Terry On Books Blog

Over the past few weeks, there has been a decided
increase in the number of visitors to my blog.
I wish to thank everyone who has visited and I
hope you found something useful, or at least
interesting. Again, I’ve only posted a small percentage
of the comments. After deleting the spam mail and
omitting many of the very short complimentary
statements, I’ve tried to post comments that are
slightly different and original.

This whole blog business can be very time-consuming
and because I’ve had many other demands on my
time in the last few months, I apologize for not being
able to devote more time to posting here. I think
there’s a saying something like: “No matter what you
try to do, sometimes Life just gets in the way”.

I hope to get the 5th chapter of my book typed and
onto my website with a link to this blog soon and
get some more book-relevant material on soon as well.
Thank you for your patience.

By the way, I’ve been reading a new ( to me) British
crime novelist, Stuart Pawson. His main character is
DI Charlie Priest, a laid-back, low-key policeman
who kind of grows on you. The mysteries take place
in and around Heckley in Yorkshire. So far, I’ve read
“The Mushroom Man” (1995), “Some by Fire” (1999)
and “Shooting Elvis” (2006) and have enjoyed them.
Check one out if you get a chance.

Please visit my website for over 3000 quality books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you’ll ever regret
will be the one you didn’t make.

Originally published in the January 29, 1996 issue
of AB Bookman’s Weekly, a Magazine for the
specialist book world.

Chapter Four: The Used Bookstore.
Doing Business With Dealers

To see this fourth chapter of advice for aspiring first-
timers entering the used-book business, follow this link
to my website:
www.stillmanbooks.com/bookstore4thchapter.htm
Although it is fourteen years old, I think that the advice
in this series of articles is still relevant today.
Therefore, I’ve reprinted the fourth chapter in its original
form, so please keep it in context. Of all the chapters, this
one would probably require the biggest rewrite because
of the advent of the Internet and the changes in the
booktrade that followed.

Four more chapters to follow over the next few weeks.
I hope you enjoy them and perhaps derive some practical
use from them.

Please visit my website for the opportunity to choose
from more than 3000 unique books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you will
ever regret is the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.

Originally published in the January 15, 1996 issue
of AB Bookman’s Weekly, a Magazine for the
specialist book world.

Chapter Three: Day-to-Day Operations

To see this third chapter of advice for aspiring first-
timers entering the used-book business, follow this link
to my website:
www.stillmanbooks.com/bookstore3rdchapter.htm

Although it is fourteen years old, I think that the advice
in this series of articles is still relevant today.
Therefore, I’ve reprinted the third chapter in its original
form, so please keep it in context.

Five more chapters to follow over the next few weeks.
I hope you enjoy them and perhaps derive some practical
use from them.

Please visit my website for the opportunity to choose
from more than 3000 unique books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you will
ever regret is the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.

Chapter Two: Buying Inventory for a Used Bookstore

Originally published in the October 30, 1995 issue of
AB Bookman’s Weekly, a Magazine for the specialist
book world.

To see this second chapter of advice for aspiring first-timers
entering the used-book business, follow this link to my
website:
www.stillmanbooks.com/bookstore2ndchapter.htm

Although it is thirteen years old, I think that the advice
in this series of articles is still relevant today. Therefore,
I’ve reprinted the second chapter in its original form, with
the exception of a couple of Author’s Notes regarding
dollar figures and popular authors.

Six more chapters to follow over the next few weeks.
I hope you enjoy them and perhaps derive some practical
use from them.

Please visit my website for the opportunity to choose
from more than 3000 unique books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you will
ever regret is the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.

Chapter One: Getting Started
Originally published in the October 9, 1995 issue of
AB Bookman’s Weekly, a Magazine for the specialist
book world.

To see this first chapter of advice for aspiring first-timers
entering the used-book business, follow this link to my
website:
www.stillmanbooks.com/bookstore1stchapter.htm

Although it is thirteen years old, I think that the advice
in this series of articles is still relevant today. Therefore,
I’ve reprinted the first chapter in its original form, with
the exception of a couple of Author’s Notes regarding
dollar figures and popular authors.
For instance, in the 1995 publication, I suggested that
$25,000 to $30,000 would be an appropriate amount
for setting up a used-book store. I’ve added the
following caveat:
(Author’s Note: 2008 equivalent for setting up a used-book
store, probably $75,000-$100,000.)

Seven more chapters to follow over the next few weeks.
I hope you enjoy them and perhaps derive some practical
use from them.

Please visit my website for the opportunity to choose
from more than 3000 unique books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you will
ever regret is the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.

For any of you who have been paying attention,
you’ve noticed that I haven’t begun reprinting my
book on opening and operating a bookstore. Turns
out it’s a little more work than I had considered,
mainly because I’d forgotten that I had prepared
it long before I had a computer, on my reliable
1960’s Royal typewriter, so I don’t have any
handy files that I can just “copy and paste”. I
actually have to retype the whole damn thing
into my computer in order to put it on my blog,
or at least on my website so I can link it to
my blog.

You guessed it: I’ve been dragging my feet,
putting it off, saving it for later. I am going to
try, really try, to have the first chapter typed
up and available by a week tomorrow at the
latest. So, for those who are interested, check
back then.

The other reason that I haven’t found the time
to retype even the first chapter is that I’ve been
working at The Jolly Olde Bookstore in Port
Moody–firstly two days a week, then three, then,
for the past three weeks, four days a week.
Working there has been satisfying, productive,
and remunerative, but time-consuming.

