News & Events

NCIBA Spring Gathering Coming April 18

Our annual Spring Gathering will be held in the Presidio on Sunday, April 18, from 8:30-5:30. Click here for full details and registration form (1.3MB PDF). Highlights of the day include:

• ABA Forum, a chance to discuss issues and concerns with Oren Teicher and Len Vlahos
• Education presentations and roundtable discussions
• “Speed dating” Rep Picks with a dozen of our finest sales reps chatting up new titles
• Great food throughout the day, including continental breakfast, buffet lunch and late afternoon refreshments
• Author Reception with 11 (to date) writers signing their new books and meeting you, the booksellers

2010 NCIBA Trade Show News

The 2010 show will be held on Thursday, October 14–Saturday, October 16 at the Oakland Convention Center/City Center Marriott. Exhibitor set-up and bookseller education will take place on October 14th, with the show floor open to attendees on the 15th and 16th. Show hours and schedule of events coming soon.

Marketing Your Book to Independent Bookstores

Tips of the trade for self-published and not-yet-published authors

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10am-Noon, Presidio National Park, San Francisco

In these challenging times, writing a book and having it published is only half the battle. Unless your name is, say, John Grisham or Stephen King, effectively marketing your book can mean the difference between sales success and failure. Independent bookstores can be willing, even indispensable partners in selling your book, so learning how to connect with them will make your marketing efforts more productive.

That’s what this seminar is about — how authors can approach and market their books to independent bookstores. Moderated by Hut Landon, executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, the panel will include three leading Bay Area independent booksellers.

Among the many topics that will be addressed are:

• How and when to approach bookstores — and how and when not to
• Why booksellers’ expectations may differ from yours
• Pricing, discounts, returns — the business of buying and selling books
• The importance of a book’s look and feel
• How author events in bookstores work
• Whether hiring a publicist is a good idea
• What you should know about the politics of bookselling

There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion, and we’ll serve coffee, tea, and treats. The cost for the event is $50.

If you care about your book selling in bookstores, this is a session you won’t want to miss. Space is limited, so send in your registration form (44K PDF) as soon as possible.

Author Events

Below are links to current events calendars of NCIBA member stores. Here you will find some of the most exciting, interesting, stimulating and thought provoking happenings in the region.

Event listings can also be found on:

• SF Gate
• Craig’s List

Also well worth checking out is the Sonoma County Book Festival. To find out who will be appearing at this annual September event, please visit the Festival website.