Nurture your community this holiday season!

Did you ever see the movie You've Got Mail? Remember that great little bookshop that Meg Ryan owned? Did it break your heart to see her go out of business?? This holiday season let's help those real life small, independent bookstores. Working at the Wellesley Booksmith for 5 years made me a HUGE fan and loyal supporter of the independent bookstore business. I’ve had additional experience working at Eight Cousins in Falmouth, and I spend many hours in the summer at Titcombs Bookshop in Sandwich MA located a few miles from our family summer home on the Cape. Unfortunately it is VERY HARD for these charming little guys to stay in business and compete with those corporate BIG (BAD) BOYS. In May of 2008, the American Booksellers Association launched the IndieBound campaign (replacing BookSense) in order to generate some new enthusiasm and support for the local business world. And now we need YOU, as the consumer during the holiday season, to do your literary patriotic duty and support the Indies!

And it gets better...not only do you have the opportunity to support local bookstores, you can also support the Boston Fit Girl Project for girls from low-income communities when you shop with the Bluestocking Runner. Here's how it works:

I've signed up to be a part of the Indie Affiliate program where I can create links from my blog and website to IndieBound and earn COMMISSIONS when you order books from the family of independent bookstore registered with IndieBound. Wow – what a cool way to raise funds for the Boston Fit Girls Project! It is important that you begin your literary on-line shopping after linking from the bluestockingrunner blog site, otherwise they can't track the purchases and it won't count towards any potential commissions.

You will be directed to the Indiebound site anytime you click on the Indiebound logo. You will be asked to enter your zip code and they will present you with a variety of independent bookstores that offer on-line sales. The Indiebound site has lists of great recommendations from booksellers around the country. There are MANY wonderful indies to support. Do you have a favorite independent bookstore that you'd like to support? Tell us about it!