 | 16 Jun 09 |
This past weekend, I headed across the state to see my RWA sisters in the Tampa Area Romance Authors chapter, where we had the privilege of spending the day with Borders’ head romance buyer, Sue Grimshaw. What an amazing day and what an amazing lady. It’s no secret why romance sells at Borders. And speaking of secrets…but I digress.
If you haven’t met Sue, just drop what you’re doing and grab a dictionary, look up classy, smart, beautiful, funny, and completely on top of her game, and you should find this picture of Sue.
If you’ve been in and around the romance publishing industry, you’ve probably heard of Sue, who, in addition to her buying and consulting responsibilities, is now hosting a fantastic video series called “True Romance.” On the show, Sue interviews authors and proves she has her finger on the pulse of bookselling in general and romance publishing in particular. All this knowledge translates into a keen understanding of the Borders’ romance customer, and a masterful job of reaching and keeping that loyal reader. Sue treated us to a detailed overview of how she works with publishers (in a word, closely), and helped nearly fifty published and unpublished writers of TARA gain an understanding of what we can do to ensure our books sell at Borders and Waldenbooks.
Sue recommends that all authors add a link to www.borders.com on their web sites, encouraging readers to visit this gorgeous online store that is growing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis. Like other online retailers, borders.com has an affiliate program so that authors can receive compensation for sales that come through their site links.
More good news came when Sue informed us that the Romance Expert program is on track in a big way. In fact, over sixty Borders and 190 Waldenbooks stores have booksellers in store designated as Romance Experts (and more in training) and these are the fine people we want to be sure receive Advanced Review Copies, promotional materials, and basically all kinds of love. Romance Experts know what’s out, what’s coming, what’s hot, and what’s happening in romance publishing, and they hand-sell books. Sue will be working with the RWA website to get a complete list of Romance Experts posted and regularly updated, so writers should be on the lookout for that. She also recommended mailing promotional packets in “groups” if possible (for instance, all the published authors in one chapter bundle their ARCs, bookmarks, and excerpt books and mail to the Romance Experts) to save time, money, and reduce the individual packets that the Experts receive. Great idea!
Authors are also encouraged to arrange “stock signings” in local Borders and Waldenbooks stores, which is simply a matter of contacting the manager and setting up a time to pop in and sign books of yours they have on hand. Autographed books sell very well, and the relationships authors develop with the managers and sales staff are invaluable. Local authors are welcomed at every store, and Sue reminded us how critical it is to meet and greet the Borders employees in our hometowns and nearby areas, certain that those personal contacts translate into more sales for the authors.
After lunch, we headed to a Borders in South Tampa where management had set up a gorgeous signing table, complete with roses and piles of books to sign. Here’s store manager Mart Sadler, TARA Board members Vicki Lane and Kathy Carmichael, Romance Expert Gypsie, and Sue Grimshaw. 
Sue took us on a guided tour of the store from an insider’s perspective, explaining the placement of featured books on the front tables, holiday and event tie-ins, and how the romance section is typically arranged. (And what a healthy, well organized section it is! It’s clear that Borders loves romance, and no wonder our genre sells so well in this chain.)
During our in-store field trip, Sue plucked a number of random books and gave her perspective on covers – which is part genius, part marketing, part voodoo. Her guidance is heeded by many publishers, as she can spot a winner with an uncanny and well-trained eye. (Yellow is not fabulous, but half naked men are, I’m relieved to know.)
Then this group flexed our fingers and uncapped our pens for a lively booksigning. From left to right, bottom row: Diana Peterfreund, Julie Leto, Terri Garey; back row: Kathy Carmichael, Roxanne St. Claire, Karen Rose, Joan Johnston (waving!), Debby Mayne, and Virginia Henley. (Somehow Elissa Wilds and Susan Kearney didn’t make it into this shot!) 
The crowd was plentiful and even the Tampa Tribune turned out to interview us, taping all of the authors reading brief excerpts from our books for video clips on the newspaper’s website. (Not up yet, or I’d link!) After the signing, all of the authors enjoyed a fantastic dinner with Sue, where a little wine flowed…and so did our secrets. Not deep, dark secrets, but some fun and surprising ones.
