Saturday, August 3, 2013

Hometown Books

Books are like clothes. Not everything fits every person. I like to try on a book before I buy it.

I'm feeling support from local booksellers. Vroman's has books by local authors displayed up front, on the Colorado Blvd. side. The Pasadena Museum of History gift store has a local authors section. Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena has been supportive from the beginning. They're big boosters of all local talent. The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop is the latest store to stock my novel, Camelot & Vine.

If you're setting out on your own publishing venture, you need to know that you pay for not all, but some of this support. You're going to have some of the same costs traditional publishers have, on a lesser scale. It's reasonable, when you think about it.

The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop has a Local Authors display right up by the front door. I want to make sure you don't have any trouble finding Camelot & Vine in this gorgeous store, so I took some pictures. This is the new, refurbished, relocated Flintridge Bookstore located at 1010 Foothill Blvd. Plenty of parking behind the building.

Local Authors and Book Club picks are together in one section, which is convenient because Camelot & Vine (am I giving you enough links?) was written by a local author (me) and it's a 2014 pick for Brown Bags & Books, Flintridge Bookstore's in-house book club.

 
I paid for the shelf-talker and furnished the information. The store's staff made judicious and excellent edits, printed it out with a picture of the book's cover, and thought to print the book club information in bold type. They have been incredibly helpful, and I love their personal touches.

Honestly, that's true of all these stores. That's why you shop locally.

I'm no dummy. If you're not in the Pasadena area, please do buy Camelot & Vine online. I want you to read and enjoy it no matter where you get it. I like shopping in my hometown, though, where I can hold the product in my hands and feel its heft. And try it on for size, so I don't have to return it if it doesn't fit.




9 comments:

TheChieftess said...

Are any of these copies at these bookstores signed??? I just realized that in my haste to read C&V in time for our book club, I got my edition on Kindle!!! Next time I'm down...I'm picking one up!!!

Kalei's Best Friend said...

I agree w/Chieftess, a signed book is always an eye catcher. Our local store had a signed children's book that I gave to a teacher.. She was very happy to see that it had been signed..She mentioned she would not be putting it in her class library but for her own personal one--

Pasadena Adjacent said...

will you be giving a reading there?

I've got the book and would love to have it signed

Petrea Burchard said...

I'd better get back out there and sign them. I didn't do that. I think I can get "signed by the author" stickers.

I will do a reading at Webster's, as they've already invited me. They've had a loaded schedule this summer, so hopefully this fall. PMH doesn't host readings, as far as I know, but I've spoken on a panel there and would do it again in a second. I love those guys. Vroman's and Flintridge charge the author a fee for this, so it depends on my budget eventualities.

And thank you, thank you for asking. I didn't do a book launch party, so public appearances are important.

Katie said...

So encouraging to read about these bookstores that feature local authors! And C&V jumps right off the shelf in the photos. Very cool that C&V is a 2014 pick for the book club at Flintridge. I wish I lived in the area as I'd very much like to join in. Ann Patchett wrote a great piece in a recent Wall Street Journal about real bookstores and how important they are for new authors. The bookstores in the Pasadena definitely get it!

Petrea Burchard said...

Are you in a book club, Katie? I'd be more than happy to come to the Bay Area!

Margaret said...

How exciting. I always like to hear how your marketing is going.

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Margaret. I'm afraid I talk about it too much, so that's nice to know. This is a store you might like to try as well.

Katie said...

Petrea I'm not in a book club, but if I was I'd definitely try to convince you to head north for an appearance!