My favorite bookstore

I'm supposed to say that my favorite book store is a cute independent store that gives back to the community. In fact there several such stores I love-- Bookworks, Treasure House Books even Page1 back in the day come to mind. But my favorite bookstore is a Barnes and Noble in a mall. That's why my world premiere signing of my new novel will be at Barnes and Noble in Coronado Center On March 30.

I set up a signing there before the store even opened and had a great day. Many of the staff that was there at the opening is still there. They put me up front, and just let me engage customers. I've learned to never wear green, or people might think I'm an employee and lean in to ask me for the erotica section.

The store gets a wide variety of patrons--intelligentsia as well as people just passing though to get to the mall. I tend to sell more books to the people just passing through to get to the mall.

The staff there acts like they work at an independent bookstore. When I needed a Christmas gift for my sister a few years back, the tattooed woman with purple hair took me to a section upstairs and guided me until I found the perfect item.

The biggest change of course is the advent of Nook. There is a nook for a nook near the front of the store where a young bearded hipster guides through people through the product that will replace him.

I did see David Sedaris there when he did a signing. I asked him what his favorite bookstore was. He looked around at the several hundred people jammed around the shelves to see him. He said he liked a store in Amsterdam...but one in Paris was also nice.

I didn't buy his book!