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We Tried to “Think Local” and You’ll Never Guess What We Found!
When we created Master & Fool, publishing books written by Ann Arbor authors, we started by researching the local author scene. No doubt you know that Ann Arbor is one of the most well-educated, “bookish” towns in the US, so you might be as surprised as we were at what we found. In spite of being a liberal/progressive community that focuses a lot of attention on “thinking local,” there’s a surprising shortage of venues specifically devoted to local authors.
Only One “Ann Arbor” Bookstore?
We were shocked to learn that only one local bookstore (which is actually a mixed retail operation, not a dedicated book store) has a clearly stated policy for helping Ann Arbor authors get their titles on the shelves. And even in this store, there is no clearly defined section specifically for locally written or published books! Several other local bookstores highlight books about Ann Arbor, but surprisingly don’t dedicate a display area to local authors. This seems like a lost opportunity, considering the chance for increased foot traffic and the community’s otherwise pervasive focus on local and small business ... which is why we created a resource online!