I frequently order books online from Kepler’s and pick them up when they come in. Easy to do. My most recent order, for two books of poetry, has not arrived yet. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I suggested that he might consider appearing in Menlo Park–SOMEwhere–as a fundraising event to help reopen the store.

I’ve just sent an email to him asking him to do this. Who knows. He’s a terrific author and very generous in many ways — CBLDF, destitute author friends, and charities that he regularly mentions in his online journal, urging his readers to contribute. And I know he’s still coming to this area (San Francisco & East Bay).

amazon was not making money by cutting prices on books, so they cut prices on all sorts of other things. Buy more, pay less. Even Harry Potter didn’t have the decency of avoiding discount stores.

I guess I don’t have a solution. If we talk about a “community bookstore” the community has to stop playing cheap, reading books and magazines for free, and then complaining that Kepler’s doesn’t stock the book they were looking for. It’s like going to the only movie theatre remaining in Menlo Park (Guild) with your own snacks. Or… going to an author’s event at Kepler’s and ask the author to sign a book you bought at Costco.