Bookstores are my sanctuary.
I go there to wander, decompress, think, and plot. I also go there to buy books. I don’t care if the store is an independent mom-and-pop establishment or part of a national chain, if there’s bookshelves lined with books, I’m there.
My feelings never wavered after I published my first novel, All the Moonlight on Earth. The only difference was the surprise of finding copies of my own book sitting on a shelf. I wondered how many people had flipped through it. Read the first line. Felt a sense of curiosity at the description on the back cover.
Bookstores give readers that opportunity. And when Barnes & Noble invited me to attend a local author event at one of their stores, I was thrilled to be doing more than browsing titles. Readers and aspiring writers joined our humble author panel for a Q&A hosted by the store’s manager. Questions about writing technique, publishing, and everything in between filled the span of a couple of hours, commencing with a book signing by the authors involved.
My wife and most loyal supporter, Poe, was in attendance which made the event all the more special. If you are an author and supporter of bookstores, I highly encourage you to attend a local gathering like this. It will connect you with the kinds of people who are all searching for the same thing.
Great stories.
