I got a newsletter from my not-so-local, independent bookstore today. I’m sure they have a mailing list of thousands, and honestly, it’s been a while since I dropped by this particular store.

The newsletter was one specific event.

Which is going to happen tomorrow, around one o’clock in the afternoon. So… uhm… less than twenty-four hours after the announcement was sent out.

Somehow, I doubt the bookstore just found out about the event today.

In fact, I’m sure they didn’t. (Small town grapevine type knowledge.)

It’s the kind of thing that has me wringing my hands and shaking my head, and wondering what the author could have done to get the newsletters out with enough time for people to plan to go to her event.

You can’t just ask people to hand over their mailing list.

Maybe a “letter to my fans” type thing to be forwarded by the bookstore?

Maybe a phone call? Hey… you did remember to uhm… invite people?

Any thoughts?