I love book stores. I especially love independent book stores. These are businesses where the owners have a true love for their product. They care about books because they love books. Their business is focused on their community and the readers within it. And they are knowledgeable about the vast area of books and authors and publishing houses.
And though Borders had grown to become a large chain before it closed, each store had a knowledgeable staff and it’s own character. I know. I tried to apply for a position at the Borders in Novi, but was not qualified to become an employee. They had a pre-employment test about authors and books and their subjects, which I must not have passed. As for independence, I could only purchase my annual “Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry” calendar at the Birmingham store because it was the only one in the Metro Detroit area to carry it.
The current chains are not like that. My experience of them have been that books are fungible items, and from my observations the staff always rely on the computer to locate the book a customer seeks.
With The Y in Life now released, and as promotional efforts move forward, I’ll be sharing my photos of signing books at these wonderful establishments.
On November 6th, 2013, Brilliant Books in Traverse City, Michigan stocked The Y in Life. I was in town for a conference so I stopped by to sign the copies they had on their shelf.
Brilliant Books is a relatively new book store in downtown Traverse City. They have a great selection of books, including a solid bookcase of works by Michigan authors. They offer a membership club that grants a variety of discounts, and they provide free shipping for orders. They also provide a Surprise Book of the Month program where, for a fee, they will send you a book each month that, based on your reading preferences, will be a surprise pick by the store. With the City Opera House just a few doors down and the National Writers Series an event at the Opera House featuring authors, Brilliant Books also has a collection of signed editions available for sale.
Brilliant Books
118 Front Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
(Special thanks to Jack and Jodie for your kindness and hospitality, and to the store for carrying The Y in Life).
Do Haeng Michael Kitchen 