resistance = defying amaz*n

Dearest readers,

Firstly, hello to those of you who are new! I'll have more time to craft a proper intro later, but right now I'm running out of time so I wanted to send you this quick message.

Tomorrow is the last day of the San Gabriel Valley Book Crawl, which features six independent bookstores in the SGV area that are each awesome in their own right, but also absolutely know how to check in on each other and work together -- because they're run by humans who know each other and live in the area in which they work and are personally invested in the people around them. 

Unlike Jeff Bez*s, who intentionally placed an Amaz*n book sale on Independent Bookstore Day (today!) to undermine local booksellers. grumbles in expletives

If you don't believe me about Amaz*n, check out this article from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance on how the company actively harms small businesses so that it can dominate the market. This is, of course, the very same approach the richest people in the US are taking toward everyone else who's just trying to live their lives around here, and often, as a little guy, it's hard to feel like we have any power. ​

But you do have power. You can push back. It's not about the power of the dollar; it's about having face-to-face interactions (or online interactions, if that's not possible) with your local booksellers, who curate books by hand so that they can met the needs of their communities. So they can contribute to intellectual freedom. As MindBrewery puts it: 

"At the heart of the renaissance of local bookstores is their ability to create a sense of community. Unlike their digital counterparts, these stores serve as hubs of social interaction. They are places where people meet, exchange ideas, and participate in events that enrich the local culture. From book signings and readings by local authors to workshops and book clubs, these spaces offer a plethora of activities that foster a sense of belonging and community engagement."

And when you support indie bookstores, you also support indie ideas. Things that sell, often, in spite of the algorithm. So if you were waiting to buy a book, today's the day to buy it. Buy it at a place that values your community and makes you feel welcome. And if you can't be in person, take advantage of Bookshop.org's free shipping today. Plus, they have a free ebook right now called How to Resist Amazon and Why that you can download. You can read it on whatever e-reader you want, including Bookshop's own!

If you aren't in the SGV area, find out what local indie bookstores are in your area. Walk in. Browse. Absorb some ideas. You don't have to even buy anything; just walk in and smell the pages -- the dust, the glue, the wood of bookshelves, the musky carpets. Give a half-hearted nod to the bookshop owner. Say hi. Or not. Just be.   

If you're in the SGV area, check out these amazing bookstores -- four of which carry my book! It's a story about a girl who deconstructs from her high-control religion and reckons with her own self-identity. Thematic, innit. And depressing. A little bit hopeful. Plus you get a sweet queer love story.  ​

Anyhow, that's all for now. More soon.


<3 rie