I won’t quote facts or speculate on why Borders is closing. Whatever the reasons, and I suspect they are varied, losing them is painful and personal. I held my first booksigning at a local Waldner’s Books. In fact, I ran across a photo of it just today. Coincidence? I think not.
Businesses failing is a fact of life, but a bookstore closing is like breaking the fingers of a writer. Or crashing their computer or burning their manuscript. It’s visceral. It hurts. It shouldn’t be.
I’m heartened by the overall state of the book industry, despite this sad news. I’ve just returned from a four day trip through various corners of Michigan, my home state. Local bookstores still exist, consumers still buy books. These visible reminders give me hope.
Epublishing, self-publishing are infants. The industry is undergoing an unprecedented revolution. Rejoice in the turmoil. As with all revolutions, there are losers, but there are also winners. You are the winner. You, the reader.
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