The Return of the Great American Indie Bookstore

Is the "great American indie bookstore" on its way back? According to a lead story in the February issue of American Way magazine, it is. I couldn't be happier.

The headline on the cover of the magazine reads, "The Return of Small Bookstores." Inside there is a very long article by David Hale Smith describing the return of bookstores that are "thriving in many parts of the country."

Smith points out that people still love to read "real books". He notes an early year 2014 survey that found "hardcover and paperback print books significantly" outselling e-books. He also tells about a 2013 American Booksellers Association report saying that indie bookstore sales were rising. That is really good news. After all, what could be nicer than browsing through the shelves filled with real books, pulling out a volume dressed in a pretty cover, and enjoying the scent of ink and paper?

You can curl up with a real book. You can ask questions of the bookstore owners. You can meet local authors there.

It is still nice to get to know authors, isn't it? You can ask them lots of questions and enjoy chatting with an expert on some topic or learn more about the heroine or hero of a series.

The return of indie bookstores! What great news for authors! Do you have a new bookstore in your community?