Book Stores and Authors

Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar - Asheville, NC

   There are examples of authors who sell books as well as write them. The late Larry McMurtry comes to mind and, at one point, his "Booked Up" bookstore in Archer City, Texas contained so many books it actually gave one a reason to go to Texas. If you are thinking about traveling to the U.S. and are bookish, have a look at the list below which consists of book stores owned by authors. Below that list you will find another, for those less adventurous who do not want to cross the border. It provides recommendations by Canadian authors of the bookstores they favour in this country.
  If you are bookish, you may just want to stay on the couch and read. In that case, the lists may be useful since both the bookstores owned by authors and those simply recommended by them are likely to be places filled with books and interesting suggestions about which ones to order. Some even have 'merch' if your Taylor Swift tee-shirt is tattered.

  Before you begin, although I am barely an author, I will offer three of my own recommendations for free. If you like to read and drink, head on down to Asheville, North Carolina. After touring Biltmore ("America's Largest House") go downtown to the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. It's both swanky and comfortable as the picture at the top illustrates. Closer to Ontario, you will find Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs. It is a good shop and Saratoga is swanky. If you live in B.C. go to Sidney which has about a dozen bookstores. According to the Wikipedia entry, it is one of two "book towns" in Canada. The other one is Fundy -St. Martins in New Brunswick, but I am not sure why.

10 Bookstores in the United States Owned or Co-Owned by Authors
(The material with each entry is usually taken from the store website and the link provided, along with some text in case the link rots. I confess to not knowing much about some of the authors and if you are like me you will appreciate the brief remarks which are from Wikipedia. The entries are alphabetical by author.)

1. Judy Blume

Books & Books

The Studios of Key West

Key West, Florida.

Books & Books @The Studios of Key West is the brainchild of a small group of local book lovers, led by George Cooper, who previously founded the Tropic Cinema, and his wife, the beloved writer Judy Blume. It is a joint effort of two respected organizations, each of which brings its particular capacities to the venture.

(She is 85 and author of,  Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Judy Blume has won more than 90 literary awards, including three lifetime achievement awards in the United States. ​​Her novels have sold over 82 million copies and have been translated into 32 languages.)

2. Louise Erdrich
Birchbark Books
Minneapolis, MN
We are a locus for Indigirati—literate Indigenous people who have survived over half a millennium on this continent. We sponsor readings by Native and non-Native writers, journalists, historians. Louise Erdrich will sign or personalize any of her books ordered through the bookstore. Has a blog. Carries, games, Indigenous art.(Erdrich is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the second wave of the Native American Renaissance. She has written 28 books in all, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and children's books. In 2009, her novel The Plague of Doves was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe of Ojibwe people.)

3. Alex George
Skylark Bookshop
Columbia, MO.
Alex George (he/him) has published seven novels, which have been translated into more than ten languages….
He has written for, among other publications, The Washington Post and LitHub. Alex is also the founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival.  He is also an attorney, and runs his own law firm in Columbia. A native of the UK, he moved to Columbia twenty years ago, not that he’s counting. In 2022 he was named Midwest Bookseller of the Year by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association.
Skylark is a fiercely Independent Bookshop. We strive to always find new ways to celebrate literature and our community. Some books give us knowledge and perspective; others simply give necessary space to breathe. Putting the right book into the right hands is a deeply meaningful act. We believe that we can find that book for everyone who walks through our doors. We embrace enjoyment, entertainment, and the beauty of Skylark Bookshop.
Alex George has his own website.

4. Lauren Groff
The Lynx (brand new)
Gainesville, Florida
Best-selling novelist Lauren Groff is fighting Florida censors on their own turf. This spring in Gainesville, she and her husband, Clay Kallman, will open a new bookstore dedicated to Florida writers, LGBTQI+ authors and books banned in Florida.

5. Jeff Kinney
An Unlikely Story
Plainville, MA.
It carries much more than his Wimpy Kids books and has a cafe.
(Kinney is from the state in which I was born. To promote the release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer, Kinney embarked on book tour across the West Coast of the United States titled "The No Brainer Show" from October 23 to November 8, 2023. Kinney dedicated the tour to libraries and librarians, making a personal donation of $100,000 for libraries along the tour. Over 275 million copies of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have sold globally as of 2023) 

6. Jenny Lawson 

Nowhere Bookshop

San Antonio, TX.

Founded by bestselling author, Jenny Lawson (AKA The Bloggess), Nowhere Bookshop is a new independent bookstore now open at 5154 Broadway in San Antonio, Texas. Featuring new books, author events, unique gifts, and a coffee, wine and beer bar, Nowhere Bookshop aims to be a space for folks to gather to share their passion for the written word. 
(Lawson is well known for her irreverent writing style.Lawson was recognized by the Nielsen ratings as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Mom Bloggers and Forbes listed thebloggess.com as one of their Top 100 Websites for Women. She was a finalist in the 2010 Weblog awards for Best Writing and Most Humorous Writer, and a finalist in the 2011 Weblog awards for Best Writing, Most Humorous Writer and Weblog of the Year.)

