Local Authors

What You Need to Know

Are you a local author hoping for us to carry your book? Awesome! 

We love carrying books written by local authors. We want to support you and build a strong literary community. We also hope that your loyal fans will turn into our loyal customers.

Even before we opened the store, we received dozens of requests from authors wanting us to stock their books. As much as we want to say YES to everyone, we simply cannot.

We will not consider books solicited in person or over the phone. Any books utilizing AI or published through Amazon will not be considered.

Please follow our guidelines below.

There are a lot of factors that go into determining whether we can stock a particular book.

  • Indie bookstores generally operate on a profit margin of 2%-3% after expenses. Most do not turn an overall profit for the first three years in business.

  • Shelf space is limited, and we need to be able to prioritize high margin products as much as possible.

  • If we cannot order copies of your book at a 40%+ wholesale discount, it is likely not financially viable for us.

  • Books must be returnable to the publisher for us to consider stocking them.

  • We currently have accounts with the following publishers:

    Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Sourcebooks, and Scholastic

    • If your book is distributed by one of these publishers or one of their imprints, it’s more likely that we can find a financially viable way for us to carry your book.

      Ingram is a good alternative if you are not currently signed with a larger publisher.

      We do not do business with Amazon.

OK, I’m ready to connect!

The best way to make a request is via email to info@towncommonbooks.com.

Please be sure to include the following information:

  • Author name and contact information

  • Book title and subtitle

  • ISBN (if available)

  • High-resolution cover image

  • Author or book website URL

  • Press coverage or editorial reviews

  • Interior page samples (for picture books or illustrated titles)

  • Wholesale distribution details (e.g., Ingram, publisher direct) and discount terms

  • Brief pitch explaining why your book or event is a good fit for our bookstore

We will not stock or hold events for any books that feature AI generated text or illustrations.