Badducky had an idea

badducky · Dec 6, 2007

All right, Blog-o-Sphere, it's time to use your force for mighty and goodness in the name of your favorite, lesser-known authors!

I officially declare the week of December 10th to be "Take Back the Endcaps Week" a.k.a. TB2. The day of December 10th is "Face Your Book Day".

Thus, the week of December 10th, go to a bookstore, and choose your favorite, lesser-known author. Move their books from obscurity over to an endcap, (maybe even the tasty ones at the front of the store) and don't let the "man" get you down.

On December 10th itself, turn the spine-out book of your favorite, lesser-known author "face-out", so that the cover of the book with tasty graphic goodness and all the lovely eye-catchiness that marketing departments vie for occurs.

Participate in both or one, depending on your courageousness.

Also, blog about which author you chose, and <i>warum</i>, as the cops say in Deutschland. (That's "Why" for all you unDeutschlicious).

Alert the blog-o-sphere! 'Tis time for a new book-related holiday!

(Explanation here:http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1864501#post1864501)

Doctor Shifty · Dec 6, 2007

I like this idea. Do it anytime, not just one week a year.

A while ago I walked past a shelf in my local library and saw a book I recognised. Bright red cover, couldn't miss it really. It was my own book of short stories. A couple of the librarians are personal friends and I suspect they stood it face forward on the shelf, display mode.

"What a good idea" I said to myself. So since then I have been known to walk past the shelf, see if my book is in or out, and do the 'display mode' thing myself.

One of the local bookstores sells the book. I gave them an acrylic display stand with a label about me stuck on the front. There it sits on the front counter. Never a problem with being relegated to live spine-out on a back shelf in that store.

Jessi · Dec 7, 2007

I've actually never considered doing something like this. I don't know if I'll have the opportunity to participate during this little event, but I'll certainly think about it the next time I'm walking down a book store aisle. Great suggestion!

badducky · Dec 7, 2007

Now, now: Don't do it for your own book! Help others! At Christmastime! Who do not have the readership of Khalid Hosseini and Stephen King!

mamawriter · Dec 8, 2007

I do this from time to time -- not for my own work, but for others -- but the stay-inside-the-lines, drive-the-speed-limit part of me is just terrified that I'm going to get into trouble. It's not as if I don't know better.

Anyone gotten busted for this? What happened? Talking-to? Thrown out? Banned (heaven forbid) from the bookstore?

I'd love to hear.

wordsmith · Dec 8, 2007

This sounds like a great idea.

thursdayb · Dec 8, 2007

mamawriter said:
I do this from time to time -- not for my own work, but for others -- but the stay-inside-the-lines, drive-the-speed-limit part of me is just terrified that I'm going to get into trouble. It's not as if I don't know better.

Anyone gotten busted for this? What happened? Talking-to? Thrown out? Banned (heaven forbid) from the bookstore?

I'd love to hear.

It's easier to get away with at big box stores -- the clerks just think that you're too lazy to put a book back the way you found it. If you go in to do it every week to the same books, they'll ask you to stop, but it can take a while for them to catch on.

Small independent bookstores are an entirely different matter. However, if you can help them sell books (i.e. local author stands etc.), many will love you forever.

The trick is to look casual. Pick up a book, look over the back cover and just put it back in a different position.

badducky · Dec 8, 2007

Oneshouldn't go guerrilla marketing at Indie stores. they're way too awesome to f--- with.

Big Box stores, however, will probably not notice during the busy Christmas season.

"Facing Out" books, for all you fearful, is about as dangerous as browsing.

Soccer Mom · Dec 8, 2007

I face out books all the time. I'll see something and think "I loved that! People should be reading this." Or I'll see a book by an author I know. No one has ever commented on it in a big box store. If I'm in an indie, I'll point the book out and mention how awesome the book is. They always love to stop and talk books.

badducky · Dec 9, 2007

Ooh! The Week is upon us now!

Did you Endcap your favorite, lesser-known author?

I'll be at a bookstore on Tuesday, and I'll be endcapping someone as soon as I get there.

Don't forget to "Face Your Book" tomorrow, December 10!

Badducky had an idea

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.

Doctor Shifty

Press Any Key

Jessi

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.

mamawriter

NAK

wordsmith

practical experience, FTW

thursdayb

Bitten with the writing bug

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.