We had an event tonight with two authors.

One of them had two books published which are now out of print. We had no direct contact information for her as it was arranged through a local writers' group.

When she arrived tonight, she came with stock that she had bought from her publisher and she set out a copy of each on the registration table for the writers group that had organized the evening. I found out about this when a customer mentioned that there was only one copy of each display and asked if we had more stock.

The customer only had a credit card, so I approached the author with our usual 60/40 consignment agreement.

This was where I was bewildered. According to this author, it's usual that if an author brings their own stock to an author event, they can sell cash-under-the-table and cut the bookstore out.

Is this the policy in anyone's store? Does her book being out of print make a difference?

I'm always finding weird things people used for bookmarks then forgot. I'm weirdly fascinated by family photos. And reciepts. I'm hoping for something like 'Vinegar, birthday cake, motor oil'.

Want to know what really goes on in the rare books trade? Evan Hunter (aka Ed McBain) fills us in. This is a ridiculous setting for a porn pulp, but, hey, here's hoping! Read all about this slim work here. (Yes, the book dealer is the bosomy blonde.)

Having grown up the daughter of an antiquarian book dealer, this article -- and especially its tone -- has really pissed me off:

"Confessions of a Used-Book Salesman"

Anybody else out there in the secondhand trade who gets down to just one or two of those "Left Behind" series books, dump them on the sale shelf with a sigh of relief, only to have someone come in with a whole pristine set of the dratted things?

This happened just today. The customer is one of our regulars, and she refused to take any credit for them. She just left with an evil smile.

It's like the Powers That Be won't let the books completely leave our store. I think I need to call in an exorcist or something.

...what your opinion on / view of eBooks and eReaders are. Do you see it as the death of physical books, the natural evolution of technology, a different medium to enjoy and experience literature...?

( Here is what I think )

Where is everybody? I miss reading the posts in this group. Even though I no longer toil in the Borders trenches, I'm still in the book world, just in a different area (I work in the Rare Book department of an auction house). Traditional retail bookselling is still in my blood, and, quite honestly, I miss it. I'd like to live vicariously through others. So, come on, book people ... what's going on in your store?

I've been invited by a local writers' group to give a talk on how authors can make the best of their relationship with local booksellers.

If you could give an author advice, what would you tell them?

Hi:

I'm coming out from lurking to promote a favorite author who's been nominated for the Preditors & Editors Poll in two categories.

Patricia Morrison (who's written as Patricia Kennealy and Patricia Kennealy-Morrison) has been nominated in the Mystery Novel category for her latest book, California Screamin', and also in the Author Category. I'm drumming up interest and promoting votes for her.

If the name is familiar, Patricia is the author of The Keltiad series--The Copper Crown, The Throne of Scone, The Silver Branch, etc (all published through Harper Collins and Roc). And she also penned an autobiography, Strange Days: My Life with and without Jim Morrison through Plume. Patricia is now self-publishing through Lizard Queen Press, writing her Rennie Stride, The Rock and Roll Murders series, which are absolutely great.

To vote for her book: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelmys.shtml

To vote for her: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml

Thanks...and back to lurking. :-)

A walk in the park for all my bookselling brethren:

http://www.sporcle.com/games/bookcovers.php