A New Local Point of Sale

Photo: M.J. McCann

Independent authors understand the challenge of getting paperback copies of their books onto the shelves of  bricks-and-mortar bookstores. As I blogged recently, independent bookstores have been struggling to keep their doors open, and their urgent priorities don't leave much time for giving a hand up to independent authors and micro-publishers.

In Ottawa, the Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel Series can be found on the Prime Crime Book Shelf at Britton's in the Glebe. I posted earlier about how much I enjoy having my books in venues such as Mr. Britton's terrific shop.

We're now pleased to announce that readers in Kemptville and surrounding area can buy The Fregoli Delusion and the other novels in the series at Brewed Awakenings in the Creekside Mall, 2868 County Road 43, Kemptville. Co-owned by Karen Brulé, who also owns the bistro Elements in Merrickville, Brewed Awakenings is a coffee shop that roasts its own beans and bakes its own pastries, including a selection of gluten-free offerings. Karen has thoughtfully included some very comfortable-looking leather furniture to relax in while sipping coffee, munching pastry and checking out the latest in crime fiction.

Photo: M.J. McCann

As you can see, we have the top two pigeon-holes on the shelf just above some good-looking products from Just Wing'It, a company making gourmet cooking sauces and chutneys in nearby Toledo, Ontario.

Why am I so excited about placing my books in a local coffee shop?  I've mentioned before that I don't have anything against the conglomerate bookstores like Chapters/Indigo and wish, longingly, they'd carry my books, but a book like The Fregoli Delusion tends to disappear inside a bookstore that's 2,600 square feet in a small-format store and a whopping 24,000 square feet in a large-format store. I understand it's always a question of volume and traffic and whatnot, and having your books in a place where people go specifically to buy books is terribly important, but I really love the fact that my books can be seen by customers from almost every square foot of Brewed Awakenings as they're inhaling the aroma of delicious fresh coffee and baked treats.

It's also a privilege to be included in the business operations of remarkable entrepreneurs such as Karen Brulé and Ted Britton. One hopes a little of their magic will rub off onto the shoulders of Hank Donaghue and Karen Stainer!

Kicking Off the December Book-Signing Schedule

This past Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon at Britton's in the Glebe, 846 Bank St., in Ottawa, for the kick-off book-signing event for The Fregoli Delusion, the third Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel.

The event was hosted by Mr. Ted Britton, a very well-known businessman in the Glebe district, and scheduled by Linda Wiken, who is the manager of the Prime Crime Bookshelf in Britton's.

As you can see from the photo (I'm behind the camera), there's an incredible array of magazines offered in a very modest space. I've always been a magazine lover -- I love the look and feel of them -- and every time I'm in Britton's I'm mesmerized by the wide range on display. Everything from magazines specializing in whisky or tole painting or Christmas decorations to magazines on Buddhism. Magazines from around the world, and local magazines such as Ottawa at Home. While I was there, Mr. Britton fielded a call from someone in Toronto, hoping he stocked a specific magazine about wine. If I wanted to find a very esoteric publication, I'd call him, too!

As an author, I find this store to be a terrific venue for a book signing because the atmosphere is something special, and even if I didn't sell a single book I'd still consider it time very well spent. The traffic in and out the front door (which my table faced) is non-stop, with people coming in for newspapers from around the world, tobacco products, and the coffee at the front counter. Best of all, Mr. Britton seems to know everyone, and always takes the time to chat them up. Then, of course, there's the Prime Crime Bookshelf, which is tailor-made for my novels and features every other well-known local crime fiction author, including C.B. Forrest, Mary Jane Maffini, Brenda Chapman, and Erika Chase, to name a few, which draws many local crime fiction aficionados looking for their next read. For a people-watcher like me, it's enormously fun.

Thanks to Mr. Britton for his kindness and patience, to Linda Wiken for having me back to Britton's for a second time, and thanks to everyone who purchased a book or just stopped by to chat.

This coming Saturday, I'll be back in Ottawa looking for my name up in chalk once again as I sign copies of The Fregoli Delusion at Collected Works and Coffee Bar, 1242 Wellington St. West. Talk about a special atmosphere! I can't wait for this one.

Donaghue and Stainer Join the Prime Crime Bookshelf at Britton's

Photo by Amanda D. (Yelp)

As readers of The Overnight Bestseller may recall, I have blogged before about my affection for independent bookstores and how much fun it can be to see my name up in chalk.  In an age of economies of scale, it's increasingly difficult for local businesses to compete with large chains, particularly in the bookselling business where even the large bricks-and-mortar bookstores are threatened with extinction.  That's why I urge people to support their local independent bookstores wherever they are, whenever possible.

You can imagine, then, why I had a smile on my face this Saturday when I walked into Britton's in the Glebe in Ottawa and took a look at the new Prime Crime Bookshelf, the brainchild of Linda Wiken and store owner Ted Britton. For fourteen years Linda owned the Ottawa mystery specialty store Prime Crime Books, which closed in 2010. She is now the author of  the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries as Erika Chase, the first novel of which, A Killer Read, was recently published. It would seem, though, that bookselling was an itch she still longed to scratch, and when Ted Britton decided to expand the small book section in his magazine and cigar store, crime fiction and Linda Wiken presented the perfect opportunity.

As Linda explains in a recent post on her blog, Mystery Maven Canada, the focus of the Prime Crime Bookshelf "will be on Canadian mystery authors, particularly local Ottawans," with the usual suspects such as Stieg Larsson, Michael Connelly, and other bestsellers in their own little ghetto on the side. The objective will be to "give a good representation of what's happening in the mystery/crime field."

How pleased and honoured was I, then, when Linda and Ted agreed to accept the Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series as part of their new venture? And how much fun was it when a loyal customer, Johanne, purchased a copy of Blood Passage and allowed me to sign it for her before the books even made it to the shelf?

On the subject of book signings, I also was pleased to accept their invitation to serve as their first book signing event on September 15, 2012, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. More to follow on that score later.

I should mention that Britton's is located at 846 Bank Street, Ottawa. I should also mention, in the interest of full disclosure, that before I left I bought a nice selection of cigars to enjoy while the weather's still nice outside. And the next time I'm there, I'll probably pick up a fistful of magazines you don't see hardly anywhere else. How perfect is this? Great cigars, eclectic magazines, and crime fiction. The best of all possible worlds, perhaps?