Holiday Markets

... and some notes on Cyber Monday.

Although it is a comfort to know that my book is available in Nashville, Australia, and the UK, I know only a handful of people in those locations. People buy books from authors at my level because they know the author. That’s why I am a big fan of Holiday Markets.

First, a few poems from my recently released book.

I had a great time at a Holiday Market, selling my books and handing out my promotional material on Saturday evening. Artists and Authors gathered at The Meeting House in Red Bank, Tennessee.

The most enjoyable book sales for me (and the most profitable) are the ones I conduct myself. I enhance the possibility of sales by using multiple platforms to accept payment including Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal. Of course, currency is also an option.

The center booklet is titled We Are Water. It is a collection of Haiku and color photographs digitized from 35mm color slides. The postcards have a brief poem and my contact information on the back. The image is a photograph of wild Azalea flowers. The one lying flat on the table is a postcard of an American Alligator. That card is now out of stock. My postcards and copies of It’s Just a Phase are printed locally, as are my self published books. I am pleased with the quality.

Since it is Cyber Monday, I must tell you that my book is available online.

First and foremost, it is available from the Publisher, Walnut Street Publishing, Chattanooga, Tennessee https://walnutstreetpublishing.com/product/its-just-a-phase/. Wonder Press, a Chattanooga print shop, supplies copies to the publisher, so copies purchased from the publisher and Chattanooga’s independent bookstores support local businesses.

What if your bookstore isn’t in Chattanooga?

Your local independent bookstore, and anyone else who deals with Ingram Content Group, can get a copy for you. Ingram prints those copies. You will need to tell them the ISBN is 9798990979024. Nevertheless, it is likely a special order and you might have to wait until they order other books from Ingram.

I don’t see that as a bad thing. Your local bookstore gets a commission for the sales and it’s good to support independent bookstores. Sure, Ingram receives a cut, but so do the wholesalers of books you buy in brick and morter stores.

Ingram is the primary supplier for libraries. That explains why your library won’t necessarily be able to get a copy of a book you saw online. They only deal with wholesalers.

If you buy from big online retailers, you’re in luck. Thanks to Ingram Content Group, Barnesandnoble.com, Booksamillion.com, and Walmart.com sell my book. (BTW, I have heard that Walmart.com is now the largest commercial bookseller in the US.) Open the search engine and type in the ISBN, 9798990979024.

If you tell the search engine the book is titled It’s Just a Phase by Ray Zimmerman that will confuse the issue. It’s Just a Phase is a popular book title and Ray Zimmerman is a popular name for authors.