The Annapolis Bookstore in Annapolis, Md., hosted a launch party for Claude Berube's newest thriller, Syren's Song (Naval Institute Press), that had an unusual twist. The event was billed a "Don't Buy My Book & Talk," for which the price of admission was the purchase of a book not written by Berube.
|
 |
"It was 100% his idea," said Mary Adams, the store's co-owner and founder. "Claude is a great supporter of indie bookstores and ours, especially. He wanted to inspire other authors, especially local authors, to try the same thing."
According to Adams, the event went very well, with people buying a variety of books and most buying more than one. Some attendees, she said, decided to buy Berube's book in addition to a book by another author, while others stuck more to the letter of the law and came back later in the week to buy Syren's Song. "No one left without a purchase," she added.
Berube is a local author as well as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. During the event, Berube informed the audience that he in fact wrote most of Syren's Song at the bookstore's cafe. Syren's Song is a geopolitical thriller about a former Naval Officer who receives a letter of marque to combat a marine terrorist organization; it is the second of Berube's Connor Stark novels.
"Don't get me wrong--I want to sell my books, but more important than that is having the personal touch that a local independent bookstore can provide," Berube said. "All I asked of the people who joined us was to purchase a book that wasn't mine so they could support the store as well. As writers, we're really fortunate when bookstores provide a venue for us and sell our books. I thought this would be a small way to give back to this particular bookstore."
Adams said that since the event, she's received several inquiries from authors interested in doing similar things. She also hopes to have Berube back in store whenever his next novel is out. Said Adams: "Now we're just waiting for his next novel, so we can have another Don't Buy My Book night." --Alex Mutter