Observations — New Murals From San Francisco's Clarion Alley

Opinion — A Tale Of Two Bookstores, Indie Bookstore Celebration On November 29

As I’ve mentioned a number of times in the past, bookstores and libraries are sacred places — all that knowledge and art and ideas, not to mention adventure.   The only other human-made places that provided that kind of inspiration for me were movie theaters.  One of the benefits of living in San Francisco is that most every neighborhood has a bookstore — at least one.

Also, as discussed a lot lately, the bookstore business, as a business, has and is facing major challenges. Years ago, the big box bookstores came through our cities and towns like glaciers during the ice age.  It was tough.  Some bookstores regrouped and survived. Others vanished. Then, if I can extend the climate metaphor, came global warming in the form of Amazon. An over reach on my part perhaps, but the point is technology surged on two fronts.  On-line ordering, unlimited inventory combined with the new instant and portable e-book formats have made life for traditional, independent booksellers and those of us who love them very difficult.

What can bookstores do to deal with changes in the marketplace? I’d love to hear from owners of those stores who have met the challenge. As a writer, and much like independent bookstores, I’m working on my own way to say relevant in this publishing environment.  My only advice to bookstores, unasked for as it is, as both a customer and a writer, is what not to do.  Here is a short, personal story.

When some of my earlier books went out of print, I decided to do something about it.  I found a talented graphic designer and published them myself.  I also published a mystery novella, too short for the traditional publishers to even consider. While regular distribution channels were next to impossible for me monetarily, I wanted the novella, which I set in San Francisco, to be on local bookshelves.  I went around, on foot, to the city’s independent bookstores to peddle my books and was met, generally speaking, with a less than enthusiastic welcome.  I managed to place some on consignment. 

 

The experience was interesting.  I found that the stores in a small, local chain, Books Inc., to be among the most knowledgeable, most helpful and most welcoming.  When I peddled my little trade paperback Mascara – Death In The Tenderloin to the Books Inc. store on San Francisco’s Chestnut Street, the buyer took five and had me fill out a form. This happened at a few other stores.  What made the Chestnut store different, though, was that a few days later l received an email from the buyer. “We sold out.  Bring over more books.  A check is in the mail.” I did. And it happened again.  Another e-mail, another check and another request for more books. The cycle repeated a few more times before the expected lag in interest occurred. They had put my books in the local writers section of their mystery bookshelves. They also ordered some other books from by my usual publisher through traditional channels. The experience was a good one. When I buy books, I do so at bookstores that reflect the city and the neighborhoods they serve.  I also recommend the best to my friends.  All the Books Inc. stores I’ve been to – four of them – have a staff who seems to like readers and writers and books. The Books Inc. store on California which also actively supports local writers set up a book signing and ordered a bunch of my books even though the publisher had a “no return” policy on hardbacks.

There was another bookstore.  I won’t name it.  It is located in a dynamic neighborhood, an area I regularly frequent.  The place looks good. I came in with my books and talked to the guy who decides what to do with local writers looking for a consignment agreement.  He eyed me with suspicion.  He examined the book as if I was selling a fake Louis Vuitton handbag.  He took two books, I believe.  I didn’t hear from him or anyone for a while so I stopped in to see where I was put.  I couldn’t find my books — not in mysteries, not in plain view anywhere. Perhaps they had sold, I thought.  I didn’t want to be a hovering, pestering writer. I already felt as if I were unwelcomed, and today’s employee was busy checking backpacks and bags.  I left and called later.  They didn’t sell any I was told and because I didn’t come in during the required time, the books were disposed of. I didn’t argue. The terms were probably on the slip of paper I signed, the one with my phone number and e-mail address. I didn’t go back.  Ever.

It wasn’t the money that bothered me.  It was the attitude. I no longer buy books from them, I steer people away. There are a number of warm and friendly bookstores to recommend — some listed below. No need to encourage people to visit a store that treats local writers and customers in such a cold, robotic way. It’s a shame.  At a time when independent bookstores are incredibly challenged and have to be at their best to survive, I would think that personal relationships and local connections would be important.  After all, these are things Amazon is unable to do.

An Update On The Upside:

City Lights Bookstore, San Francisco

While San Francisco, like many other places, has lost many fine bookstores in the last few years, all is not lost.  Here, the legendary City Lights in North beach thrives, as does the incomparable Green Apple in The Richmond. Green Apple has also put a branch on the other side of the park in the Sunset. The fantastic (in more ways than one) Borderlands is on eclectic Valencia Street in the Mission. The bookstore, which was well known for science fiction, fantasy and horror, now offers a comprehensive selection of crime fiction as well. Also a café! The Alexander Book Company occupies three floors in the city’s financial district near the SOMA district. The renowned Book Passage from Corte Madera operates a small, but lively branch, popular with commuters and tourists, in the bustling Ferry Building.  The busy West Portal Book Shop is, where else, on West Portal Avenue in West Portal. Browser Books has been on trendy Fillmore since 1976. And the charming Christopher’s Books anchors Potrero Hill’s charming 18th Street.  Barnes & Noble recently closed its last store in the city.  Borders is long gone. Where can readers go for the kind of warmth and inspiration as well as being the company of likeminded souls? It strikes me that for smaller, independent bookstores willing to relate to their communities and their neighborhoods, the future is bright.

