Sunday 29 June 2008

Independents Day


When it comes to selling your book to the public at large, any sort of success tends to sit at the end of a long and largely unproductive road so I say hurrah for independent bookshops!

After what seems like an eternity of traipsing around numerous branches of national chain store bookshops and trying to communicate with dead-eyed staff that are set on directing you to their call centre somewhere near the upper reaches of the Ganges rather than actually talking to you, I have struck gold.

My local independent bookshop ‘
The Chorleywood Bookshop’ is going to stock my book, ‘Memoirs of a Music Obsessive’ and sell it to an unsuspecting public – I hope. The shop itself is one of those places that you only find once in a while. It is small and neat and displays its books in a way that, as a book reader and ultimately a book buyer, makes you want to browse. By comparison, modern chain store sellers have that slight ‘pushing product’ feel which never sits easily with me.

Morag, the shop’s affable owner, obviously takes a pride in her enterprise and I hope my book will be happy in her capable hands and on her capable shelves – but not too happy that it won’t want to leave.

It’s all very well selling through internet sites like Amazon but there is nothing quite like seeing your book in a proper bookshop. This development has the beneficial consequence that some of my potential readers who have hidden behind their ‘I never buy anything on the Internet’ excuse, now have nowhere to run – except to 4 New Parade, Chorleywood where the Chorleywood Bookshop will be more than happy to sell them a copy.

So if you are in the vicinity of the Hertfordshire/Buckinghamshire border, do drop in and have a browse around, you never know what you may come away with.

On the same subject, I see that over on the west coast of Canada on
Allison Crowe’s blog, Adrian has posted a short review of ‘Memoirs’. This is the first time that anyone has, to my knowledge, referred to it on a blog, so a big thank you to Adrian for his kind words. Incidentally, I understand that Allison may possibly be coming to the UK in the foreseeable future to entertain us with her amazing piano playing and power pack vocal chords, so look out for her at a venue near you!

8 comments:

Adrian said...

Chorleywood Bookshop's Morag is doing a good thing! Congratulations!! Perhaps you may do a reading sometime!

Grassroots awareness and appreciation is an ongoing thing. With the combination of your book and blog - there's no reason people won't keep finding your writings on the net, and now in the ol' book shoppe.

Aye, we're working on dates for Allison. She will be in Liverpool to perform during Beatles Week (after the bank holiday in August) this year. We seek piano venues elsewhere in your fair land. I'll be sure to let you know.

music obsessive said...

Adrian - thanks for your kind comments. Look forward to hearing of any UK dates that may be in the offing. Readers, watch this space!

Jayne said...

This is great news! I am so pleased for you - it is going to be a fantastic feeling seeing your book on the shelves! I agree, for some reason that's the pinnacle, something ‘tangible’ - you can see it, feel it, pick it up and hold it, and that makes the world of difference, I imagine. Whoop! I am very excited and happy for you. Today Chorleywood – tomorrow the world!

music obsessive said...

Actually, it's more likely to be '...tomorrow Gerrards Cross' as I understand that there is a sister shop there which needs investigating.

Still looking forward to reading yours so I really hope someone will pick it up. Good luck!

TR1-Guy said...

Nothin' like picking up an item (book) and having it in your hand, getting the feel of the binding, etc. and then chucking it back on the shelf... :)

Here's to no one puts your book back and if I ever get over the pond, I'll make it a point to stop in and pick one up!

BTW, I'm one of those that HARDLY shops anymore and does nearly everything on-line. SOOO much easier, but I know what I'm doing when it comes to the ol' internet.

Stay in touch, man.

music obsessive said...

Me too - I buy most things on the Net now, it's so much cheaper and convenient. Btw the picking-up-and-putting-down ritual was all part of music buying for me in my youth. I didn't buy anything without going to the shop at least half a dozen times to pick up the sleeve and put it back before finally summoning up the courage to buy!

Bar L. said...

( you look very cute in your music pose photo!! )

music obsessive said...

Barb - Thank you so much! I've never been called 'cute' before! If only I looked like that now...*sigh*