Indies First: Authors share their experiences working as booksellers
Indies First, a movement started by author Sherman Alexie in which writers worked at bookstores on Small Business Saturday, was held for the first time on Nov. 30 and seems to have been a great success.
According to industry newsletter , more than 400 bookstores participated in Indies First, with over 1,000 authors lending their time.
The day was also a financial success for some, with Tom Campbell, co-owner of North Carolina鈥檚 Regulator Bookshop, telling SA the store had 鈥渂y far our biggest day of the year鈥� and Joan Grenier, owner of Massachusetts鈥� Odyssey Bookshop, describing the store鈥檚 sales as 鈥渦p considerably.鈥�
A couple of authors shared stories from their selling day, with writer James Patterson that he had a 鈥済reat time鈥� working at Florida鈥檚 Classic Bookshop.
鈥淢akes me wish I worked there,鈥� he wrote.
Meanwhile, 鈥淭he Art of Racing in the Rain鈥� author Garth Stein worked at five bookstores in the Seattle area during the day.
鈥� 'Welcome to Eagle Harbor Books,' I sing out to new customers entering the store,鈥� Stein wrote for of his time working at Bainbridge Island鈥檚 Eagle Harbor Book Company. 鈥淭he people look at me like I'm deranged.鈥�
When Stein headed to Queen Anne Book Company, where Alexie had worked at one point during the afternoon, a couple who arrived was disappointed to see Stein instead of Alexie. Stein was able to grant their wish 鈥� he called the store where Alexie had gone and sent the couple over to see the other author. Stein proclaimed himself satisfied by his day, which included recommending Cara Black novels to a customer looking for a mystery for a gift.
鈥淢y bookseller friends know I've got some chops,鈥� Stein wrote of his day. 鈥淎nd they know where to find me if they need me. Until then, I've got a book of my own to finish.鈥�
鈥淎ir Kissing on Mars鈥� author Kim Dower worked at California鈥檚 Book Soup and said she rehearsed selling lines such as 鈥淐an I help you find something鈥� all week before her stint as a bookstore worker.
鈥淚 did learn, however, that asking people who were browsing in a bookstore if they liked poetry was a real conversation stopper,鈥� Dower told . 鈥淭oo bad! People have been traumatized by the way they were forced to learn about poetry in school and they never got beyond those first bad experiences. It shouldn't be that way!鈥�
Dower was happy to notice that her efforts won a few over 鈥� she spotted some customers sitting and reading poetry in the store after she talked with them.聽
聽鈥淏ookselling is addictive,鈥� she said.