7. Kelly Link
Book Moon

Easthampton, MA.

It is run by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant and many booksellers and features new & used books, so many books, and, yet, never enough books and with more always coming. 

It is a 1,200 square foot, one-floor bookshop, with lovely big windows, comfy chairs, and specialties that include fiction, sf&f, poetry, activism, children's books, and our own Small Beer Press titles — and always a few good chocolate bars. While here, pick up your copy of our Reader's Guide to Western Massachusetts Bookshop map and check out our T-shirts, bumper stickers, and more. Come on by and say hello!
(She won a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship - $625,000!)

8. George R.R. Martin

Beastly Books

Sante Fe, New Mexico

 Also carries banned and rare books and has a coffee shop.

(In 2005, Lev Grossman of Time called Martin "the American Tolkien", and in 2011, he was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which were adapted into the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its prequel series House of the Dragon (2022–present).)

9. Ann Patchett

Parnassus Books

Nashville, TN.

Hosts events and has a newsletter.

Parnassus Books is the independent bookstore for independent people located in Nashville, Tennessee. Our shop was opened in 2011 by novelist Ann Patchett and her business partner, Karen Hayes, and Ann took over as the sole owner in the summer of 2022 after Karen retired. These days, we’re actually more than just the one bookstore. We’re an airport bookshop, making sure travelers always have something to read via our Parnassus Books / Hudson Booksellers co-branded store in the Nashville airport. Have a blog - MUSING - Here on Musing, we collect and share interesting tidbits, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and lighthearted takes on the bookish life. To use a music analogy (this is Nashville, after all): If the store were an album, this site would be the B-side — extras, bootlegs, outtakes, and bonus tracks.

10. Emma Straub

Books Are Magic

Two Locations, Brooklyn, NY.

Books Are Magic is a family-owned independent bookstore with two locations in Brooklyn, committed to being a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive space for all people. We believe that books are indeed magic, and that literature is one of the best ways to create empathy, transportation, and transformation. We are enthusiastic about offering thoughtfully selected voices and stories on our shelves, and about hosting free and affordable events featuring emerging writers as well as long-adored authors. Books Are Magic is a place for children to feel comfortable, for young readers to grow into lifelong readers, and for our neighbors to be introduced to vibrant new books. 

(Her novels include Modern Lovers, The Vacationers, Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures and All Adults Here. She is the author of a short story collection entitled Other People We Married. In May 2022, Straub's novel This Time Tomorrow was published by Riverhead Books.”

The Favourite Bookstores of 10 Canadian Authors
   For Canadian content I now provide a list which is based on the information found in this article: "Ten Canadian Writers Share Their Favourite Independent Bookstores," Sophie Palmer-Still, Globe and Mail, April 28, 2023.
The author, one of their books and the publisher are provided along with the name and location of the bookstore. There are more than 10 since some authors chose more than one. 

1. Janie Chang, The Porcelain Moon (HarperCollins)
Her picks: Talewind Books, Sechelt, B.C., and Book Warehouse Main St., Vancouver.

2. Vikki VanSickle, P.S. Tell No One (Scholastic)
Her pick: Moonbeam Books, Toronto
Unfortunately this store closed on Jan. 14, 2024.

3. Kate Beaton, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (Drawn & Quarterly)
Her pick: On Paper Books, Sydney, N.S.

4. Tara MacLean, Song of the Sparrow (HarperCollins)

Her pick: Bookmark, Charlottetown, PEI.

5. David A. Robertson, The Song That Called Them Home (Penguin Random House)

His pick: McNally Robinson Booksellers, Grant Avenue, Winnipeg

6. Geoffrey D. Morrison, Falling Hour (Coach House Books)

His pick: The Paper Hound Bookshop, Vancouver

7. Suzette Mayr, The Sleeping Car Porter (Coach House Books)

Her picks: Pages Books on Kensington, Calgary, and Shelf Life Books, Calgary

8. Lisa Bird-Wilson, Probably Ruby (Penguin Random House)

Her pick: Turning the Tide Bookstore, Saskatoon.

9. Robin Yeatman, Bookworm (HarperCollins)

Her pick: 32 Books & Gallery, North Vancouver

10. Jen Sookfong Lee, Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart (Penguin Random House)

Her pick: Iron Dog Books, Vancouver

Additional Sources:
   See Destination Ontario for "Unique and Independent Bookstores in Ontario."

   This is the website for CIBA, the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association.

    Penguin Random House Canada provides, Canadian Independent Bookstores which has a map and this search feature: "Find An Indie Retailer Near You." 

   For local bookstores in the Ottawa area see this site by the Canadian Authors Association. 

Christopher Hitchens

  Christopher Hitchens passed away on December 15, 2011. This year marks the ninth anniversary of his death and since there will be many remembrances next year, I thought I would present mine now. Had he lived, he would be almost 72 and I am sure would have remained as pugnacious as he appears in the picture above.

