Breakthrough with Waterstone’s and Independents

Good news on the Waterstone’s front! The Stonewylde Series has been available in many Waterstone’s branches for over a year now, with a massive increase in June 2007 when their Head Office decided to place the books in their core branches. This was fantastic news – until we realised that the books (only two of them at that point) were being put in the Teenage/Young Adult section. Nothing wrong with that of course, as many teenagers love Stonewylde and I recommend the series to anyone aged 13 or over. But the vast majority of readers are adult, male and female. It was incredibly disappointing to visit a branch and find single copies of each book tucked away in the Children’s Dept. I’ve received so many e mails from frustrated people saying they can’t find the books in Waterstone’s. Or to be directed by staff to the Children’s section.

But now apparently the Stonewylde Series is being classified as General Fiction, to go into the Adult section! I hope that the branches stocking the books will move them – or better still, leave some in the Teenage section and order more for the Adult section. I’d be really grateful if all my wonderful readers who are so proactive in their support for the books could visit their local Waterstone’s and recommend that the books be re-categorised. Don’t move them yourself of course! This annoys staff no end, and means if anyone asks them for the books, they can’t find them. But a friendly chat may bring good results, as I’ve always found the majority of staff to be very helpful and keen to increase their business. Placing the books where adult browsers will come across them will increase their sales, so it makes sense. You’ll be doing everyone a favour. And those of you waiting with bated breath for the fourth book know that it can’t happen until the first three books are widely available and selling well. (Does that sound like a bribe?)

Another brilliant breakthrough happened this February and March, order phentermine and topiramate when Moongazy Publishing did a massive publicity and promotion drive to almost 500 independent bookshops throughout England and Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland to follow). This resulted in many shops ordering copies of the books, and there’s been some very enthusiastic feedback from booksellers in many parts of the country. Tomorrow the new promotional posters are being delivered, and bookshops will be sent one of these in the next week, along with the publicity postcards. If you see a shop displaying a Stonewylde poster, please go in and congratulate them! Those shop-owners who’ve read the books themselves have been wildly enthusiastic, which is the best thing ever as of course they’ll recommend the books to their customers.

If anyone has any interesting observations or does any bookshop reconnaissance, please let me know the outcome. It’s so helpful to have this information, and my readers know how much I appreciate their assistance. I wonder how many other new authors are lucky enough to have such incredible support? When Stonewylde becomes a best-selling series, I know it will be largely due to the efforts of the Stonewylde fans in spreading the word, telling their friends, family and colleagues, and generally helping to generate interest and excitement. Many of these wonderful people are now members of the Stonewylde Forum, and they’ve created a fantastic community there. The latest hot topic is about keeping chickens! But there’s lots of discussion too about Stonewylde, including a thread where readers are writing slogans to help promote the books.

I have some new diary dates for events in the summer, which should be going up on the website soon, so keep watching! I hope to meet more of the Stonewylde community this summer, having conversed with so many of them for the past year on the forum and via e mails. It’s great when someone comes up a little diffidently at a book signing event or after one of my talks, and I realise it’s a person I’ve been “chatting” to for months!