Episode 193 – Showcasing Indie Authors in an Indie Bookstore with Susan Faw

In this episode Mark interviews author Susan Faw who is also the owner and founder of Dragon’s Lair Artist Emporium, a physical bookstore in Norther Ontario that showcases books from indie authors.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, comments from recent episodes, and a word from this episode’s sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices.

You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

In their conversation, Mark and Susan talk about:

Susan’s first meeting with group of authors at a library session with the Stratford Writer’s Group in about 2012How long it took Susan to write her first bookThe actual work-related impetus of Susan writing her first novelMaking the move to Northern Ontario from the Niagara region in Southern OntarioThe population of the community Susan is in, which is about 6000 peopleHow Susan is keeping busy on the writing side of things with a series she is writingThe back story of creating Dragon’s Lair EmporiumThe grant for Northern Ontario women that Susan used to create the store’s websiteOpening the bookstore and then having to shut it down after 6 days due to a Provincial enforced shutdown due to CovidJust how eager customers are to get into the storeCollaborative partnerships with the local high schoolHow, at this point in time, Susan is getting most of her stock from IngramPricing setup advice and Susan’s ability to see it from both the author and bookseller sideThe fact that Susan is not doing returns, which is typical modus operandi for a bookstoreComing up with creative ways to market books rather than just buying giant piles of books where half of them can be returnedA reminder that if an author sets a 55% discount via Ingram Spark, the bookstore actually sees 40%Realizing that specific people who are only interested in discounted prices might not actually be your customerThe forms where authors can submit their books for consideration to be carried in the bookstoreWhat authors can do to help support the bookstore that is supporting indie authored booksAnd more…

After the interview, Mark reflects on the unique customers for print books in local physical bookstores, as contrasted to online shoppers on Amazon. He also reminds authors to consider their own books from the bookstore owner’s perspective.

Links of Interest:

Susan Faw’s Author WebsiteDragon’s Lair Artist Emporium WebsiteEP 191 – Insights from the Immersive Media and Books 2020 Consumer SurveyThe Creative Penn Episode 551 – The Challenges of a First NovelThe Relaxed Author (Sept 2021 Release)Patreon for Stark ReflectionsMark’s Tavern YouTube EpisodesPilot Episode (6 Min 39 Seconds)Short: Dad Jokes Matter (1 Min 37 Seconds)Short: Tension (1 Min 31 Seconds)Short: Mister Bright Side (3 Mins 47 Seconds)Wide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big City

Susan Faw is a Canadian author of young adult fantasy and dystopian fiction. Her debut novel, Seer of Souls was awarded first place for the best young adult mythology of 2016, Chanticleer Reviews, and the grand prize of the Dante Rossetti for best young adult fiction of 2016, Chanticleer Reviews.

Dragon’s Lair Artist Emporium is the brain child of owner Susan Faw. Frustrated with the lack of venues available to independent authors, she a book store dedicated to authors worldwide, who have chosen a self-publishing career.

Dragon’s Lair Artist Emporium knows that there are many wonderful books deserving to be seen, and to be read. Dragon’s Lair was born to give the independently published author what they have long been denied – space on a physical store shelf. Not only is this space for them, but their business model is built around showcasing the amazing, unrepresented talent that exists in the indie publishing sphere.