Winter Book Bucks Winners Receive Gift Certificates to Indie Stores

In the midst of a $1 million campaign to help independent bookstores, author James Patterson is giving away even more money.

Fifty students were recently named the recipients of $100 gift certificates to be used to purchase books at an ABA member bookstore of their choice. Last December, Patterson launched the inaugural Winter Book Bucks program to encourage children to read over the winter break. Parents signed up their children to commit to reading at least two books over the holiday, which entered them for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to any IndieBound-affiliated bookstore.

The Winter Book Bucks program is the third Book Bucks program sponsored by Patterson, in addition to College Book Bucks and Summer Book Bucks.

The bookstores selected by Winter Book Bucks winners were notified of their good fortune in a letter sent on June 9 by ABA Development Officer Mark Nichols with a $100 check from Patterson. Stores will use the funds to set up an account that the winning student can draw on to cover book purchases.

Wakefield Books in Wakefield, Rhode Island, was selected by winner Kim Taylor as her go-to independent store. “We were thrilled that she picked us as her favorite bookstore,” said owner Bob Ryan.

The store had heard about the program before, but it was a complete surprise to have been selected and to be on the receiving end of $100 in sales through Patterson. “We think it’s great what he’s doing for the indies,” said Ryan.

At King’s Books in Tacoma, Washington, owner sweet pea Flaherty said that winner Donald Blackburn had yet to visit the store to make use of the gift certificate, but he was looking forward to connecting with him. “Young adult is definitely a focus in our store and all of us read YA, so we love providing recommendations,” Flaherty said.

About the Book Bucks giveaway, he added, “It's just a really awesome program. All of the Patterson programs are great as they both help independent bookstores and foster a love for reading. We felt lucky to be included.”

Cheryl Upchurch at Capitol Book & News Company in Montgomery, Alabama, said that Winter Book Bucks winner Dareyon Jones was one of several recipients who have selected the store through various Patterson programs. “This is at least the third different event having students come into the store based on what Mr. Patterson’s done,” said Upchurch. “I appreciate him doing something, not just talking about it. I am very appreciative of what he’s done.”

Among the other bookstores chosen by Winter Book Bucks winners are:

• A Whale of a Tale, Children’s Bookshoppe, Irvine, California
• Apostrophe Books, Long Beach, California
• BookPeople, Austin, Texas
• Books & Books, Miami Beach, Florida
• BookWoman, Austin, Texas
• Broadside Bookshop, Northampton, Massachusetts
• Byrd’s Books, Bethel, Connecticut
• Children’s Book World, Los Angeles, California
• City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, North Carolina
• Face in a Book, El Dorado Hills, California
• Fenton’s Open Book, Fenton, Michigan
• From My Shelf, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
• Horizon Books, Traverse City, Michigan
• Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, Kentucky
• Kaleidosaurus Books, Metamora, Indiana
• Katy Budget Books, Houston, Texas
• Labyrinth Books, Princeton, New Jersey
• Main Street Books, Frostburg, Maryland
• Merritt Books, Millbrook, New York
• Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vermont
• Otto’s, A Booklover’s Paradise, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
• Park Road Books, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Paulina Springs Books, Redmond, Oregon
• Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, Pennsylvania
• Prince Books, Norfolk, Virginia
• Readmore Books, Taunton, Massachusetts
• Rediscovered Books, Boise, Idaho
• Renaissance City Books, Newark, New Jersey
• River Lights Bookstore, Dubuque, Iowa
• Schuler Books & Music, Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Selections Book Fairs, Inc., Columbus, Ohio
• St. Johns Booksellers, Portland, Oregon
• The Avid Reader at the Tower, Sacramento, California
• The Book Bin, Northbrook, Illinois
• The Book Spot, Round Rock, Texas
• The Bookworm, Omaha, Nebraska
• The Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Virginia
• University of Southern California Bookstore, Los Angeles, California
• Ye Olde Warwick Book Shoppe, Warwick, New York

The winners of Patterson’s 2014 College Book Bucks will be announced later this summer.

Viable independent bookstores with a children’s section can still apply for grants from Patterson’s $1 million campaign via his website. Patterson announced this week his initiative to give £250,000 to independent bookstores with a dedicated children’s section in the U.K. and Ireland.