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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Support Your Local Mom and Pop Bookstore

As I've said before - probably too many times, though I've tried to back off it as of late - news like Borders' closing and articles like this one makes me sad.   Literally.  Maybe I seem awful young to be so "stick in the mud", but more and more I'm of the opinion that "old" doesn't mean bad, outdated, backward; and that "new" or "progressive"  or "forward-thinking" doesn't necessarily mean "good".  Just because something's old doesn't mean we throw it away.  Some things deserve to be preserved and passed on.  Physical books and the love of physical books is one of those things.

BUT, one good point this article makes: people who still want physical books will always be able to get them, in the near future, anyway.  And hey - let people read how they want, as long as they're reading and it's good.   As a teacher, I've seen kids who hate reading suddenly read The Great Gatsby or The Scarlet Letter,  just because they could download it onto their Ipad.  AND, we're in the process of trying to secure an Ipad for Zack to learn on, so I've been reevaluating this whole thing.  Madi LOVES books and stories and poems and loves to have a PHYSICAL book in her hand.  Zack likes it, but the Ipad thing might be a revelation for him.

Another good point in this article:  Mom and Pop, Indie Bookstores.  If you've got them in your area, support them. Whether they're small indie bookstores, used bookstores with trade-in, store credit policies - give them your business.  Amazon.com is great and I use it a lot.  But I always hit the used book store down the street first, and when visiting family in Michigan, there's a huge used book store I visit, also.  

If I ever reach the point when I actually have a fan base - that's what I'll do.  Have signings at the indie book stores.  Draw folks into the Mom and Pop stores.  Come what may with the future of publishing - and, in the end, I want to be read, just like all other writers, be it through digital or print - these indie stores might very well be the last bastion of local PRINT book stores.  Support them.  

Don't let them die.

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