As we are solidly in the heart of the holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to make my wish list for all independents for the coming year (in no random order(). 
– My first wish is for all indie bookstores to thrive, and not just at the holidays, but every day, when sales matter even more.
– I wish that publishers wouldn’t send boxes, or massive Tyvek bags, of galleys in the month of December. None of us has time to sort them, much less read them. These galleys would be much more appreciated at the beginning of year when business is slow.
– Along those lines, could publishers resist the urge to have new books come out after December 15th? Seriously, I doubt any bookstore really has the time to properly receive new releases when they’re getting five times as many boxes in every day just to keep up with restocking the store.
– I wish that customers would spend less time talking about how much they love their e-readers. I hear they’re great, but I don’t go to the Toyota dealership waxing rhapsodic about my Subaru. And I hope that the world takes a deep breath and remembers what an actual book smells like and feels like in their hands.
– I wish I had more time in the day to be a front-line bookseller.
– I’m hoping someone can explain the whole Google Books thing to me and how it works to sell Google e-books on my web site while Google sells them for less on Google.
– Secretly, I’m still hopeful that Baker and Taylor will go back to using boxes that aren’t super-glued together with such strength that my staffers actually bargain for who has to break them down. They’re great for team-building, but that’s about it.
– I hope that children’s books continue to be a bright spot in the publishing world.
– I sincerely hope that reading a child a book, an actual book, at bedtime will never be supplanted by a Kindle, Nook, iPad, or other device.
– I wish high school students had less homework and more time to read just for fun.
– I hope that all my customers who are fighting cancer have a better year and regain their health in 2011.
– And lastly, don’t forget that even though booksellers work around books all the time, we all miss getting a book as a present.
– Okay, last one really. Thanks to all of you who continue to support your local bookstore. You have no idea how much you mean to us.
“I wish high school students had less homework and more time to read just for fun.”
Yes, yes, yes.
Agree on all fronts. To everything. Perfect, perfect wish list Josie.
Now that’s a holiday wish list that Santa would be happy to fulfill.
Josie – May Santa grant your every wish! & may you & elizabeth & the Flying Pig have a very merry Christmas!
I wish for customers to stop saying, “I guess it must be free,” when a book won’t scan!
I hope Indie Book Stores will not forget to patronize their local Indie Publishers
And may all the coop claims be organized and submitted on time!
AMEN TO ALL THE ABOVE.
MY VERY BEST TO YOU AND ALL INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES.
BARBARA M.
Thanks for noting that yes, booksellers like to get books as presents! I appreciate the publishers who realize that.
My theme this month is “Give a kid a boost with book, a real one.”
Merry everything.
Great wish list, Josie. Here’s hoping you get every one. Merry Christmas to the Flying Pig.
I wish customers would stop saying, “Oh, I’ll just get it on Amazon,” when we’re sold out and they don’t want to wait for us to order it. Sheesh!
What a great wishlist, Josie! May all your wishes come true!
Merry Christmas to you and Elizabeth and all at The Flying Pig….may your tribe increase and flourish!!
From a ardent lover of children’s books who has been following your wonderful blogs all the way across the world from Bombay, India.
Sangeeta
Brilliant…especially the bit about B&T boxes. When we try to break them down it turns into a store event!