Harry Dolan at Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor!

Thursday, January 9th at 7:00 pm Meet Ann Arbor Author Harry Dolan for a Discussionand Signing of His New Book, The Last Dead Girl

Local author Harry Dolan will be at Nicola's Books for a reading and signing of his new mystery 'The Last Dead Girl'. In this prequel to 'Bad Things Happen', David Loogan's dark past is revealed. A chance encounter on a lonely road leads David into romance with Jana Fletcher, a beautiful young law student. When she is brutally murdered, he becomes the main suspect and sets out to find the truth with her killer watching his every move.  More Information

 

                          

Bookstore Windows

Not on the list but here in Jackon, MI

Do you find bookstore windows enticing? Flavorwire has posted a collection of 30 Excellent Bookstore Windows From Around the World. The newly opened Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan is included.

Have you been to any of these bookstores? Do you have a favorite to share?

Fanfare and The Wee Book & Photo Studio

It took me five months but I was finally able to visit two more independent bookstores although it did not happen the way I expected.

Last week we made our yearly trip to Stratford, Ontario in Canada to see theater. It's a four hour trip so the first day we saw Waiting for Godot in the evening. The following morning we headed for Callan's. Every year I would talk to the proprietor and get suggestions for new authors. Mostly Canadian writers, Mr. Callan helped me discover Stuart Pawson, Howard Engel, and Donna Leon among others.

The Wee Book and Photo Shop

Imagine our surprise to find that Mr. Callan had sold his store and retired! Now called The Wee Book and Photo Shop, sisters Maureen and Suzanne share the space. One sells books and the other takes photographs including ones in costumes. Check out their website.

Wandering down Ontario Street you will find several additional bookstores, but the one that caught my fancy was Fanfare Books. It is one of those dangerous places that will quickly part you with your money even when you have pledged, as I recently did, to allow no more books into your life.

Fanfare Books

I must confess that I purchased Stuart Pawson's The Picasso Scam (first of his police procedural series and you can't find his books easily in the US), Alafair Burke's Long Gone (got it from the library but had to return it before I had a chance to read it and besides it was on the tempting outside sale table); The Shakespeare Miscellany (well, I was at a Shakespeare Festival after all), and A Writer's Space by Eric Maisel (an impulse purchase).

Peg browsing the sale books

That makes three independent bookstores visited this year and enough new books added to my collection to keep me busy for a very long time.

A Charming Interview with a Bookstore Owner

Even though this will be the year her bookstore closes forever, read this interview that was in the Detroit Free Press. Click HERE to go to the article published on May 5, 2013.

Jackson, Michigan Gets a New Bookstore

The local newspaper has confirmed the rumors circulating about a new bookstore after folks driving in the Summit Oaks area reported having seen a sign for something called the Book Cottage! Owner Nancy Oakley will open her shop at 2108 Horton Road to the public tomorrow morning.

Another Bookstore Closing - Downtown Grand Rapids

". . .Grand Rapids now joins Lansing, Detroit, Saginaw, Bay City, Flint and Birmingham without a bookstore in the downtown while bookstores seem to thrive in Petoskey, Ann Arbor and Traverse City."

(editorial note: and Jackson, of course)

You can read the entire article at MittenLit.com, which is 'all about books and authors with ties to Michigan'.

Jungle Red Writers Celebrating Bookstores

Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor, MI

Do you recognize any of these mystery writers? Julia Spencer Fleming, Jan Brogan, Lucy Burdette, Hallie Ephron, Rhys Bowen, Deborah Crombie, Hank Phillippi Ryan, or Rosemary Harris?

The tagline on the Jungle Red Writers website clarifies its mission. "8 smart and sassy crime fiction writers dish on writing and life. It's The View. With bodies."

And for today, January 12, 2013, there is an interview with Jenny Milchman, who has a new mystery, Cover of Snow, celebrating the appreciation of bookstores. Jenny has actually done what I am talking about. She has visited an amazing number of bookstores all over the country.

The Top Ten Cities for Book Lovers

 
Liveability.com, a site which talks about "Amercia's Best Places to Live and Visit", has just put together a list of cities for book lovers. I share this link because Traverse City, Michigan made the list at # 6 with Horizon Books.

Now for the Good News!

Courtesy Photo:  Literati Bookstore Blog

A new bookstore is opening in Ann Arbor, Michigan just a mere 45 minutes down I-94. There had been speculation but now there is confirmation! Read about it HERE in the annarbor.com news.

If, like me, you plan to visit in 2013, here's the link to the Literati Bookstore Blog.

Is the Bookstore a Dying Business?

