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Bookstores, the Amazon Resistance


I heard from a couple of friends that today is Amazon Prime Day to remind me of their special sale. I also heard from the president of the American Booksellers Association and about 6 bookstores, thanking me for my OpEd in the New York Daily News.

If you plan to do some online shopping tonight on Amazon, please consider buying from an independent bookstore instead. Of course, it's understood if you happen to live somewhere where there are no physical stores and Amazon is your only means to anything, but if given the choice, please read my editorial to understand why you are helping yourself and your own community by shopping local.

I have a new book out, and I don't even encourage booklovers to purchase my book thru Amazon (I assure you my "people" are not delighted by my stance). I have visited my own Amazon page but once (to resolve a complaint–I don't follow the book's rankings or reviews, ever) and I have not shared that link to buy my book, not once (any online feature on the book I ask the writer to remove any link to Amazon). I thank those who have purchased my book already, wherever, and my hopes is that it will sell well enough that I am asked to create a sequel and continue this project, to paint and write about another 75 great bookstores. So thank you for supporting me and if you have a copy already, consider buying ANY book for your independently owned bookshop. We need books and we don't need more drones.