Christian Book Trade

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February 8, 2012

Have you voted yet? Bookseller poll on the future of Christian book retail

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade | Tags: , , |
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Bookseller Poll: The future of Christian book retail is...

Bookseller Poll: The future of Christian book retail is...

FOLLOWING ON from last week’s report of Wesley Owen’s likely closure of most of its stores, the Bookseller is conducting a poll on the future of Christian book retail: which of these will it be?

  • Online
  • High street
  • Independents
  • A mix

To take part, head on over to thebookseller.com: scroll down the page when you get there and you’ll find the poll at the bottom of the right-hand column.

As for me, I’d say market places and bookstall services are pretty good contenders too: as Steve Mitchell said to me recently, “there are plenty of creative committed people out there, rightly doing they are called to do” — part of his conversation with the Bookseller that was edited out, following the part I cited in my last post.

Steve, I salute you: if I were a bookseller being made redundant, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have to deal with — may the Lord grant you and your colleagues the grace, wisdom and mutual respect you need through these difficult times.

 

February 4, 2012

After the Tsunami: Regaining perspective on the UK Christian book trade

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops, Independent Booksellers, Musings... | Tags: , , , , |
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SOMETIMES, IN RUNNING UKCBD/THIS BLOG, I want to make like Elijah: to simply run away, hide in a cave and wait for the inevitable. Unlike Elijah, however, I’m not being pursued by an angry Queen who wants to chop me into pieces: on the whole the Christian book/retail trade remains a very positive area to work in; and whilst the unrelenting tide of bookshop closures may feel like a tsunami overwhelming us, I don’t think God has finished with this trade yet. Refining and redefining, certainly; but finished? Far from it — and what I see happening here is far from whistling in the dark.

Allow me to offer some facts and figures:

The UKCBD database currently holds 801 records. Of those, 209 are flagged ‘Omit’, for various reasons: some are incomplete and have never made it to the live site, others are archived as businesses have relocated; only 79 (just under 10%) are specifically flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ — and only 26 have been flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ within the last 12 months. That’s not the full picture: I’m aware of a number of shops that have ceased trading (Chelmsford Christian Bookshop and Quench, St Albans are two examples) but I haven’t updated their entries yet, simply due to the constraints of time and other commitments.

On the opposite side of the coin, however, during that same period 23 new records have been added. Looking back over the last quarter alone, these include:

Some of these are brand new, launched within the last few months; some are relocated or ‘resurrected’ businesses, taking over existing premises from collapsed ventures; others are well established but had somehow slipped under the radar and never made their way into my listings; and some, quite clearly, are not ‘Christian bookshops’ as we’ve come to know them: they are all, however, part of the current Christian retailing reality, the reality that is now being refined and redefined.

Again, this isn’t the full picture: it’s rare for more than a couple of weeks to go by without someone contacting me to provide details of a shop or business that isn’t in the directory. As I prepare this post, I have records pending for several shops that I’ve only recently found out about:

On average, then, for every shop that has disappeared over the last year, another has popped up: some towns, such as Nottingham, are now without a Christian bookshop; others, such as Rotherham, have gained one; and elsewhere, more flexible ventures such as Richard Greatrex’s Windflower Books and Jenny Hickman’s Midlands Christian Books have emerged. The UKCBD database is growing, not shrinking.

Some of the chains — SPCK, Wesley Owen, Living Oasis — are broken beyond repair; others — CLC and FM Bookshops — are still in business, some branches struggling, some thriving, the strong supporting the weak. The collapse of Living Oasis and the failure of Koorong to make a go of Wesley Owen here in the UK perhaps tells us more about the shortcomings of their particular business models than it does about the trade in general.

Steve Mitchell is right in what he affirms when he says:

… it is a brave man to bet against the online business which is so rapidly growing… the charity or independent model is now the best option to maintain physical Christian stores.

But he is wrong in what he denies: because there are plenty of brave men — and women! — out there: not “betting against the online business” but integrating the online with their business models.

The future of Christian bookselling in the UK depends not upon pitting the online against the physical but upon bringing the two together. It’s a secret that lives at the very heart of our faith: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female” — and to that I add, there is no longer physical or virtual — “for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

We who are Christ’s disciples should know these things better than anyone else. Throwing people overboard in the storm is not the way of Christ. Lopping off limbs when the head says to the foot, “I don’t need you anymore,” is not the way of Christ. The only time we see Christ breaking things up is when the temple of mammon attempts to supplant the temple of God — and, coming full circle now, the remnant of Israel that God promises Elijah he will save consists of “all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

The way of Christ is the Cross: is to face impossible odds, to take the pain, to bleed and die, and then — only then — rise to new life. There are no short cuts to resurrection.