Another bookstore (Zephyr Books), this time in Reno, Nevada, is going out of business as reported by Channel 2. Watch a video and read about why by clicking HERE

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Another Comment on the Future of Independents

Slate has posted an interesting comment on whether or not the independent bookstores will outlast Barnes & Noble, which is apparently in deep trouble. You can read it HERE.

America's Best Bookstores!

Courtesy of Boulder Bookstore

Sarah L. Stewart just wrote a wonderful article for Travel & Leisure naming more than a dozen fantastic independent bookstores! You can read it HERE. She provides links to the individual bookstores websites too.

A Couple of Independent Bookstores Close

Archivia Bookstore in New York City

This isn't the best way to start off a New Year where I pledged to visit independent bookstores and see what I could discover.

Go check out the Shelf Awareness page and read about Archivia (NYC) and Pudd'nhead Books (Webster Groves, MO) closing.

A New Independent Bookstore for A2?

Several tweets today have alluded to the fact that there could soon be a new independent bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor.

You can read about the journey Hilary Lowe and Michael Gustafson are undertaking as they search for the perfect location by clicking on Literati Bookstore.

At this point there are several businesses vying for the same spot and the landlord hasn't signed a lease yet so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Here's more information.

Places of Wonder (Independent Bookstores)

I can't think of a better introduction to my year of exploring independent book stores than this article in today's Parade magazine that comes with the Sunday paper. Written by author Richard Russo (who won a Pulitzer for his 2001 book Empire Falls and whose newest book Elsewhere: A Memoir was released on October 30, 2012), he explains the importance of bookstores. I was moved.

"But to me bookstores remain places of wonder. Like libraries, they're the physical manifestation of the world's longest, most thrilling conversation."

And the people who work in these places will . . . "put in your hand something you just have to read, by someone you've never heard of, someone just entering the conversation, who wants to talk to you about things that matter."

His first 'place of wonder' was Alvord & Smith, which was actually a stationers store in Gloversville, NY In business for 103 years, it finally closed in 1993. What is your 'place of wonder?

It turns out that Places of Wonder is excerpted from My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers). Guess who will shortly own this book?

New Years Resolution #1 - 2013

I know it's a bit early, but I just inadvertently made my first resolution for 2013 and it's one that could be a lot of fun to keep!

I blurted out that I was going to visit as many Independent Bookstores as possible during the upcoming year.

For some reason, I have avoided bookstores on occasion because I already have 1) too many books waiting for me at home and on my Kindle and 2) I feel like I shouldn't go into a bookstore if I'm not going to buy something. Those two silly excuses, most likely,  have caused me to miss out on some extraordinary experiences.

Unfortunately there are no longer any NEW bookstores where I live in Jackson, Michigan. There is a fabulous USED bookstore, the Jackson Book Exchange, where I visit and make donations to from time to time. And, of course, there are places you can buy books like superstores Meijers and Target. What I want to explore is places like Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor and Page and Palette in Fairhope, Alabama.

Do you have a favorite bookstore?

The Drama Book Shop

Why I never made a visit to The Drama Book Shop on one of my infrequent trips to New York City, I can't say. This legendary location caters to actors and others in the theatrical profession. They have 8,000 plays in stock and a 50-seat theatre downstairs. They have even been awarded their very own Tony.

Read more about this fabulous Midtown Manhattan book store HERE.

Three Michigan Independent Bookstores

Before there are no bookstores left, you and I might want to check out these three independents that were written up briefly in the January/February 2012 AAA Magazine.

Ann Arbor - Aunt Agathas

I have heard of Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor for years but never visited. It's on my list of things to do this spring when I am ready to browse "used and new mystery, detective and true crime books".

St. Joseph - Forever Books

St. Joe's is a little more of a trip, but Forever Books' staff are "experts on Michigan authors and can recommend great reads for any local interest".

Grand Rapids - Literary Life Bookstore & More

How can you ignore a book store that has a "glowing fireplace"? Housed in a renovated bank building, Literary Life Bookstore & More "stocks a little bit of everything."

When shall we go? If you get there before me, let me know what you think. And if you know of other wonderful bookstores within a day's drive, tell me about them. I would love an excuse to visit!

Want to Break the Amazon Habit and Support Your Independent Bookstore?

 (Credit: iStockphoto/PaulaConnelly/mbortolino)

It's too late for Jackson, Michigan since our last bricks and mortar 'new' bookstore is gone, but you could search for an independent bookstore elsewhere to support. Read this article from Salon that a friend posted on Facebook to see if these suggestions would work for you.