Indie-fatigable
in·de·fat·i·ga·ble [in-di-FAT-i-guh-buhl] — adj. tireless, inexhaustible, persevering
Author Louis Bayard at One More Page Books
As sales of digital books and eReaders continue to climb and bookstores continue to close, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that many independent bookstores are not only hanging in there, they're thriving. I fully believe bookstores will be with us for some time to come, because they provide a continuing, stable service you can't get anywhere else—knowledgeable staff who can recommend titles, promote local authors and also a place to meet and greet authors in person. As Rob W. Hart
said, indie stores contribute to the fabric of a neighborhood and help
drive local economies.
There are hurdles to overcome as indies fight for market share, and toward
that end, J.A. Konrath and Blake Crouch offered up an impassioned blog post on some ideas that could help, as well as reasons why eBooks and print books aren't mutually exclusive. The American Booksellers Association just announced yesterday that they're teaming up with Kobo to allow their member stores to offer a full line of eReaders, eReading accessories, and ebooks from Kobo's catalog of nearly 3 million titles, giving stores a cut of proceeds. (Kobo replaces GoogleBooks, which pulled out of a similar deal with ABA).
The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association has over 30 brick-and-mortar member bookstores that specialize in crime fiction, and the American Booksellers Association's IndieBound site lists 2,000 stores that cover the gamut of both fiction and nonfiction. Hop on over to a store near you and get a recommendation for an author who may become your new favorite, join a book club, or stop by for an author's talk and signing.
