Indie bookstores by name alone, sound like a hip place to hang out. “Indie” started with the music scene and by nature connotes feelings of creativity, freedom, uniqueness and independence.  It’s a world of happiness and happenings—a cool place to be.

One of my favorite things about a local bookstore is the personal recommendation by the bookseller. I figure if they are reading books all the time and single out one to promote, it must be excellent. The brick-and-mortar options of fingering through pages of a book or judging a book by its cover, are also a treat.

Indie Bookstores are building community in distinctive ways with author talks, in-house book clubs and plenty of discounts for the clubbers. Some indies offer meeting space for aspiring writers or a stage for readings from the local college. Special events with coffee or wine create a festive atmosphere for the happening spot.  I know from experience because I was one of those students from Berkeley Extension that read aloud a personal essay my teacher was impressed by. I have also attended luncheons with salad and wine at a author talks.

Indie authors, share the “indie” sensibility in that we write and publish what is meaningful to us and not what’s trending like a slick pop band. As a proud member of this group, I appreciate more than ever the presence of the local Indie Bookstore. They give us little guys a chance when they display our books.

East Bay Booksellers in Oakland believes so strongly in supporting local authors, a table is placed front and center for undiscovered writers like me. The snazzy book cover for Alive And Fixable is my best hope of catching a reader’s eye and making it to their bedside table.

Thanks Meghan!

For an Indie Bookstore to support a local author is a very big deal. The Indie Bookstore has choices in books to carry, a lot of choices. Anywhere between 800,000 and one million books are published in a year, the largest chunk, the self-published.

Feeling cool!

So imagine how honored I am that Orinda Books, my local bookstore and “cool place to be,” invited me to host a book talk in concert with a fundraiser for Project Second Chance, an adult literacy program through the county library. I am over the moon to be a “cool kid” in a “cool place” with compassion!

Thanks Cheyenne!

Swoon!

Saturday, April 27^th is Indie Bookstore Day where local bookstores across the nation celebrate their very existence and the people who love them with cupcakes, special books, presentations, mugs, t-shirts and unique giveaways. Why?

Because Indie Bookstores Rock!

Going!