Come on! Do you really think I’m going to tell you which New York Times bestselling author spent her seventeenth birthday in a Guatemalan jail? Or what up and coming paranormal author was once a Wilhelmina model? Or who at that table once wore the banner of Miss Wisconsin, or (my personal favorite) which futuristic writer lit herself on fire and jumped into a pool of water?
Not a chance. But I will douse your burning (no pun) curiosity with a free book giveaway! I was lucky enough to end the night as a guest of lovely, talented, and fabulous Julie Leto (who cleverly managed to regale us with tales, yet not reveal a secret!). Julie is celebrating the latest release in her Phantom series. To thank her for her hospitality, I am giving away one signed copy of Kiss Of The Phantom to one commenter daring enough to share (what else?) a surprising secret with us today! Fire (ha ha) away!
© 2009 Roxanne St. Claire. All rights reserved.
Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling, RITA-Award winning author of twenty-four novels of romance and suspense. For the past several years, she's been writing a popular romantic suspense series called “The Bullet Catchers” for Pocket Star Books, featuring a cadre of bodyguards and security professionals. In 2010, she's launching a new series, "The Guardian Angelinos" focusing on an extended family of renegade crime fighters and investigators based in Boston. The first book in that series, EDGE OF SIGHT, will be released from Grand Central Publishing in November, 2010, with two more scheduled in 2011. In addition to the RITA, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award, the Daphne Du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best, the Book Buyers Best, The HOLT Medallion, multiple Awards of Excellence, and Borders “Top Pick” for Romance in 2007.
Subscribe to Posts 
Thanks for the information. The hubby and I lived in St. Petersburg for 5 years. Our oldest 2 kids were born there.
My secret:
by HollyD June 16th, 2009 at 6:54 amI keep a monthly budget for bills, groceries, savings, everything No that’s not the secret. The secret is I always add extra money to the grocery budget for my book money. That way no one knows how much I spend on books.
That’s the best budgeting I’ve heard in ages. Very smart, Holly!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:16 amNo secrets to share, I’m afraid, but just wanted to say I loved hearing about Sue and about Borders’ love for romance.
by Leigh Duncan June 16th, 2009 at 7:03 amYou remind me I forgot to mention how generous with space Borders is for category books – and seeing how you’re having a yet untitled Harlequin American out next summer, this will be important to you, Leigh!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:17 amJulie had to be the one in jail, of course, knowing her, she was probably running the place before the night was over.
by Kristen June 16th, 2009 at 7:09 amNot Julie, LOL. But she would have had that warden in line, no doubt about it!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:19 amSecret-I learned to play pool following my singer daughter’s band from honky tonk to honky tonk all over north Texas in the early 80′s. Well someone had to chaperone, she was in high school at the time.
by Carol Shenold June 16th, 2009 at 7:12 amCarol – honky tonk romance. Love that. I bet you could tell some secrets about those places!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:19 amNow how can I remain a woman of mystery if I give all my secrets away? I live such a boring life I doubt I could share a secret even if I thought really hard.
We don’t have a Borders here, but I’m going to tell some pubbed friends to come read this blog and learn about the affiliate program for their websites.
I love the Romance Experts concept. The other big bookstores should do this too instead of hiding the romance section in the back of the store and laughing when you check out with a stack of romance novels.
Great blog!
by Marilyn June 16th, 2009 at 7:29 amThere is no hiding romance at Borders and that’s why we love Sue! You must have *some* secret, Marilyn…
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:53 amWell, yeah. But if I told you, I’d have to kill you.
by Marilyn June 16th, 2009 at 8:15 amEven for an unpublished writer like me, Sue Grimshaw’s presentation and tour was so incredibly valuable! What a fabulous day.
And I don’t even have to share a secret, since I already bought Julie’s book — it’s a great read!
by Phyllis Towzey June 16th, 2009 at 7:43 amSaturday was great and seeing you made it even better. (We did miss Kristin P. though)
The info Sue gave us was for pubbed and unpubbed alike. Since I’m in the unpubbed, working hard toward being pubbed career, I now have more info on the business when the call comes.
Hmmmm…secrets, not so much to tell really. But I’m thinking Virginia was the one in jail. Heehee.
Don’t enter me in the contest, I have the book and will be giving one away next week on my blog. Gotta support.
by Vicki June 16th, 2009 at 7:44 amThat was the beauty of Sue’s presentation, it applied to published writers, to-be-published writers, and even those of us thinking as readers. Virginia? In jail? Oh, I’d love to hear that version of the story. Nope, not Virginia.