The owner, Brian Sword, and I and the other
staff have been reorganizing, expanding, and
improving the store over what it was like a
year ago. It’s getting better and better every
month and attracting new customers literally
every day. If you live in or are visiting anywhere
in the Greater Vancouver area and you like
books, you owe it to yourself to pay us a
visit. The store’s in a lovely heritage building
at 2419 Clarke St. in Port Moody, along the
railway tracks, and it’s open seven days a week.

Review of Exit Music by Ian Rankin

After having it sit on my “to-read shelf” for several
months, I decided to get to it and finish off the
Scottish crime fiction saga featuring Detective
Inspector John Rebus; “Exit Music” being his
swan song. Now that I’ve read it, there’ll be no more
Rebus books to anticipate and to savour; at least
not until 2014, when his author has stated that he
may bring Rebus back on board as a consultant.
Rebus would be sixty-eight by then, if he doesn’t
drink himself to death in the meantime.

Predictably, Exit Music is another good read from
Ian Rankin. Our three main characters are here, as
well as a few we’ve met before and a couple of
newcomers. DS Siobhan Clarke is slowly and
competently taking over the reins of the two
related murder investigations in progress as Rebus’s
last day looms large. Big Ger Cafferty floats in and
out of the picture, irritating the hell out of Strawman.

Not surprisingly though, Rebus still has considerable
input in the solving of both cases, despite being
somewhat handicapped by his latest and last
suspension from duty.

Exit Music is another dark, seedy story that Rankin
fans are sure to enjoy, although saying goodbye to
our old friend, John Rebus, as he reluctantly accepts
retirement, is a sad ending indeed. No doubt I’m
speaking for many of you when I say that in a year
or two, I’ll probably begin reading the Rebus books
over again, in anticipation of his resurrection in 2014.

Review of Missing Justice by Alafair Burke

Yes, if you’ve read the novels of James Lee Burke
featuring Dave Robicheaux, then the name “Alafair
Burke” is going to sound familiar. The first name is
the same as Robicheaux’s adopted daughter, and,
of course, the last name could make Alafair Burke
the daughter of James Lee, which it does.

Two of my customers whom I turned on to the
writing of James Lee Burke each said that she had
read one of Alafair’s books and was disappointed.
It just didn’t measure up to her father’s books.
Because of their less than stellar comments, I did
not expect that I would enjoy a book by Alafair
either.

Alafair Burke’s debut novel wasn’t available so I
read her second novel, “Missing Justice”, a pun on
the disappearance of a Portland Oregon Judge.
Alafair is a former Deputy District Attorney in
Portland and her character, Samantha Kincaid
has been recently promoted to Deputy District
Attorney in Portland. As they always say: “write
about what you know”; so Alafair has started
off right. Also, there’s no question that she can write.
Her prose doesn’t have the visual impact of
her father’s, but I certainly found the book
interesting enough to finish.

I liked Samantha Kincaid, but my one criticism
of her is that she tried to do way too much on her
own, instead of–as a Deputy District Attorney
would probably do–directing the police to follow
the clues and take the risks. But then that seems
to be the fault of a lot of modern heroines. Having
said that, I’m looking forward to going back and
reading Alafair’s first book, “Judgment Calls”,
and any more recent titles.

So, sorry ladies, I don’t totally agree with you.
Alafair Burke’s writing is not as exciting or
riveting as her father’s, that’s true, but then that
judgement can apply to eighty per cent of
all mystery writers. It doesn’t mean they’re
not worth reading.

Please take some time to visit my website:
www.stillmanbooks.com
for thousands of quality books.

Remember, the only book purchase you’ll
ever regret will be the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.

Someone asked me today for my opinion:
assuming it would be possible to rent an 800-
1100 sq. ft. store in a medium-size city in
Canada for $1500 to $1800 a month plus
utilities, would it be reasonable to expect
that at the end of one year, a bookstore’s
sales could be at least $4000.00 a month?

My answer was: assuming you were fortunate
enough to find a location with sufficient walkby
traffic (and it would have to be at least 1000
sq. ft.) for $2000.00 including utilities, yes, in
one year, you could be doing $4000.00 or
more a month in sales. If you’re not, then you
won’t be making any money.

Of course, there are a lot of factors involved
in this speculation. How much experience, if
any, does the person have selling books? How
much experience does the person have buying
books–because they are two different things. How
many employees are going to be needed and
for how many hours? Besides General paperback
and hardcover stock, would there be a specialty
or two to attract collectors?

Ten years ago, I would have said unequivocally
that given the parameters, a person with some
experience buying and selling books would
have no trouble making a success of a bookstore
for used books. I was doing it with 900 sq. ft.
and a rent of $1000.00 in a less-than-affulent
part of Vancouver, B.C. Today, the game has
changed in some respects, and the answer is
not so cut-and-dried.

I would appreciate your opinions on the subject
and your personal stories if possible regarding
your success, or failure, in starting a small bookstore.

Next week, I’m going to begin reprinting here
(with some updates) my serialized book in
AB Bookman’s Weekly in the mid-1990’s on the
subject of setting up and operating a
used bookstore, so stay tuned.

Please visit my website for over 3000 hand-
picked special books:
www.stillmanbooks.com

Remember, the only book purchase you’ll ever
regret is the one you didn’t make.

Talk soon.