Open letter to authors from an independent bookseller
as reported in Shelf Awareness:

........ from Janet Bollum of the Muse Book Shop, DeLand, Fla., an open letter to "all authors":

Our industry is struggling. Independent bookstores are holding on for dear life. We are going in debt to keep our dream alive with the hope for a better tomorrow. We need your help. Three hours of your time in an independent bookstore can make their day, their week, sometimes their month. Don't leave your entire scheduling in the hands of a publicist.

Give some of your time to an independent in your area. Take a 100-mile radius, find all the independents inside that circle and pick one or two you would be willing to spend a few hours with. It is a small measure of your time that could be of great import to them. Going on vacation, make us a part of the package. We will ensure you a good time and many accolades.

Remember when you were promoting that first book? Independents who hand sold your work were your launching pad. Independent bookstores are the heart of our industry because they keep their finger on the pulse of the community.
We are your neighborhood bibliophile. We need you, but you also need us.
We are intrinsically linked.Why are we linked? I believe it is because of our love for the written word, our thirst for knowledge.
A book is our comfort food, a poem is a masterpiece, a story ignites the imagination and feeds the soul.
Make a date with an independent bookstore. It could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.