Elin Hilderbrand, a New York Times bestselling author, was a featured speaker at The John Cooper School’s 18th Annual Signatures Author Series fundraiser this past December.
She spoke to 800 fans about her love of Nantucket (where she resides) and the beach settings in her books. People lined up for signed copies of The Hotel Nantucket and were thrilled to hear that Elin's bestseller, The Perfect Couple, is being adapted into a six-episode whodunit for Netflix. “I feel very lucky that finally, after 22 years, I have a book going to the screen,” Elin said, with more projects on the horizon.
This beloved author has sold ten million books and inspired us to interview three local bookstores that feature authors from our area, host community events, and carry hard-to-find collections.
Buy the Book
“We love supporting local authors and other local businesses,” says Abby Fletcher, owner of Buy The Book, a new and used bookstore. Recently, she hosted a book signing for Montgomery’s own Alda P. Dobbs, author of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna and The Other Side of the River, and teamed up with Artisan Culture Coffee to host Marcus Bridgewater’s How to Grow book signing.
Buy the Book supports local book fairs that help indie authors find audiences while also featuring traditionally published authors. The bookstore is a fun, family-friendly gathering place for writing group meetups, book clubs, poetry readings, crafts classes, consignment art, and gifts.
Another big draw is Luna, adopted in July from the Clipped Ear Cat Sanctuary in Conroe. A nationally renowned Houston author, Susan McCauley, posed with the adorable bookstore cat during two winter book signings for her newest release, Trooper at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Learn more at buythebook-tx.com.
Village Books
Teresa Kenney, owner of Village Books, recently hosted a festive book reading and signing for children’s author Richard Haut and his book, The ABC's of Susie Fordor. Readers took photos with the real Susie, a 1930 Model A Ford.
“Our independent bookshop supports and celebrates our community and serves as an incubator for young readers, new writers, and literary adventures,” says Teresa, who also hosted a fall children’s Riding & Writing Day Camp with Lone Star Horsemanship in Conroe to “Learn all things horses, from tail to nose, and all things writing from tale to prose!”
Teresa looks forward to the upcoming Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival (April 14 to 16) and is partnering with its new literary component, Books on the Green. The works of local, regional, and national authors will be highlighted through book signings, readings, and other activities, and a writing scholarship for high school students, organized through Village Books, will be offered for the very first time. Learn more about new books, gift items, gift certificates, and events at myvillagebooks.com.
Good Books in The Woods
Jay Rohfritch, owner of Good Books in the Woods, says, “A lot of our customers say they’ve never seen anything like our in-house bookstore, which is zoned residential and commercial. I live on the second floor with Bruce the boxer, a really gentle dog who loves kids, and the first floor is devoted to 50,000 used and collectible books.”
Customers refer to the bookstore as a “gem” and “jewel” with a mix of scarce, out-of-print, and rare books, including first editions and finely bound works. Jay has a worldwide e-commerce reach and ships to customers in countries as diverse as Japan, Germany, France, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and more.
His most expensive 1st edition was signed by J.K. Rowlings, authenticated through a London expert who worked for Rowlings’ own publisher. But thousands of used bargain books in almost every genre cost $1.89 or less.
Jay is a founding member of the Book Hunter’s Club of Houston, an inclusive mix of serious collectors, and hosts one or two meetings a year. Learn more about his incredibly expansive inventory at goodbooksinthewoods.com.
"Learn all things horses, from tail to nose, and all things writing from tale to prose!” — Teresa Kenney, owner of Village Books, referencing her Riding & Writing Day Camp