To those now feeling like limbs lopped off; to those pursuing the vision of that “well-run and nimble independent sector” that Eddie Olliffe speaks of; to those following the way of Christ regardless of personal cost: I salute you.

 

January 29, 2012

A Tsunami of Bookshop Closures: Eddie Olliffe on the recent closures – reflections and questions

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops | Tags: , |
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EDDIE OLLIFFE reflects on the current state of High Street Christian bookselling after so many recent closures and asks important questions about the way forward:

It has felt like a tsunami of bad news of late with so many Bookshop closures. The UK has lost 26% of its Bookshops since 2006 (over 400 outlets according to the Booksellers Association) and many of these are Christian Bookshops. This decline seems to be quickening with various shop closures announced almost weekly. Even the once-invincible Christian chains have succumbed, weighed down by high central costs and slow decision making: Scripture Union, The Church of Scotland, SPCK, Living Oasis and now Wesley Owen. I’ve written elsewhere that I believe the future belongs to a well-run and nimble independent sector. Have we simply gone full-circle?

The whole sorry saga of these closures came home to me as a bitter blow when I heard of the closure of Wesley Owen on Park Street in Bristol. This was originally the venerable ECL shop where I had cut my bookselling teeth in 1980 under the watchful eye of dear Alan Maynard, God bless him. The ECL Bookshop was originally opened in 1852 by Bristol’s famous George Muller and the building is still owned by the George Muller Charitable Trust…

 

January 24, 2012

From bad to worse in Carlisle as yet more staff face job losses at TMD

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, News | Tags: , , , , |
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HOPES THAT the recently announced sale and privatisation of Trust Media Distribution would secure the future and bring stability to the organisation have been crushed as yet another round of redundancies has been announced. Writing in the Carlisle News & Star on Saturday, Matthew Legg, the paper’s Business Editor, describes staff as shocked by the news:

News & Star, Carlisle, 21/1/2012: Job Under Threat at Carlisle Book Firm after Takeover

News & Star, Carlisle, 21/1/2012: Jobs Under Threat at Carlisle Book Firm after Takeover

JOBS UNDER THREAT AT CARLISLE BOOK FIRM AFTER TAKEOVER
Exclusive by Matthew Legg Business editor

Last updated at 10:21, Saturday, 21 January 2012

Seventy workers at a Carlisle bookseller have been told their jobs are under threat after the firm was taken over.

The new owners of Christian book distributor Trust Media – formerly Send the Light (STL) – have begun redundancy consultations with staff as they look to streamline the business.

The firm has not revealed how many jobs will eventually go, but the figure will not exceed 20 because the company has not entered the formal 90-day consultation period required to lay off more than 20 workers at once.

Bosses say the cuts are essential to secure the future of the Kingstown business and that they hope the bulk of the job losses will come through voluntary redundancies and retirements.

Staff are said to be shocked at the news. They are expected to discover their fates next week.

The report goes on to cite Paul Davies, a member of TMD’s senior management team, who describes the situation as “an unfortunate necessity” to ensure that the company continues trading in Carlisle “securing a substantial number of jobs in the process.”

In a further report by Lisa Campbell in the Bookseller yesterday, Pete Barnsley states:

Since January there has been a big injection of capital so for the business this has been a really positive move. But it has also brought with it a review of the whole business which includes consultations with staff. There will be a degree of staff reduction but we don’t know how many yet. It will be fewer then 20 positions.

Both reports refer to the company’s change of focus as it seeks to work with a wider customer base beyond its traditional role as primarily a supplier to the Christian retail trade, mentioning WH Smith and Amazon in particular. Inevitably, however, the current situation begs the question of whether or not a “streamlined” company with fewer staff will, in fact, be capable of serving that wider — and more demanding — marketplace as well as continue to efficiently serve its existing customers?

 

November 29, 2011

CLC Wholesale to join PubEasy

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, Christian Suppliers, News | Tags: , , , , , |
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CLC Wholesale

CLC Wholesale

CLC WHOLESALE have now advised the way forward for their much-anticipated online trade ordering service: via PubEasy.com, bringing them into the same network as Bookpoint, HarperCollins, Marston Book Services, Norwich Books & Music and Wiley-Blackwell, to name just a few of the other trade distributors and publishers using the service.

