This Saturday, May 2, is the inaugural National Independent Bookstore Day. Cue the confetti and the noisemakers. Across the country, 400 independent bookstores are teaming up to celebrate, and one of my favorite bookstores will be in on the party with special sales, activities and prizes.
Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh has long been my book haven. I haven’t found anything like it out here in the Sacramento area yet, though I have visited some great independent bookstores in San Francisco and Palo Alto. I’m still a member at Quail Ridge and am looking forward to their Readers’ Club Sale this weekend. And even though I can’t attend their Independent Bookstore Day party in person, I know it’ll be great. Maybe some of my Raleigh friends reading this will go celebrate for me?
In super exciting news, Quail Ridge contacted me last week to tell me they’ll sell my book on consignment. Yay! … That pause was so I could do another happy dance. For now, they’ll only carry a copy or two, and so if you want one, give them a call first. I’ll replenish their stock as they request.
This is the perfect weekend to pick up a copy of the book. Not only will you be supporting a great bookstore and supporting me, you’ll also get a discount through their semi-annual Readers’ Club Sale, May 1-4. If you’re not a member, it’s easy and inexpensive to join (free if you’re an educator or senior citizen).
On a side note, any independent bookstore in the country should be able to order a copy of my book for you. They’re happy to place orders, and I’d be happy to send you a small token of my appreciation if you buy my book from an indie bookstore. Simply email me a photo of the receipt along with your name and mailing address, and I’ll pop a little gift in the mail to you.
Whether you’re a novice or a regular when it comes to indy bookstores, there are great reasons to support your local stores. And here are some great tips I found over at Book Riot for getting the most benefit from your local independent bookstore.
To give credit where credit is due, this whole event stemmed from California Bookstore Day and has expanded out across the country. Yay, California! In case you’re not in California or near Quail Ridge Books, here’s a handy map so you can find your closest independent bookstore for the party on Saturday. What books will you buy as part of the celebration?
The Flourishing Tree 
So, my best independent book store experience (also at QRB) came within a year of my arrival in Raleigh. I was looking for a couple of dozen small paperbacks to send to a National Guard unit stationed in Afghanistan. Not knowing any of the Guard members directly, I (unknowingly) followed BookRiot’s advice and asked for suggestions. It was a great experience. Not only were the books well received by the troops, but I learned of a few authors who were new to me and have since joined my list of favorites. (The one that I remember most distinctly was buying my own copy of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods because the sales dude was so enthusiastic about it.)
Wow — what a great example of the above-and-beyond service an independent bookstore can provide. Thanks for sharing this. I love the idea of sending books to troops stationed overseas, too. You have piqued my curiosity. Thank you!