Walking the Walk

This morning a friend and I watched James Patterson being interviewed.  He is a well-known author and has enjoyed a career that by anyone’s standards has been successful.

One of the things he talked about was the ‘vanishing’ bookstores.  Whether it is more convenient, easier to change the fonts or lack of room for hard covered books, more and more people are reading on their electronic tablets.

Mr. Patterson reminisced about the smell of a book, walking around the bookstore or library and in general, the experience of leisurely spending time flipping through pages before making a purchase.  He talked about this as if it were decades ago that bookstores were on every corner.

Many of my friends complain about the closing of these stores, while they are uploading a novel.  Those who had refused before to get their books on- line are now doing just that.  Not because it really is their preference, but simply because like everything else, the world is changing and they have accepted that change.

So, why do we do it?  Why do we shrug our shoulders and go with the flow?  Why aren’t we putting up more of a fight?

James Patterson is supporting local bookstores by donating money to those that provide him certain information about their store.  I really respect him for doing that.

So, next time you pass a neighborhood bookstore don’t just think that it is sad that they are few and far between.  Walk in.  Spend time, then spend money and buy a book for yourself or a gift for someone else.

Instead of being someone who just talks the talk, start walking the walk.  We really can affect things one person at a time.