Vicki, we couldn’t have even had that day without you. THANK YOU for everything!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 7:55 amRoxanne, you have a way with words!
by Virginia Henley June 16th, 2009 at 8:05 amLove the blog–nobody does it better.
I have Julie’s book so don’t include me in the drawing.
Thanks Rocki, but Kathy Carmicheal is the one who made this possible. You know me, gotta give props where they’re due and she rocks.
by Vicki June 16th, 2009 at 8:27 amI know, I should have sent some love to Kathy for this amazing day. TARA is really a remarkable chapter!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 12:55 pmWhat great info Roxanne, thanks so much for sharing what you learned Saturday!
I love my local Borders store (well, not local, the closest bookstore is 20 miles from my house) but between the competition, Borders wins for me, hands-down.
I bet I know who lit herself on fire and dove into a pool…lol!
Secrets–hmm–I could tell you how many pages I have done on a Blaze that should have been long since finished…but then I’d have to kill you.
by Leslie Kelly-Parrish June 16th, 2009 at 7:56 am*waves* Howdy, Leslie. Fancy meeting you here.
by Silver James June 16th, 2009 at 8:31 amDon’t forget http://www.borders.com if the drive is too far! The site is really fantastic.
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pmI already have a copy of KISS OF THE PHANTOM (and talked about it on my Armchair Reader post yesterday), so don’t put me in the drawing. While it isn’t signed, I have several other of Julie’s books that are so I’m happy to share to love!
Secrets? If you tell, it’s not a secret any more. I will mention, though, that I used to own a white horse. Back when streaking was in its heyday. More than that, I plead the fifth. (And it was a really tasty fifth. Just sayin’…)
by Silver James June 16th, 2009 at 8:29 amThank you for the great write up Rocki — BGI will love this! I really had an awesome time & was so impressed with the talent Tara group has — you all are stars. Don’t forget to keep in touch & follow me on Twitter, SueGrimshaw
Sue G
by Sue June 16th, 2009 at 8:34 amI just signed up for Twitter yesterday. (@silverwriter) Kismet? Now following you. Thanks so much for everything you do for the romance community, Sue!
by Silver James June 16th, 2009 at 8:48 amIt was, as always, wonderful to see you, Rocki! I was a little surprised at some of those secrets, too, LOL.
Sue, we had a fantastic time! Thanks for coming to Tampa!
by Karen Rose June 16th, 2009 at 8:51 amI have to say — the secret game was fun. Now we can blackmail one another
KIDDING! JUST KIDDING!
by Sue June 16th, 2009 at 9:07 amLike we all didn’t already think of that….
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 1:00 pmII figured that . . . so, what are you asking for
by Sue June 16th, 2009 at 2:18 pmKaren, I’m so sorry we didn’t get that picture of our Rita nominated books, side by side. As always, it was an honor to sign with you, my friend!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 4:38 pmHi Roxanne,
Thanks for the information and sharing with us.
Secrets – lets see hmm I liked to read the old bodice ripper books by Rosemary Rogers.
Just wanted to let you know that I love reading your books and Julie’s.
by Terri W. June 16th, 2009 at 9:44 amRocki, sounds like a great time was had by all. You got to spend all day with Virginia Henley? I met her at a publisher signing at Reno RWA National. Such a gracious lady, one of my favorite historical authors.
Secrets? Gotta ton of ‘em. But since the kids read everything I write online I guess they will have to remain secrets.
by Jill James June 16th, 2009 at 11:04 amOkay, I’ll say what I say again and again: I love Virginia Henley and that is all. This afternoon (at the beach, cough cough) I started THE DECADENT DUKE and, man, I love Virginia’s voice! In person, it’s even more memorable. I sat smiling like an idiot reading her inscription to me, so thrilled that I can call Virginia Henley a friend and chaptermate!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 4:40 pmI left my job at Border’s only a few months ago, one of the reasons being, that my Manager & The Staff didn’t take the whole romance section seriously at all. It was my section and any time I would be doing the work needed in it (and small it isn’t) I would be told to go straighten out New Age or something equally unimportant in the overall scheme of what really sold in our store and what didn’t. It didn’t matter, and still doesn’t, that the majority of our customers buy romance, the genre is not that important to the store. Even if it is the biggest selling genre.
