May 2022 Dear Booksellers and SinC Members, In this issue of We Love Bookstores News, Sisters in Crime board member Valerie (V.M.) Burns, who thinks a lot about the qualities that make a bookstore truly exceptional for her mystery bookshop series, introduces us to her favorite bookstore, Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey. Please see details below about the We Love Bookstores winner for May—the aptly named, Books Are Awesome! in Parker Colorado. |
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Watchung Booksellers: One of My Favorite Bookstores by Valerie (V.M.) Burns |
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Like all readers and writers, I love books. I love anywhere that I can find large, diverse quantities of books including libraries, bookstores, garage sales (don’t judge). However, as life has changed, especially over the past few years, so too have bookstores. No longer are these simply a retail building where booklovers can purchase the latest NY Times Bestseller. Bookstores have evolved into much, much more. Watchung Booksellers is a perfect example of this evolution. Located in Montclair, New Jersey, Watchung Booksellers has a physical location where books can be purchased. However, you can also purchase books online and have them shipped to your home. Want to provide a gift, but not sure which book to buy? Purchase a Watchung gift card. Connect with fellow booklovers by joining one of many book clubs connected to the store. Don’t live in New Jersey? No worries. They have both in-person and virtual book clubs. But, my most favorite thing that Watchung has done are the virtual author events. I’ve been fortunate to have participated in several livestreamed author events and they were great. Not all bookstores have embraced technology, but Watchung made it possible for authors to connect with readers through the pandemic and across the country. I’ve never actually stepped inside of Watchung’s physical building, but I have nevertheless, spent many hours there thanks to the marvels of modern technology, and their helpful staff. If you find yourself in the Montclair, New Jersey area, check them out. Go inside. Walk the aisles. But no worries if you don’t live nearby. You don’t have to wait for a road trip to get acquainted with this great store. You can browse their shelves, buy books, engage with their book clubs, or meet authors all from the comfort of home. It’s a booklover’s dream. Connect with Watchung Booksellers: |
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Valerie (V. M.) Burns is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series. Her first book, The Plot is Murder, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Debut Novel. She is the author of the Dog Club Mystery Series, the RJ Franklin Mysteries, a three-time finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and has an Edgar Award nominated short story. Her newest series, Baker Street Mysteries, will release later this year, and her Pet Detective Mystery series will release in 2023. Valerie is on the board of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a member of Dog Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and International Thriller Writers. She is a manager for a Fortune 100 company and a mentor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie currently lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Website: http://www.vmburns.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vmburnsbooks Twitter: https://twitter.com/vmburns |
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Would you like to write an entry for We Love Bookstores News about your favorite shop or something else? Did you put together or see an amazing display? Submit your ideas to Susan Hammerman, Library Liaison at librarian@sistersincrime.org |
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The We Love Bookstores May 2022 Winner: Books Are Awesome! |
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Pictured are owners Wendy Withers (left) and Danean Wisley (right) with books by Sisters in Crime member authors, Eight Weeks to a Complete Novel, Fiction Can Be Murder, Metaphor for Murder, Foul Play on Words, and Puzzling Ink by Becky Clark; Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley; Avenging Adam, and Body Count by Jodi Burnett; Killer Chardonnay and A Pairing to Die For by Kate Lansing; and The Body in Griffith Park by Jennifer Kincheloe. Books are Awesome! in Parker, Colorado is the May winner of the We Love Bookstores award. They opened the store a little over two years ago, and "love being Parker's local bookstore." Both women are long time Parker residents, and Danean says, "We LONGED for a local indie bookstore, and finally decided that if it was going to happen, we had to be the ones to do it!" They don't specialize in any one genre, but sell everything, all new books. They operate SIX book clubs out of the store including a Transcendentalist Book Club that started in February of '22. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksareawesomeparker/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/booksareawesom3 |
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Apply for the We Love Bookstores Award |
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To find out more about all SinC offers, including live webinars, please visit our website. Thank you for all you do for your community. Sisters in Crime loves bookstores. Happy reading! Susan Hammerman Library Liaison Susan Hammerman, a former rare book librarian, is the Library and Bookstore Liaison and coordinator of the We Love Libraries program. Susan writes crime and neo-noir short stories. Her stories have been published by Mystery Magazine, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Blood and Bourbon, Mondays are Murder, and Retreats From Oblivion. We Love Bookstores Coordinator Robin Agnew owned the Raven Award-winning bookstore Aunt Agatha’s Bookshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for 26 years with her husband Jamie. Robin writes a review blog at auntagathas.com and the cozy column for Mystery Scene Magazine. WLL and WLB News Editor Gail Lukasik’s latest book, White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing, was named one of the most inspiring stories of the year by The Washington Post. She is also the author of the Leigh Girard Mystery series and the stand-alone mystery, The Lost Artist. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, such as The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and The Georgia Review. Gail appeared in the documentary, History of Memory, which is available on Amazon Prime. Website: www.gaillukasik.com |
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We've put our member books in a spreadsheet that we'll update every month, and send as part of this newsletter. This month's releases are on a separate worksheet. Feel free to sort by author name, book title, or author location. |
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Sisters in Crime hosts LIVE webinars each month. Webinars last 60-90 minutes depending on the topic and the audience questions! These webinars are open to all. |
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Sisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward. |
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