There is one such bookstore tucked away in Hamilton’s Westdale Village (by McMaster Unviersity).  Bryan Prince is the name of this little piece of heaven.  What makes this bookstore so extra special that I am writing about it now?  Well, usually when as an author you sell a book to a bookstore, they take 40 – 50% of the sale of the book and the author gets 50 – 60%, much of which goes to printing costs and other expenses, so as you can imagine, the author sees very little at the end of the day for the months or sometimes years they spent writing.  Well, Bryan Prince has a policy of only taking 20%, whilst the author sees 80% to cover their printing costs and time.  Why do they do this in an age where indie bookstores are struggling to survive? To encourage local authors, who have their own struggles, to find the time and money to write. You can’t imagine how pleasantly surprised this made me when they bought our Reading is Sexy Calendar just days before Christmas. So if you are in the Hamilton/Dundas area, make a point of stopping in this little slice of heaven, at Bryan Prince Bookseller (1060 King Street West, Hamilton, ON), buy a book or calendar and support a local author.

I would be remiss here if I didn’t highlight a few other indie bookstores, who have beautiful spaces and have been incredible to me this past month:

• Ben McNally Books (366 Bay St, Toronto, ON) – who hosted our Toronto Calendar Kissing over the Christmas rush.
• Duthie Books (2239 West 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC) – who were the first bookstore to pick up the Reading is Sexy Calendar and who, as it was for a good cause, offered us a great deal on calendar sales.
• The People’s Co-op Bookstore (1391 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC) – who similarly offered us a great deal on Reading is Sexy Calendar sales.
• Biz Books (302 West Cordova St, Vancouver, BC) – who is carrying the Reading is Sexy Calendar.
• Blackberry Books (Unit 3 – 1666 Johnston St., Net Loft Building, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC) – who is carrying the Reading is Sexy Calendar and who gave me some great marketing advice on calendars for future years.

I’d be remiss here if I didn’t mention our two non-bookstore retailers of the calendar:

• O’Hares Beer & Wine Store (5031 Steveston Hwy, Richmond, BC)
• Gundrun Wine & Cheese Bistro (150 – 3500 Moncton St, Steveston, BC)

An enormous thank you to all!

Haven’t heard of Crime Pays?  Well it is THE event to be at in Van City on Monday evening, March 16th.  Here are the details:

Photo by Paul

Who: The Shebeen Club and the Federation of BC Writers

What: a wicked good fundraiser for the Fed

When: Monday, March 16th, 6-9pm

Where: The Vancouver Police Museum, 240 East Cordova Street, Vancouver

Why: it would be criminal to miss this party!

Wanted: YOU!

Come help the Fed celebrate 32 years of getting away with murder. Whether infiltrating schools, divvying up swag, or distributing subversive publications, the Federation of BC Writers has been operating unchecked in our province for decades.

Do you enjoy the vicarious thrill of rubbing shoulder pads with the Lost Literati of the Wild West surrounded by all manner of murder and mayhem in the cozy confines of the police museum? Do you have what it takes to make your bones as a Fed member? There’s only one way to find out! Come out to the party and make us an offer we can’t refuse.

Admission: $20 donation includes a drink and appetizers. Click here to register. If you won’t be attending, but would like to support the Fed with a donation, click here to donate via the raincoaster media Paypal.

It’s shaping up to be quite the night with a dress code that includes trench coats and fedoras, deerstalkers and capes, jail house stripes, uniforms, Bond Villain suits or femme fatal slink wear. Am rather sad that I’m out of town and missing the night, but expecting you cats to have a grand old time without me.  I am just begging you all to please, please bid on me.  Desperately hoping to go for more than $10.

Oh and a huge thank you to Lorraine Murphy for organizing this fabulous night!

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

PS A few other sexy beasts that I also know are up for auction (so get your cheque book out and warm up your waving arm):

• Raul Pacheco, hummingbird604
• Chris Matheison of the Vancouver Police Museum
• the JuiceBox Gals, Caroline MacGillivray & Julia Saunders
• Kris Krug of Raincity & Static Photography
• April Smith of AHA Media & Fearless City
• Irwin Oostindie of W2 & Fearless City
• Jules Morgan (don’t know this person, so am trying to ascertain whether or not they come with a ‘hot’ English accent)
• Terra aka Zoeyjane