I got tired of the college girls making comments about what they read being equal to two or three books of what I read in the way of “important literature”. After a blow up with one of my fellow workers, where in I told her exactly what I thought of her “important literature”, I decided that I needed to find a new job.
I abhor stupid people and those who have tunnel vision when it comes to knowing what sells and thinking they know what sells.
I am very happy to know that Border’s finally has someone who does care and that the company in general can see what a very smart move this is. When we still had the Romance Club, The Sci-fi club, etc. the Romance one was the one we saw the most of at my old Waldenbooks.
I have worked for the Company in 3 Waldens and Borders. And if things were to change I would do it again, especially now. I hope this change does help the store to remain a viable competitor in the industry. I can’t stand B&N.
Good luck Sue and I wish you all the luck in the world, from the depths of my soul. And that is not sarcasm.
by ev June 16th, 2009 at 1:30 pmSo sorry that you had some bad experiences but I can tell that had you been in the right store you would have rocked the romance world. Things evolve so don’t stay away — I think you’ll see more positive things happening for Borders & romance. All the best & keep reading romance — it is the best in the industry bar none!
by Sue June 16th, 2009 at 2:22 pmI agree – as an author, I’d love to see you come back to bookselling and help new readers discover the power of a well-written romance novel. Thanks so much for commenting!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 16th, 2009 at 4:36 pmRocki, wonderful recap of our visit with the fantabulous Sue Grimshaw! What fun! And the secret sharing was divine. But wait a minute, you didn’t tell YOUR secret!!! (grin)
by Elissa Wilds June 16th, 2009 at 5:05 pmSaturday was fabulous with Sue Grimshaw and all the TARA members!! I loved hearing all about Borders and romance from Sue.
A secret… hmmm… I’ll have to get back to you.
by Cynthia June 16th, 2009 at 6:12 pmSue is such a passionate advocate for romance, and so are her romance experts. I LOVE walking into a Borders or Waldenbooks. LOVE. IT!
by Karin Tabke June 16th, 2009 at 10:36 pmthat looke d like a alo tofo fun
by kkh June 16th, 2009 at 11:26 pmlove julie books
please enter me.
[...] Mabry Borders (they even brought us fresh cookies!) You can see a few write ups of the event on Roxanne St. Claire’s post at Murder She Writes, on Terri Garey’s post at Writers at Play, and at the Examiner (this last one took, shall we [...]
by Diana Peterfreund Blog | What I’m Excited About Today June 17th, 2009 at 4:31 amAND THE WINNER OF JULIE’S BOOK IS:
Carol Shenhold
Chosen, as always, by my daughter, Mia. Her reason? Not the honky tonk band traveling secret (she didn’t have a clue what a honky tonk is) but that Carol was close enough to her daughter to follow her band around. She said she hoped I’d do that for her. I said, well, okay, but don’t get mad if I dance and flirt with cowboys.
Carol, can you email me at roxannestc@cfl.rr.com with an address and I will get Julie’s book in the mail right away!
Special thanks and love to Julie Leto for the giveaway donation and again to Sue Grimshaw and the TARA team for a great weekend!
by Roxanne St. Claire June 17th, 2009 at 5:47 amThat explains why Borders always has the romance titles I’m looking for (even if I have to swipe them off the cart before they’re shelved). Thanks, Sue. Now I just need them to kick their SF buyer into gear, and I’ll never have to put on the extra mileage out to B&N.
No big secrets here, unless you count that as a teenager, I used to make up songs and sing to myself when I was outside. (Good thing I lived far enough from other houses, so no one but the dog heard me.)
by B.E. Sanderson June 17th, 2009 at 6:16 amEv, there are GREAT borders and not so great Borders. My local Borders–Elk Grove, California–is the best in the country (okay, I haven’t been to EVERY Borders, but Elk Grove is absolutely fantastic and I love shopping there, signing there, and just visiting the staff–all of whom are knowledgeable and helpful.) But I have been in a few who don’t care for romance.
by Allison Brennan June 17th, 2009 at 10:42 pmI love Sue. She’s amazing! Thanks for the wonderful update on what Borders is doing!
by Debra Webb June 23rd, 2009 at 5:07 am