On Saturday, November 29 independent bookstores across the country will celebrate with author and illustrator appearances.  Here is a list of participating stores.  For a list by state, click here.

Incidentally, a national list of independent bookstores and a list of mystery bookstores are always just a click way on any page of my blog. Look for the icon on the right.

Observations — 1951, The Calm Before The Calm

Korea seesawed between communist and democratic rule. Communists forced the Dalai Lama to surrender his army to Beijing. Libyans tossed off Italian shackles.  The 22^nd Amendment passed — presidents are limited to two terms. President Harry S. Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur. The general retired.   Accused spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death. The first nuclear power plant was built.  Fidel Castro was ejected from a baseball game for beaning a batter. Color TV was made available. Joe DiMaggio retired.  Sugar Ray Robinson defeated Jake La Motta for the Middleweight title. Rocky Marciano defeated Joe Louis at Madison Square Garden. Igor Stravinsky’s opera, Rake’s Progress, opened in Venice. Benjamin Britten’s Opera, Billy Budd, premiered in London.  The King and I opened on Broadway. “Search for Tomorrow,”  “I Love Lucy,“ “The Ernie Kovacs Show” and “Dragnet” premiered on the small screen. On the large screen we watched Showboat, Alice in Wonderland, Strangers On A Train, The Day The Earth Stood Still, A Place In The Sun, A Streetcar Named Desire, An American in Paris, The African Queen, and The Thing From Another World.  All About Eve picked up the Oscar.  Conrad Richter won the Pulitzer Prize in Literature for The Tower. Other notable books included Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk, The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers, The Grass Harp by Truman Capote, From Here To Eternity by James Jones, Moses by Sholem Asch, and A Woman called Fancy by Frank Yerby. We listened to Nat “King” Cole sing “Too Young,” and Tony Bennett sang “Pleasure of You.” We also listened to “How High The Moon” by Les Paul and Mary Ford, “Be My Love” by Mario Lanza, “On Top of Old Smokey” by the Weavers, “Cold, Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett, “If” by Perry Como and ‘The Tennessee Waltz” by Patti Page. André Gide died. So did Robert Walker, Fanny Brice, William Randolph Hearst, Maria Montez, Sinclair Lewis and Eddy Duchin.   Those1951 babies who would become notables were Phil Collins, Mark Harmon, Robin Williams, Sting, Sally Ride, Michael Keaton, Jane Seymour, Joey Ramone, Luther Vandross, Angelica Huston and John Mellencamp. If you were around during this year of the metal rabbit, what were you doing?

Book Notes — A Krueger Sweep of 2014 Awards, And Best Crime Writers Of The 21ST Century?

Winning Mystery

It is award season for crime writers.  Each year there are hundreds of awards given for mystery-related writing. To give you an idea of what company the current winners keep, the list that follows is a list for the top awards since the new century began, including this year’s choices. 

William Kent Krueger

This list includes only “best novel” of the year awards as determined by the genre’s most established award givers — Mystery Writers of America (The Edgar and Anthony),  Private Eye Writers of America (The Shamus), Mystery Readers International (The Macavity) and the comprehensive mystery review quarterly, Deadly Pleasures (The Barry).

In an unusual turn of events, one author, William Kent Krueger, won all of the above-mentioned awards for “Best Novel,” except the Shamus, for which it was not eligible*.

Congratulations to all the 2014 winners (published in 2013) and to all of the nominees. Check the organizations’ web sites for best first novels, best short stories and other outstanding accomplishments by today’s crime writers. 

