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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

We've been Nooked

At long last One Too Many Blows To The Head is available for the Nook, Barnes and Nobel's e-reader. And it's only $4.99!

 Is it disingenuous of me to tout the digital release of a book while only recently lamenting the passing of my favorite brick and mortar bookstore? I think not.
The two outlets should be able to coexist. As much as I admire the convenience, price and ease of e-readers (though I do not own one myself)  they will never be a substitute for the staff at an indie bookseller. If all the big B&N or Borders went away I honestly wouldn't care much. To me, they are as impersonal as shopping at Amazon or Smashwords. I'll reiterate the quality of the staff at indie bookstores and their help and expertise in helping book customers. I speak as someone who didn't read much at all for years and years simply because of the intimidating nature of a giant bookstore with 12 sections and no actual human touch to help me find my next favorite book. I would walk in and stare, dumbfounded, at the selection - each with a blurb touting it as the greatest book of a generation - and just walk out empty handed.

It was A Simple Plan by Scott Smith that got me back in. It was exactly what I wanted and I finally had a touchstone. Something to say to an actual person who knew his or her stuff, "I liked this. What else ya got?"

Indies, from Kate's Mystery Bookshop in Boston (RIP) to The Mystery Bookstore here in LA made all the difference for me and helped me get back into reading.
Let me also throw my hat in the ring for indie record stores too. I've been in many more record stores over the years. I've even played gigs in them. There is just nothing like a fan who wants to spread the love of a find they made. Be it books, albums, comics, art house cinemas, whatever.
That said (again) go ahead and snag a copy of the book if you've got a Nook. And tell me how it looks.

Borrowed Trouble in mere days! (I hope)

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