Interview
Gentle readers, I did an interview! J. Aurel Guay asked me a bunch of questions about my past, present, and future writing. Enjoy! The page is here.
Consignments – or, Getting Your Book On Shelves
A tip for writers: you’ve seen those shelves in your local bookshops that say Local Author (or something similar). Wouldn’t it be cool to see print copies of your works there? Of course it would. Here’s how:
- Find your local indie bookshops. You might already know them, or some of them. Do a web search and make a list.
- Next, check each of those shops’ web pages. What you’re looking for is the magic word, Consignment. It might be on a Local Author page, or marked with something like How To Get Your Book In The Store, or perhaps there’s a listing under FAQs.
- If the bookshop offers consignment packages, you’re almost there. Read the conditions. Check to see what packages they offer. Then simply follow their instructions.
How do I know all this? Because I just went through the process myself. I have three indie bookshops in my area, and all offer several consignment deals. One was far too expensive—five times the price, for much the same package that the other two offer. Those other two, though, have just what I was looking for: for a small fee, I get print copies on a prominent shelf, and a mention in the shop’s newsletter. As I write this, Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins has copies of Mr. Gunn & Dr. Bohemia on the shelf, in the public eye. And if all goes well, another indie bookshop in Denver will have copies available in a couple of weeks (more details on that when it happens).
So, if your book is out there, and you have a box of print copies, what better way to get the word out than have them on display in a bookshop?
That’s all I have time for today. Until next time . . .
Pete Ford 