NPR reports:The owner of Wordsmiths bookstore in Decatur, Ga., is appealing for donations to help pay his bills. Word of his plight is spreading in the literary world. But some wonder whether it's appropriate for a for-profit enterprise to ask for donations.
The Book Coaches of "The School of Life"
Going on a trip and don't know what books to bring.Is your best friend getting married and you want to supply the reading material for her honeymoon.Well, the Bibliotherapy department of The School of Life can help.For around $75 you get a half hour consultation and "you'll come away with a mini-prescription for an instant literary fix" with a more "detailed prescription" to follow.The School of Life is a "new cultural enterprise...offering intelligent instruction on how to lead a fulfilled life." They offer classes, "stigma-free psychotherapy, secular sermons, conversation meals, a floating faculty of experts and a new kind of...
Ray Bradbury on Bookstores, Book Reviews and Love
"I raised myself in used bookstores. I went in looking for myself and I found me on every shelf."- Ray Bradbury in conversation with Steve WassermanTruthdig.com is airing a great conversation between Steve Wasserman, the former editor of the now defunct Los Angeles Times Book Review and now Literary Editor of Truthdig, and Ray Bradbury.The conversation is broken into three video segments; Bookstores, Book Reviews and Love and all are worth a look.Here is the video of the first part- Bookstores:The other 2 segments and a complete transcript of the conversation are available here.
The Evolution of Author Marketing : Readings Endangered, The Appearance Rising and Product Placement is Just Around the Corner
Author Ethan Canin, right, mingles with guests at a recent "Words & Wine" gathering in SeattleRemember the days when one of the few options an author had was to hit the road to promote their new book, crossing the country, reading at bookstores both big and small, connecting with readers in the hope that they will buy your book.Well, it's not that simple anymore. The changing publishing and bookselling landscape has forced everyone to revamp their marketing strategy to come up with new ways to sell books. Most major publishers now have an in house speakers-bureau and internet marketing department....
Print on Demand at Your Independent Bookstore
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) has teamed up with Applewood Books to provide print on demand services for independent bookstores. The deal was brokered by Ingram's Lightning Source.The new program will provide participating booksellers the ability to publish any title that is in the public domain or any book whose rights have reverted to the author. Though technically the program is open to all books in the public domain the focus seems to be on producing titles of local interest.How it works:Booksellers will sign a letter of agreement for each work and pay an advance fee of $250 for each...