It’s always great to meet children’s book authors. Working in a bookstore provides us with plenty of opportunities to interact with authors and to introduce kids to their favorite authors. As a bookseller (I told you I’m an Unconventional Librarian) working at an independent bookstore, it’s great when authors show us that they value the work we do as an independent bookstore.
What’s an independent bookstore, you ask? Well, it’s a bookstore that is NOT owned and operated by a big chain guy company like Barnes & Noble, Borders, or others. Independent bookstores, called Indies, for short, are owned by local people who live and work in the community where they provide service. Indies are great because I get to work where I live and see people and kids I know and provide PERSONAL suggestions based on their likes, needs, wants, whims, etc.
Authors like us too, because, well, we’re cool people who get super excited about books. Especially the ones that they write so, everyone wins! Because authors appreciate Indies, they invented this thing called Indies First where authors adopt an independent bookstore and work there for a few hours. This was Sherman Alexie’s baby.
Kate DiCamillo, author of Because of Winn Dixie, and the newly released Flora & Ulysses came up with Indies First Storytime, with KIDS in mind! Lots of authors agreed to do this because who doesn’t love kids??
My bookstore, Towne Book Center & Cafe (the place where I dress up in a tutu and tiara every weekend) hosted Adam Lehrhaupt, author of Warning; Do Not Open this book! The book is super fun and so is Adam. Take a look.
Adam is super cool and I gabbed his ear off for like ever! Check out his links and follow him and my bookstore(!) on Twitter. Here are the deets:
Adam https://twitter.com/Lehrhaupt
Towne Book Center https://twitter.com/TowneBookCenter
WARNING: you may see pics of my big ole head on the store’s twitterfeed.
Did you get to hear an Indies First author read? Who was it? Who would you LOVE to hear?