Why Auntie’s? Because we owe her big time

I just received the following letter from a local author:

Why Not to Shop at Aunties : Because they won’t carry a local author’s book!

That’s right. I went to Aunties to see if they would sell my chapbook
on consignment. My chapbook that was recently published by FootHills
Publishing . My book which is actually beautifully put together and
hand stitched they would not carry because it didn’t have a spine.
That’s the reason – no spine!

So a local book store – one that is not a corporate giant, but a
LOCAL, INDEPENDENT Bookstore – will not carry a local author’s book.
A local author who spends hundreds of dollars a year at their store,
and who used to encourage other people to shop there. Such arrogance
from Aunties.

Please do not shop their again.

If you want other people’s books, go to a good local bookstore: Powells . They support!

Peace,
Tom Holmes

And this is the reply that I sent to him:

Tom: Thanks for the letter. But I have to take issue with you.

See, I think you’re being a little short-sighted. You say that Auntie’s doesn’t support local writers. Well, first of all, that’s just not true. Auntie’s carries hundreds of books on its shelves written by local authors . The “arrogance” that you’re talking about – and I think that’s hardly the correct word – applies only to you and the handful of other authors who write chapbooks .

So, it’s not as if they’re picking on local writers. They simply don’t carry spineless books whose titles can’t be seen clearly by a potential reader perusing the shelves. It’s a policy. It may be one that I don’t agree with, but then I don’t own a bookstore and have no idea what problems such ownership entails.

And I would add this: Auntie’s deserves more than a little gratitude from the Inland Northwest literary scene, both authors and readers. When the only other bookstores of note in Spokane were a couple of corporate-owned B. Daltons and Waldenbooks outlets, Auntie’s strived to make it on its own. The store grew from a hole in the wall to what it is today one of the more notable independent stores in the entire Northwest.

Think about it: Without Auntie’s there likely would be no Barnes & Noble or Borders stores here. And why is that? Because it was Auntie’s that showed them there indeed was a regional market for book buyers. Without Auntie’s there would be no reason for authors such as Chuck Palahniuk or Ivan Doig or David Guterson to stop here and not just sign their books but read from them. And to be perfectly honest, without Auntie’s there would be a lot less interest in books such as yours.

Is Auntie’s a perfect bookstore? No. There often are times in which I can’t find what I want there. Sometimes the staff isn’t as helpful as I would like. And it has to be hard for some families to pay full price for books that they can get a whole lot cheaper at such discount sources as Costco. And there are the store policies that affect authors such as you.

But then I remember what we all owe to Chris O’Harra and her staff and I go there and drop another $50. I will continue to do so as long as I can, and I will urge others to do so as well. Because if nothing else, it’s the right thing to do.

Sincerely yours,

Dan Webster