The Joy of Being Seen by a Bookseller
My debut novel is on sale at This Old Book in Grayslake, Illinois 💚
Before I share the joy of my first experience working with an indie bookstore, I need to share a sad statistic. The average self-published book sells around 250 copies. This includes the books your besties and cousins purchase.
In other words, authors who want to share their stories with a larger audience have work to do. Obviously, step one is to write the very best book you can. If you need help with that, head over to my other Substack blog, Romantasy Realms, for writing tips. While they are geared towards romantasy writers, good advice about craft is good advice.
Once you have your book in hand, its time to think about how you are going to find your readers and turn them into your tribe.
For a lot of writers, including me, this is really uncomfortable. Imagine screaming into a wind tunnel until you're hoarse. That is what marketing feels like, at least to me. Or worse, you feel forced to make TikTok videos of yourself lip-syncing. NO NO NO please stop . . .
For Rowena’s Song, I’ve taken the marketing game super slow. The one avenue I am putting my time and effort into is getting into physical bookstores. I have only so many hours per day (I’m still writing book 2, and I’m also a librarian/book coach/paint-n-sip instructor). I can use this time learning how to make Amazon ads, or I can go out and meet booksellers in their amazing spaces and work with them to our mutual benefit. I choose to be a part of a community rather than an algorithm.
While a lot of folks would say this is the wrong approach, I want to enjoy my book in the real world instead of the online space, at least for now. I hate the hustle culture, the constant chasing of the almighty dollar bill. Slow and steady wins the race.
Yes, that is a radical position in the 21st century, but I stand by the wisdom of Aesop.
And while that race is ongoing, I was THRILLED to be chosen to sell Rowena’s Song at This Old Book in Grayslake, IL. When I initially approached owner Janet Elliott, she was kind and took the copy of my ARC, but she made no promises about stocking the book. As someone who has seen far too many novels published when they clearly needed several more rounds of revision, I completely understood her need to keep some distance between us. Shelf space in a store is a precious commodity—it pays the rent.
Then again, I know my book is well-written. It has taken a long time for me to be proud of my accomplishments instead of diminishing them, not wanting to shine too brightly around those who would prefer to keep me down.
Janet reached out to me two weeks later to say she would be happy to carry the book. But the thing that made my soul sing was the fact she said, “Oh, I already have a few people in mind to recommend your title to.”
Booksellers and librarians are my heroes. This quote states my love for this community best from a book published in 1917, but is just as relevant today:
“When you sell a man a book you don’t sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there’s all heaven and earth in a book, a real book I mean.”
― Christopher Morley, Parnassus on Wheels
In that moment, I truly felt it, in my heart, that Rowena’s Song is a real book too.
Also, if you like ships and night and perhaps having a dance with the man you’re falling in love with under the moonlight, I have a real book you will adore!
Thank you for reading this article! Please like and share to help me get some visibility in the bookish community. ic þancie þē
Have you had a chance to read Rowena’s Song yet? If not, you can purchase your copy from This Old Book in person, or head over to Amazon. It is also on Kindle Unlimited. Also don’t forget to subsribe to Ivy Charlotte Dally so you will be the first to know about other booksellers carrying the book, in-person signings, and Rowena 2 updates 💚