Bookshops, Craft Fairs and such

With the closure of Borders, the debate goes on about the survival of books in their physical format and the outlets that sell them. And then about the range of books published and how it is shrinking. Less and less diversity.

I'm selling my book, "Meeting Coty" at a Christmas Craft Fair tomorrow at St. Clement's Church, Edge Lane, Chorlton-Cum-Hardy. Are Craft Fairs and festivals the bookshops of the future to compliment on-line selling and reading? For some, it may be, if there book isn't in the range of what publishers think the public want. As they say, it's business.

I want to say, "Support your local bookshop. Buy at independent booksellers."

It's business too, for them. What makes a shop stand out and survive is it's owner and it's owner's love for what they sell.

So, Thank you to Sue Keates of Whitby Bookshop, 88, Church Street, Whitby, Yorkshire for not only stocking my novel, when I'm not a well-known author, a best-selling author, not even local to Whitby or have a book about the area, but for putting "Meeting Coty" for all to see on a stand of new writers.
This is so important to new authors as readers may not have heard of our books and a way of reaching the public is for it to be seen by people browsing through the shelves. This is why having the cover seen is so important. I often buy a book because the cover has caught my attention. I know small bookshops have limited space and it's wonderful to have a book stocked, but it has to be presented to be sold.
So, anyone who lives near the North Yorkshire coast, head to Whitby Bookshop.