Some of the reasons why I admire him are better expressed by Larry McMurtry who wrote this about him in Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen:

“The descendants of the great readers I have mentioned are too often merely fluent know-it-alls, of whom Christopher Hitchens might be considered the exemplar. There he is, every week or month, in the Nation, Vanity Fair, the London Review of Books, writing about history, politics, books, public figures, virtually anything that comes down the freeways of our global culture. I personally have seen Christopher Hitchens in public debate while so weary or drunk or both that he can hardly have known whether he was even facing his audience, or whether there was an audience --and yet not a detail of his argument was dropped and not any of his long and well-turned sentences were slurred. His speech, like his writing, is precise, often brilliant, sometimes spellbinding, rarely inelegant; and yet one feels--as with many of his high-journalistic peers--that all this knowledge (or at least all this information) is not really reading-derived, but has been acquired more or less by osmosis, by rubbing elbows with his journalistic peers in Washington, London, New York, Paris, Delhi, Tehran, or wherever. I might note that this fluency is something few Americans seem to possess; perhaps it stems from admirable European secondary education. I might note too that it is mainly those high journalists who seem to command the steadily released energies of their Victorian counterparts, Bagehot, Macaulay, Saintsbury.” (p.123)

To be able to argue well while drunk may not be a skill you admire, but as one who does not do such a good job, even when sober, it is one that appeals to me. I am, by the way, rather good at drinking and much prefer it over arguing.

The abilities he displayed while arguing typically where employed in support of notions I also support. He was not a fan of religion as you will gather from the hint provided in this title: God Is Not Great. If you need a bigger hint, it is found in the not so subtle sub-title: How Religion Poisons Everything.

After receiving the cancerous death notice, he was asked near the end if it was likely that he would seek solace in religion. Here is his answer: "Mr. Hitchens discussed the possibility of a deathbed conversion, insisting that the odds were slim that he would admit the existence of God."“The entity making such a remark might be a raving, terrified person whose cancer has spread to the brain,” he told The Atlantic in August 2010. “I can’t guarantee that such an entity wouldn’t make such a ridiculous remark, but no one recognizable as myself would ever make such a remark.”

  He was also a critic of what is termed "Islamofascism" and would have undoubtedly written (as I did) about the recent beheading of a French teacher and the murder of three churchgoers by Islamist terrorists. He defended Salman Rushdie who, you may remember, had to go into hiding and whose Japanese translator was murdered and his Norwegian publisher shot. This is what Hitchens wrote when asked about that fatwa:

When The Washington Post telephoned me at home on Valentine's Day 1989 to ask my opinion about the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa, I felt at once that here was something that completely committed me. It was, if I can phrase it like this, a matter of everything I hated versus everything I loved. In the hate column: dictatorship, religion, stupidity, demagogy, censorship, bullying and intimidation. In the love column: literature, irony, humor, the individual, and the defense of free expression. Plus, of course, friendship -- though I like to think my reaction would have been the same if I hadn't known Salman at all. To re-state the premise of the argument again: the theocratic head of a foreign despotism offers money in his own name in order to suborn the murder of a civilian citizen of another country, for the offence of writing a work of fiction. No more root-and-branch challenge to the values of the Enlightenment (on the bicentennial of the fall of the Bastille) or to the First Amendment to the Constitution, could be imagined. (p.268.)

Post Script:

In the "About This Blog" section of this blog I state the one of its purposes is to serve as a memory aid for me. By reading up on subjects and then writing down thoughts, I assumed, for example, that a year-or-two from now I might have a vague recollection of who Christopher Hitchens was. It is not working.

A few paragraphs into this post I had the thought that I might have written about Hitchens before. I have. Not only that, I quoted the same bit from Larry McMurtry! Well, it is a good bit and if I have any readers, they may have forgotten it as well. The post was about Mother Teresa, about whom Hitchens wrote a book: The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice.

The Bonus:

Since I provided the McMurtry quote twice, here is a new one. It is from Michael Kinsley and it is found in a review of God Is Not Great, in the New York Times, May 13, 2007:

His enemies would like to believe he [Hitchens] is a fraud. But he isn’t, as the very existence of his many enemies tends to prove. He is self-styled, to be sure, but no more so than many others in Washington — or even in New York or London — who are not nearly as good at it. He is a principled dissolute, with the courage of his dissolution: he enjoys smoking and drinking, and not just the reputation for smoking and drinking — although he enjoys that too. And through it all he is productive to an extent that seems like cheating: 23 books, pamphlets, collections and collaborations so far; a long and often heavily researched column every month in Vanity Fair; frequent fusillades in Slate and elsewhere; and speeches, debates and other public spectacles whenever offered.

The quotation about Hitchens unlikely deathbed conversion is also from the New York Times:

"Christopher Hitchens, Polemicist Who Slashed All, Freely, Dies at 62," by William Grimes, Dec. 16, 2011.

You can see and hear Hitch in action in many YouTube videos; e.g. interviews with Jon Stewart and Sean Hannity and an almost seven hour compilation.