Front Table Junkie
It’s terrible; I’m embarrassed: I am addicted to the front tables. Give me any bookstore, and every single day (even if I’m there four or five or six days a week), I will comb through the front tables to see ALL the newest releases.
I’m ashamed. I’m the reason why authors get significantly more sales if they get co-op. I’m the reason why authors struggle to make me aware of their book, let alone buy it, when they don’t get co-op.
Even though I know better, I tend to operate subconsciously on the misconception that if I comb the genre section once every month or two, then I only need to keep track of the front tables and I won’t “miss” anything.
This is not true. I know that.
In actuality, most of the newer books are hidden in the stacks. There’s been a trend lately: have you noticed? An ever-increasing majority of the books co-oped on the front tables are already-proven sellers, a year or two or even three years old.
I’m driven into the stacks to find new books. You’d think this would be a good thing, right?
No. Oddly, I’ve grown addicted to new books, as in, I want to read a book released in 2009. Not 2008. Not 2001. I’m okay with the 1800s, but other than that, I seem to want 2009. If a book perks my interest, I immediately look at the copyright date. If I try a new author, I always pick their latest release, unless it’s a wildly popular series, in which case I will start with (and only with) number 1. If number 1 is not in stock, oh well.
By and large, though, I want the books being released TODAY. I want stories that reflect our world’s subconscious TODAY. I want stories that reflect our culture and society TODAY. I want to know what authors TODAY are thinking. I want to know what readers TODAY are reading.
I do have a bit of an interest in watching the pop culture trends and the book trends, so that might be part of the problem. Also, I believe art should reflect its society and its time. How can an artist/author do any reflecting, if they are unaware?
What think you? How do you browse? Do you have a preference for any era of books, or do you not notice?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
I find it disconcerting when Borders has something like The Da Vinci Code under the New Release table. Or, less dramatic, some hardcover bestseller that came out a couple years ago. Rather annoying, too. And doesn’t it makes Borders look clueless? I mean, I understand what’s going on with co-op, etc., but still, I want to grab one of the clerks and yell at them for being idiots.
YES, Mark! It DOES! I mean… gosh, what’s that yellow book with green clip-art dragon on the cover? He just released his second book in July or August, and Borders featured big stacks of the first book on the front tables a month before. I told the sales person I’d read it a year or two ago, and wasn’t his new book coming out any day now? She tried to convince me that THIS WAS his new book. I was like, uh, no.
In some cases? They are clueless, LOL!
I like to look at the front tables and laugh at how many I’ve been posting about on Win a Book.
Frankly, my favorite reads are the hidden gems. I think you know me well enough to know that about me.
Susan, I did know that about you, LOL! So true! It is nice to find a surprise in the stacks.
A friend’s book was supposed to get co-op, and the bookstores decided against it. They’re giving them to the sure thing. So even when the publishers believe in their books and are willing to put their money behind them, the bookstores are being cautious. And they wonder why more people are ordering online.
I’m also pissed at bookstores for having shrinking romance sections. This is another reason they’re losing customers to Amazon.
Edie, given what I’m seeing on the front tables, I totally believe it! (Well, that’s a strange thing to say; I’d believe anything you said! You know what I mean.
The shrinking romance section is mind-boggling. The only explanation is prejudiced buyers, because romance is the ONLY growing market!
I’m addicted to old books. I hardly ever buy new ones except by people I know. I just don’t see a lot of stuff being published that I like very much. That’s for fiction anyway. I do buy a fair amount of new nonfic.
Charles, you are! You know so many good oldies. I’m completely clueless. Part of the problem is that it’s hard to take a chance when you can’t read the first bit, you know? Unless you’ve got a great used bookstore!
Unless something really catches my eye, I blow right by the front tables. I have noticed that bookstores are carrying more of the “right now” books and far fewer of the back titles, unless it is Nora Roberts or James Patterson. BORING.
I have also noticed people looking for “the first book in this series” at the library because they apparently can’t find it at the store. Job security for me–huzzah!
Right now, Elizabeth, you are not missing anything on the front tables. It’s pitiful!
And you’re right! Although I’m annoyed because my current local library only has book 3 of a trilogy. Books 1 and 2 aren’t out; they just never bought them. Go figure.
The whole co-op thing is really disconcerting to me too–but I still peruse the tables because like you I’ve been more into very current stuff than even stuff from a year ago (and I can’t really explain why).
I like Borders.com’s search feature. If you search under the Books tab and the New Releases link you can narrow down by Fiction and filter by Publication Date from a drop down and then you get everything releases that week and then page by page it goes back day by day and month by month.
When I have the time I’ll go through pages of new releases at Borders.com to just to see whats coming out or has just been released.
I do that on Amazon, too! Totally! You can narrow down to genre, too. I love it, Jenna! I don’t do as much perusing that way as I should. Thanks for the reminder!
Jenna, that’s a great idea!
Natasha, when Jenna and I were at the bookstore a week or so ago that was the first time I consciously avoided the front tables because of co-op. Then I sought out all the authors I “know” and turned their books to face out.
I do that, too, Melanie! LOL! I feel so naughty. It’s the most thrilling and exciting thing I do, LOL!
(Yeah. Totally pitiful. I am LAME.)
I read mostly old books. Part of my problem is that I don’t seem to much like our culture today, nor do I like what today’s authors are thinking or today’s readers are reading. I am a literary troglodyte.
Eric, I’ve picked up quite a few of the older books that you’ve mentioned. You’re very right about today’s culture. The materialism, prejudism… just so much about it I don’t like. Especially the materialism and the too-much-TV time. It’s zoning out our race. No wonder we were complacent while Bush infringed upon our freedoms.
But then part of me likes it. I’m weird. A whole lot of me has put myself in the society of a different sort of culture, LOL… my moving out of Chagrin Falls was definitely a rejection of that culture, for sure!
Yeah, I always face out authors’ books when I know them. It can take me awhile. I guess I know quite a few authors.
Me too, Bets! Not always, but if I’m passing by, then definitely.
My kids love to browse through Borders, and I’ll wait for them while looking around with my Kindle in my pocket. Then I’ll literally order stuff I think looks good on the front tables while waiting. How wrong is that? Ha!
Me, too, Robin! I won’t order stuff on the spot, but I’ll request a sample on the spot. Reminds me to buy it later!