2000   Jan Burke, Bones, Edgar

 Don Winslow, California Fire and Life, Shamus

           Peter Robinson, In a Dry Season, Anthony

           Sujata Massey, The Flower Master, Macavity

           Peter Robinson, In a Dry Season, Barry

2001   Joe R. Lansdale, The Bottoms, Edgar

           Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Havana Heat, Shamus

           Val McDermid, A Place of Execution, Anthony

 Val McDermid, A Place of Execution, Macavity

 Nevada Barr Deep South, Barry

2002   T. Jefferson Parker, California Girl, Edgar

           S. J. Rozan, Reflecting the Sky, Shamus

           Dennis Lehane, Mystic River, Anthony

           Laurie R. King, Folly, Macavity

           Dennis Lehane, Mystic River, Barry

2003   S. J. Rozan, Winter and Night, Edgar

           James W. Hall, Blackwater Sound, Shamus

           Michael Connelly, City of Bones, Anthony

           S.J. Rozan, Winter and Night, Macavity

           Michael Connelly, City of Bones, Barry

2004   Ian Rankin, Resurrection Men, Edgar

           Ken Bruen, The Guards, Shamus

           Laura Lippman, Every Secret Thing, Anthony

           Peter Lovesey, The House Sitter, Macavity

           Laura Lippman, Every Secret Thing, Barry

2005   T. Jefferson Parker, California Girl, Edgar

           Ed Wright, While I Disappear, Shamus

           William Kent Krueger, Blood Hollow, Anthony

           Ken Bruen, The Killing of the Tinkers, Macavity

           Lee Child, The Enemy, Barry

2006   Jess Walter, Citizen Vince, Edgar

           Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer, Shamus

           William Kent Krueger, Mercy Falls, Anthony

           Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer, Macavity

           Thomas H. Cook, Red Leaves, Barry

2007   Jason Goodwin, The Janissary Tree, Edgar

           Ken Bruen, The Dramatist, Shamus

           Laura Lippman, No Good Deeds, Anthony

           Nancy Pickard, The Virgin of Small Plains, Macavity

           George Pelecanos, The Night Gardener, Barry

2008   John Hart, Down River, Edgar

           Reed Farrel Coleman, Soul Patch, Shamus

           Laura Lippman, What the Dead Know, Anthony

           Laura Lippman, What the Dead Know, Macavity

           Laura Lippman, What the Dead Know, Barry

2009   C. J. Box, Blue Heaven, Edgar

           Reed Farrel Coleman, Empty Ever After, Shamus

           Michael Connelly, The Brass Verdict, Anthony

           Deborah Crombie, Where Memories Lie, Macavity

           Arnaldur Indridason, The Draining Lake, Barry

2010   John Hart, The Last Child, Edgar

           Marcia Muller, Locked In, Shamus

           Louise Penny, The Brutal Telling, Anthony

           John Hart, The Last Child, Macavity

           John Hart, The Last Child, Barry

2011   Steve Hamilton, The Lock Artist, Edgar

           Lori Armstrong, No Merci, Shamus

           Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead, Anthony

           Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead, Macavity

           Steve Hamilton, The Lock Artist, Barry

2012   Mo Hayder, Gone, Edgar

           Michael Wiley, A Bad Night's Sleep, Shamus

           Louise Penny, A Trick of the Light, Anthony

           Susan Gran, Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, Macavity

           Jussi Adler Olsen, The Keeper of Lost Causes, Barry

   

2013   Dennis Lehane, Live By Night, Edgar

           Robert Crais, Taken, Shamus

 Louise Penny, The Beautiful Mystery, Anthony

Brad Parks

           Louise Penny, The Beautiful Mystery, Macavity

 Peter May, The Blackhouse, Barry

2014 

William Kent Krueger, Ordinary Grace, Edgar, Macavity, Barry & Anthony

Brad Parks, The Good Cop, Shamus

           

*The Shamus Awards are reserved for work featuring ptivate eyes. In general, the PWA defines a "private eye" as any mystery protagonist who is a professional investigator, but not a police officer or government agent.

Observations — 1945, The Great War Ends

Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term as president.  Germany surrendered. Concentration camps liberated. Adolf Hitler killed himself.  Crocodiles in Burma killed 980 Japanese soldiers.  FDR died. Harry S. Truman became president. The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities.  Japan surrendered. Italy’s Benito Mussolini was arrested and later executed, hung upside down in Milan. Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France.  Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first city to accept fluoride in its water. The World Bank was created. Pepe Le Pew debuted.  Arthur Godfrey began his legendary run on radio.  Kiss Me Kate opened in London. The Glass Menagerie opened on Broadway. The Pulitzer prizes went to: Aaron Copland (music) for Appalachian Spring, John Hershey (literature) for Bell For Adano, and Mary Chase (drama) for Harvey. We read W. H. Auden’s Collected Poems, The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Black Rose by A. J. Cronin, Black Boy by Richard Wright, Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, and The Black Rose by Thomas B. Chastain. In film, we watched The Lost Weekend, Mildred Pierce, National Velvet, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Spellbound, Children of Paradise, Picture of Dorian Gray, Blithe spirit, Scarlet Street, And Then There Were None, The Body Snatchers and Detour. Top of the music charts were: “Rum and Coca Cola” by The Andrew Sisters, “Sentimental Journey” by Les Brown, Till The End Of Time by Perry Como, On The Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe by Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers, “At Mail Call Today” by Gene Autry, “Aren’t You Glad You’re You” by Bing Crosby, “This Heart of Mine” by Judy Garland and “Put Your Dreams Away” by Frank Sinatra.  Departed Souls: Anne Frank, Jerome Kern, Theodore Dreiser, Ernie Pyle, Robert Benchley, George Patton, and Béla Bartok. Arriving Souls included: Bob Marley, Diane Sawyer, Helen Mirren, Eric Clapton, Tom Selleck, Rod Stewart, Goldie Hawn, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Steve Martin, Bob Seger, Linda Hunt, Jose Feleciano, and Pete Townsend.  If you we’re around, what were you doing during this year of the wood rooster?