The actual launch date has yet to be announced as the technicalities of the service are still being worked through by systems programmers, but Chris Magee, Head of CLC Wholesale, has confirmed that “the project is going ahead.”

In the meantime, however, keep an eye on the CLC Wholesale facebook page for their latest news, stock updates and other announcements.

IMPROVED TERMS: Apart from Church Packs and Gospels, where CLC Wholesale themselves receive a lower margin, all Hodder titles are now available to retailers at a 40% trade discount.

FEEDBACK WELCOME: Chris also says,

My heart is to support the trade and am open to any help and advice, even constructive criticism that will help us.

so if you have any feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact him.

 

November 4, 2011

News Roundup: The it’s-all-been-happening-this-week Edition

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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IT’S ALL BEEN HAPPENING THIS WEEK: from Thomas Nelson publishing being swallowed up by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to CLC Wholesale announcing plans for a trade website. In the meantime, with the busiest time of year upon us, it’s more important than ever to make the most of every opportunity to connect with customers and to make sure that other sites such as UKCBD and the Good Bookstall that link to yours are up to date: latest news from both below, with much more sandwiched in between:

Bishop's Blog: The Good Bookstall Newsletter

Bishop's Blog: The Good Bookstall Newsletter

The Good Bookstall Newsletter featured on Bishop’s Blog

CONGRATULATIONS to the Good Bookstall on seeing their latest newsletter featured by twittering Bishop of Huntingdon, the Rt Revd David Thomson, on his blog: The Good BookStall Newsletter.

Like UKCBD, TGB’s mission is supporting Christian bookshops, and the site includes news, reviews (books and music), as well as a bookshops directory. Is your shop listed? Is it up to date? With the busiest time of year upon us, it’s more important than ever to make sure your shop’s details are correct.

See below for a note about UKCBD updates.

Storehouse Watford

Storehouse Watford

It’s Official: Storehouse is the new name for Living Oasis Watford

CONGRATULATIONS to the recently rebranded Living Oasis Watford on their official name change to Storehouse (Watford), formally registered with Companies House this week on Tuesday November 1st, 2011.

Watford was a franchise rather than owned by NCT, which allowed the store to survive the collapse of NCT in August. The only other surviving stores appear to be Inverness, reopened by CLC earlier in the year amidst some controversy but very clearly now the right move by CLC, and Weston-super-Mare, under new ownership as Life WsM.

Sadly neither Leeds nor Liverpool have been successful in taking on the leases dropped by NCT, although Liverpool appear to remain optimistic that something can be achieved. Requests for continuing prayers for all involved have been posted by both groups:

New author Jo Patterson joins Jarom Books

CONGRATULATIONS to Jacques More and Jarom Books on the arrival of new author Jo Patterson. In a brief announcement posted on November 2nd, 2011, Jacques writes:

NEW AUTHOR:
Jo Patterson, wife of Al and mother of three has written a novel in the Christian fiction genre that speaks into teenage pregnancy issues. This work – as well as being a good read “I’ve cried every time I’ve read it” – will be a valuable resource to equip the local saints in youthwork activity and in all pro-life efforts.
The new title is planned for a launch later in 2012.

No more music CDs after 2012?

ANYONE OUT THERE still got their heads buried in the sand over the impact of digitisation? Then go read this wake-up call from Paul Wilkinson of Canada’s Christian Book Shop Talk:

Christian Book Shop Talk: Music Industry Moving to End CD Format in 2012

Christian Book Shop Talk: Music Industry Moving to End CD Format in 2012

Shop local — anywhere in Europe!

IN WHAT MUST SURELY QUALIFY as one of the most bizarre rulings emerging out of the UK’s commitment to remain in Europe, Graham Allen of Leamington Christian Resource Centre has been advised by one of his school customers that supporting local businesses is classed as discriminatory under EU regulations, which specify that the whole of Europe is now ‘local’:

Hello Graham,
Schools purchasing comes under the remit of the County council and I cannot comment on their policy as I am not familiar with it.

However, you should be aware that Councils and other public bodies are unable to select to purchase on the basis of location as this discriminatory. As much as we would like to do this we have to find other ways to place our business locally – including information events and tender support (all of which the district council does in conjunction with the chamber of commerce). We have had success with this approach on the basis that the more local suppliers that bid the better the chance of us being able to place the business within the district.

The public sector is also bound by EU regulations that have strict thresholds for purchases of goods, services and works, and these also restrict the ability to purchase ‘locally’ as locally is considered to be Europe wide. The threshold levels are not high and relate to commodities over a contract term. This makes it easy for public bodies to breach the regulations unless strict controls are put in place.

