HNT - Amateur Photographer Exposed

Canadian Booksellers Association is promoting Independents Matter, a national grassroots campaign with a community focus to encourage booksellers to celebrate their independence and promote the benefits of shopping locally. The idea is to remind people that shopping locally offers the best value, the best retail experience and the best support for vibrant, vital and prosperous communities

Leading up to this year's annual "Independents' Day" (a celebration where participating stores are encouraged to promote local authors and their community-minded spirit) which is being held October 16th, 2010, booksellers are collecting quotes and photographs in celebration of the unique connection that booksellers can make by helping to bring authors and readers together.

Lawrence Hill recently provided a wonderful quote for us to use as part of this celebration. And since he lives so very close to Bryan Prince's bookstore in Hamilton, and Bryan has been one of the many booksellers who has been hand-selling and talking about Larry's books long before he started winning awards and hitting various bestseller lists, I thought it'd be great to include a picture of the two of them in front of Bryan's store.

I took the photo at a quickly arranged meeting (all three of us are really busy - Bryan and I are neck deep in bookish things, and Larry is, of course, on deadline for his next novel) and emailed it off to our CBA Communications Manager so it could be included in a recent email to CBA members.

"Looking for a title? An author? Want smart, informed and engaged help, and perhaps a recommendation of another book that you hadn't considered? Visit your local independent bookstore. Writers can't live without them!" 
- Lawrence Hill

Of course, I was so focused on getting the two gentleman framed in a photo with the sign for Bryan's store clear and visible, that I failed to notice my reflection had been captured in the window of the door to the bookshop.  (And since I only previewed the picture on my iPhone screen, I didn't notice this little detail before submitting the photo)


Whoops.  Amateur photographer exposed.

Oh well, at least it goes to show that this truly is a grassroots campaign - that, even though we're soliciting feedback, input and support from professional authors and booksellers, most of the activities are driven by volunteers activities and amateur photographers like me.