PUBLISHER’S LETTER
W
e’ve taken to the streets. Booksellers from across the country tell us useful tips in planning your trip to their stores. They share what they appreciate about their customers, why they love independently published books, and what their greatest challenges and opportunities are. Bookstores are alive and well as we noted in our last issue. Independents and chains are planning for a successful 2023. Barnes & Noble is opening 30 stores to their already 600 stores in the U.S. For perspective, B&N at its height had 726 locations in 2008. Ironically, the new stores are to be designed more like independent bookstores, which encourage customers to hang out and enjoy the space. As we find ourselves in this “messy middle” of online verses brick and mortar shopping, there is even a greater need to discover new books and authors. I hope the magazine provides another great way to easily explore and find one’s next great read!
Ted Olczak Publisher
www.IndependentPressAward.com
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www.nycbigbookaward.com
