Booksellers are an important part of publishing.
Not just influencers.
Booksellers.
So many of us whipping our fave books at unsuspecting customers, annoying them w our enthusiasm, until they Buy the Book.
I have 3 books I've sold 100 of since 2019. AT LEAST. Gideon is over 200 +
Fantasy book sales are up almost 800% at work! 😁
IN THREE MONTHS.
I was recognized for my role in helping it along. 🥺
Y'all know you can order from me right? ME DIRECTLY. Not some big corporation in the cloud.
But ME. And the INDIE I work for!
Lord of Book, Indeed.
Look what happened with Gideon.
I remember when I requested the ARC. It was not known. It was baby.
Black edge Gideon sat and sat at BN where I worked.
AND THEN.
Fans.
A fandom spawned like a skeleton crew on a dirt tarmac.
Dear Publishers,
There is a way to re-create BigolasDickolas marketing:
Community Building and Fandom. It is every company’s least favorite strategy. It is the style of marketing I almost always suggest FIRST b/c it requires the most effort and heart and it’s always rejected.
PLEASE IF IT IS YOUR DREAM TO SEE THIS TABLE SAY IT HERE.
IT MAY BE IN DANGER.
JUST SAY
I WANNA SEE THE BIGGEST GAY TABLE IN PERSON.
OR
I WANNA BE ON THE BIGGEST GAY TABLE.
PLEASE.
SAVE THE BIGGEST GAY TABLE.
I am Best Niche Bookseller and I say self-pub authors are AMAZING.
SO AMAZING.
If you're a self-pub author, comment here. My main genres are sci-fi and fantasy but I do read some horror.
#Bookseller
#booksKELler
I couldn't wait.
Here's Nona.
My Nona.
My copy of Nona.
The copy if Nona that is for me.
Kel's Nona.
#NonaTheNinth
@TorDotComPub
THANK YOU TORDOTCOM.
@torbooks
says I'm your number one superfan. 💜💜🖤🖤💀
That's 200 Gideon the Ninth!! 💀🖤💀🖤💀❤
I'd started handselling Gideon on 9/10/19 when it came out. Between the hardcover and paperback
I sold 100 1/9/21
150 by 6/9/21
Now it's 200 on 12/19/21
I DID IT.
@TorDotComPub
#GideonTheNinth
So I'm working indie and I feel valued and appreciated.
I get a staff rec page. A store email. Attend weekly meetings (I actually love meetings??). Order stuff and I don't have to fight to get it; just give a reason (which is FAIR).
My health is valued. Snack and drink when i
I've sold 104 copies of Gideon the Ninth in the last 52 weeks.
The kicker?
It was never on promo. It wasn't on sale. Never part of a deal.
God you don't know how proud I am of myself to consistently sell this book.
It's hard to sell such a niche book.
I know
#reviews
are The Thing. I blog, but I work FT and I have a kid in a high ability class. So I don't often fire up my laptop.
But.
I'm a
#bookseller
I'm a walking review.
I keep selling out of
#GideonTheNinth
and ordering more because I tell everyone about it.
Thread ish.
Twas the night before Nona
And all thru the Net
All The Locked Tomb Fandom
Were in a big fret
And we with our burgers
And our bowls of soup too
Would fall asleep wond'ring
What
@TorDotComPub
would do.
Would there be a gasmask?
A sword or some meat?
Would there be skeletons
1/3
I've got
#IronWidow
prints! And more bookplates!
I had too many books vs bookplates before.
These prints are STUNNING.
THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS.
@XiranJayZhao
@PenguinTeenCa
I came across a thing elsewhere about how several ppl dreamed of working in a bookstore.
Now. I can't say what all goes on in indies but I can say for Big Chain Store.
1. You don't get to read. Ever. Never ever. Maybe a flap or the back sometimes if you read REALLY FAST. 1.6
If you love Gideon, these are other books I enjoy that may or may not be similar or even sci-fi.
It's a thread because authors need good stuff in their feeds and what's gooder than I ENJOY YOUR BOOK.
Read these while waiting for Alecto to drop.
Let the tagging begin.
I sold
So many gay books
Today.
So MANY.
I was told I was singing the song of this lesbian's heart.
I helped a young man fill his gay bag w gay books. He has a GAY BAG.
I helped a young teacher find gay books for her classroom.
I'm so happy.
I feel fulfilled today.
An anonymous gifter is gifting me THE SET.
Y'ALL.
I'M GETTING THE ILLUMICRATE TLT SET.
I could weep.
(I know who it is but they want to remain anonymous, so it's not a scam or anything)
The kind where you've done work but not pushed past your limit. I was not smart and stayed up too late playing GW2 but that's on ME. 😂
I'm not dreading work. I'm not a ball of anxiety on legs. I'm not angry when I get home!
I'm an indie Bookseller and I've cried happy tears. 💖
Publisher and author friends!
Booksellers want your SWAG.
We want a LOT of it so we can give it away to That Customer who is SCREECHING about a book as much as we are!
I don't want 1 pin.
I want 5.
Temporary tattoos always get tossed (sorry) or packing taped to bookmarks.
I’m seeing lots of discussion about how queer (adult) SFF doesn’t get enough marketing so!
BOOK RECS PLEASE
would love to read more Adult SFF with queer *protagonists*
I’ve read HARROW and CERULEAN SEA already and loved them!
And that's it for my final shift.
Lots of hugs, gifts (including a Faerie Loot blanket from
@bauerband
), more hugs, pastries, coffee, and homemade shortbread cookies.
I'll miss my coworkers endlessly.
But I'm really excited about becoming Indie!Kel!!
I'll reveal where Tuesday!
Debut?
We gotchu.
Book 2?
We gotchu.
Backlist?
We gotchu.
Paperback release?
We gotchu.
Prerelease hype?
Ooohhh we gotchu.
Like a sale sticker on a dust jacket, we are glued to you.
Booksellers gotchu.
Bc we know what it's like not to be got.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
It's a testament to my selling skills, my marketing, my passion, and expertise when a beautiful self-pub book beat a tiktok sensation in the last week.
When Iron Widow, a YA scifi, can hit number 4 in sales.
I'm incredible.
Unstoppable.
But also my feet hurt. 😂
Today marks SIX MONTHS since I started as an indie bookseller.
I've done more as an indie in 6 months than I ever did in corporate in 7 YEARS.
Each sale means more to me here.
I can do SO MUCH.
I'm APPRECIATED AS A PERSON.
I can SIT DOWN when I need to.
I'm trusted.
I'm human.
Want/need. Move at a good pace for receiving and shelving. Offer help but not hound the customers.
My suggestions are considered fairly. I have actual conversations w the owners! Scheduling is discussed in detail!
This is great! I'm the good kind of tired!