October 31, 2024
Before we started Bookreporter in 1996, our plan was to make videos of author interviews on VHS, which was the format norm in those days, and have them air in Barnes & Noble bookstores. We went to Barnes & Noble with a demo tape of interviews and a plan to supply them with new interviews monthly. We thought that hearing an author talk about their work would spur sales --- and it would be perfect since people already would be in their superstores. Think of this in the cafés. The concept did not fly as the entire conversation was about who would load the video, what if it broke and what color the televisions would be. In other words, it wasn't about the content. Yes, we were ahead of our time.
Amanda Peters Book Group Event
—Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of ALL THE GLIMMERING STARS and BENEATH A SCARLET SKY
—Jane Lorenzini, New York Times bestselling author of THE GROWING SEASON and I REALLY NEEDED THIS TODAY, cowritten with Hoda Kotb
—Dana Marton, bestselling author of THE SECRET LIFE OF SUNFLOWERS