Dear Pen Pal Book Signing at Smithville Village

When my first book, Dear Pen Pal came out, back in 1999, I did a book signing at Smithville Village. The owner of the bookstore back in 1999 was very accommodating, friendly woman that opened her shelves to several local authors. She had fiction, local history, music, and picture books from people right in the state. The book store shared space with a man that sold wood statues. He was an avid reader also. He told me that even back then, he made a lot of sales off the Internet. 

You wouldn’t know it from this small store in a historic village, but the store was busy on weekends. She had a children’s reading room that loaded with picture books, chapter books and even seating. The main shelves had current (at the time) books. I bought a David Baldacci book when I interviewed for the author signing.  

I did a book signing on a Saturday in May 2000 and sold quite a few books. The owner put up signs around the village and she steered people my way. She gave me a table out front of her store with big signs to grab people's attention.

I like to help the small stores and probably spent whatever money I made that day on other books. That owner sold the store and I returned to check book sales. I think I took what remaining books were in inventory home with me. There is no bookstore on the website for the village and I hope it’s not gone. Those little book stores are a big help to local authors that are starting out.  

JJ Lair is the author of Mix Tapes and Stuff. The book is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Mix-Tapes-Stuff-JJ-Lair-ebook/dp/B00KFTKCKE/

Dear Pen Pal was later released as an E-book through Kindle. The link is www.amazon.com/Dear-Pen-Pal-JJ-Lair-ebook/dp/B006Z0KS2E