklebee’s in San Jose. Valerie and Monica and the darn gang.
Dennis and Linda at Linden Tree in Los Altos.
And all the Books, Inc stores in the Bay Area.
I am so looking forward to Wintergirls.
indie presses too
Nice! I’d just add, we should support small presses, too. Just as large chain bookstores reach an audience indie stores can’t, but the indies can provide something else entirely in the way of diversity of ideas and matching books to readers — so too with presses.
Indies put out books that would never find their audience with a larger press, but contribute something essential for their readers. I volunteer for one, Haymarket Books, that puts out books with a quite different perspective on current events and social theory than what you’ll find in the mainstream news, at least. I feel we’re collectively so much richer for having this available for readers who are looking for it.
Huge congratulations on Wintergirls; I can’t wait to read it. As soon as I finish bawling my eyes out, having just finished Chains.
I can’t travel without collecting books from the towns I visit. A few indie bookstore shout outs:
Vertigo Books, College Park MD
Three Lives, Greenwich Village
Elliott Bay Books, Seattle
Valley Bookstore, Jackson, WY
Kramerbooks, Washington DC
Macdonald Bookshop, Estes Park, CO
Salty Dog Books and Music, St. Michael’s MD
And two l really miss (stupid economy…):
Port in a Storm, Somesville, ME
Olssons, Washington DC
Oh, my gosh!! I love Elliot Bay Books! Amazing place and a weirdly appealing cafe in the basement! It’s like a book-buyer’s heaven. There are places in there where you can’t even see beyond books, which is what a bookstore should be, I feel!
Also BIG shout-out to the incredible Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island across the Sound from Seattle. It’s an incredible, reader-friendly place where every single employee has some brand of immortal book-lust ^_^
beautiful cover
I think the cover is even more beautiful up close than it is as a smaller image. The artist did a brilliant job! How could he/she not with the inspiration the author provided? 🙂
Shout out for my favorite local Indie!!!
Love the new website for Wintergirls! There is even the sound of a snow storm! Cool!! Here’s a shout out for the river’s end bookstore, in Oswego, New York! They have Wintergirls already!
Wintergirls
Hi Laurie:
I’m Tess, I was your sort of guide/aid/helper monkey/personal assistant type person at Western Washington University’s Children’s Lit Conference a couple years years ago.
Anyway, I worked for an incredible independent bookstore right out of college and, though I’m currently living abroad, they’ve been keeping in touch and sending me ARCs.
Long story short: got a Wintergirls ARC, read it, LOVED IT BEST OF ALL YOUR BOOKS.
Without leaving tacky spoilers on your website, I just have to say that I haven’t been this moved by a book, possibly ever. Though it’s definitely not something I would normally pick up, I absolutely couldn’t put it down from page 1. I actually had weird physical reactions to it as well, specifically when I tried to eat and read at the same time. Couldn’t do it.
I remember at the conference we talked about research and you also talked about it during your presentation. I was so so amazed at the amount of work you put in. A girl I’ve known since middle school has been in the last throws of anorexia for what seems like years and I could see her going through what Lia goes through. It was scary, being able to personally relate to feelings I’ve had as well.
Anyway, sorry for the way long gush, but I had to tell you how incredible and powerful and impressive and deeply moving this book was. It’s my absolute favorite of yours, even though I LOVE Speak. I’ve got a list of family and friends I’m sending copies to once it’s published.
Thank you so much for writing this. I think all women should read it.
Re: Wintergirls
Hi Tess!
Thanks so much for the kind words! It is very, very, very exciting to see the words “LOVED IT BEST OF ALL YOUR BOOKS.” You made me jump up and down!
Re: Wintergirls
That was the plan, obviously ^_^ I can’t wait to share it with pretty much everyone I know ^_^
I buy everything I can from our indie store Changing Hands, which I was thrilled to recently discover that you will be visiting later this month. I can’t wait!
I love the Wintergirls page!