Free Range Institution

By Michael Haskins

Well, this is going to be short and sweet, or is it down and dirty? My new book, "Free Range Institution," will be released tomorrow and I am on the verge of a stress breakdown trying to put together a book signing. This Friday, Feb. 18, I will be in Delray Beach at the Murder on the Beach bookstore at 7 pm and I hope that if you are in the area, you'll stop by.

I am finding that the attitude of bookstores has changed since my 2008 book signing tour. In New York City the Mysterious Bookstore wanted insurances that I would bring in enough people to sell 30 books. I certainly hoped for that, but I couldn't guarantee it. So, instead of bookstores it looks like I will be the guest writer at a library or two in New Jersey, thanks to friends I have up there. The attitude of the independent bookstores seems to have changed from being about books and writers to one of business, profits, etc. In a world were they are going out of business regularly, it should be expected. The Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles was located in Beverly Hills when I first went there. After I moved to Key West, the store sold and moved outside UCLA. I was to sign there in May, but it closed its doors the end of January, with only a few weeks of notice. This store had been in business for years, since the early '80s that I know of. I have a signing on April 23, at Murder by the Book in Houston and looks like I will be at the MWA table for the Los Angeles Times Book Festival on April 30 & May 1. I will also sign at the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse May 5, in the Burbank/Glendale area, and in Orange, Ca. at Book Carnival, but the date hasn't been set. Anne, the owner of the Book Carnival, emailed me and her most important question was about my books. She said her customers were readers that collected, so she was interested in only first editions. God help me, I wanted to kiss her. Sweeter words . . . I am a member of a vanishing breed that collects first editions.

I did it to have a fine collection to leave to my children one day, but now fear my grandchildren will not know what a book is. They will read, but it will be on Kindle or the computer. It maybe a challenge to get Goodwill to take my books after I've gone to meet Hemingway, Kerouac, Hammett, Ross Thomas, etc. I have another book in my series, "Car Wash Blues," coming out sometime in 2012, but fear this may be my last book signing tour because of the dwindling number of bookstores. This is a case where being proven wrong would be a blessing. It is an exciting time for me, but the news I get from some stores saddens me. Please shop your independent bookstores and if you are in the area of Delray Beach, Houston or any store I am signing at, come in. It could be our last chance to talk.

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