Thank heavens for that little loophole at the end: just don’t tell the powers-that-be in Brussels or they’ll no doubt apply their concept of local to all purchases…

Social Media Update

THERE’S RARELY A WEEK GOES BY when I don’t discover yet another Christian bookshop or publisher facebook page to like or twitter feed to follow. Here’s a random snapshot of just some of the Christian bookshops now using facebook to connect with colleagues and customers:

Christian Bookshops on Facebook

Christian Bookshops on Facebook: a random selection from the UKCBD facebook page sidebar - click through to discover more!

Those I’ve stumbled across this week are:

And last but not least: a social media experiment, The UK Christian Bookshops Daily, autogenerated courtesy of @smallrivers from twitter and facebook keyword searches for Christian Bookshop and the UKCBD blog RSS feed. The keyword search isn’t quite as smart as it might be, so don’t be surprised if some content seems out of place: let’s say we’re in beta phase. Best of all, however: the virtual paper system allows me to update the paper on the fly as I come across stories around the web — if you’d like to see your news or website featured, give me a shout here or mention @UKCBD in a tweet.

UKCBD Winter Updates

IT’S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE trying to keep the Directory up to date, but for those who may be wondering, you can now find the 10 most recent updates conveniently listed on the homepage:

Latest Updates (most recent first)
The House on the Rock, Bury Updated 3/11/2011
Storehouse: The new name for Living Oasis, Watford Updated 3/11/2011
The Hub Christian Resource Centre, Walsall Updated 1/11/2011
The Sycamore Tree Christian Bookshop, Nuneaton Updated 31/10/2011
CLC Bookshop, London Updated 30/10/2011
Turning Point Garments Ltd, Bathgate Updated 30/10/2011
Jubilate Christian Bookshop, Stratford-upon-Avon Updated 25/10/2011
Ashburnham Christian Trust Bookshop, Battle Updated 08/10/2011
Glorious Beginnings, Willesden Updated 29/9/2011
The Good Book Shop, Belfast Updated 7/9/2011

If your entry needs updating, please give me a shout. It can take anything from a few days to a few weeks for me to get there, depending on other commitments: please be patient and remember that UKCBD is a 100% voluntary project. In the meantime feel free to leave a comment — or invite your customers to leave feedback — on your entry’s standalone page: simply click through from the main Directory where it says, “Out of Date?” — bottom right of every entry that’s been updated in the last couple of years.

All updated entries now include a facebook ‘Like’ button: reach more people by asking your facebook friends to hit it!

Thank you.

 

October 31, 2011

Good News as CWR appoint Roger Compton and extend ebooks range

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, News, People News | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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CONGRATULATIONS TO CWR on their recent appointment of Roger Compton as their UK Retail Merchandiser for dated, seasonal and core titles — and congratulations to Roger himself, too, of course!

In a Trade Announcement posted in the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group last week (Wednesday 26th October), Eddie Olliffe wrote:

CWR is pleased to inform you that Roger Compton has been appointed as CWR’s UK Retail Merchandiser for dated, seasonal and core titles. As many of you will know, Roger has long-standing experience in sales to the specialist Christian retail sector, having worked for the past 12 years with STL Distribution, latterly Trust Media Distribution.

This is a fixed term appointment, designed to maximise the sales and visibility of our dated and seasonal ranges particularly in the busy autumn period and then beyond to Lent and Easter. Roger will complement the excellent work of our three existing contracted sales reps (from Joining the Dots plus Stewart Anderson) and Roger will work mainly in London, the South-east and the Midlands. I’m sure that many of you will be pleased to see Roger again on the patch!

Earlier in the month, Eddie also posted details of CWR’s growing range of ebooks, now available through Gardners to retailers offering ebook sales via their own sites or taking part in the Hive network; ISBNs added, full list including dated materials available to download:

CWR eISBNs (pdf, 49kb)

CWR eISBNs (pdf, 49kb)

CWR’s recent range of eBooks is available to trade customers via Gardners Digital Warehouse and Gardlink for Windows. There are five titles (see below) + five dated notes (including Every Day with Jesus) in both Kindle & ePub format.

  • One Step Beyond (Gram Seed, 9781853455896)
  • What to Say When People Need Help (Selwyn Hughes, 9781853456640)
  • God’s Questions (Phil Greenslade, 9781853456190)
  • Leadership (Phil Greenslade, 9781853455902)
  • Coached by Christ (Andy Peck, 9781853455919)

Ebooks Elsewhere…

CWR are not the only Christian publisher getting up to speed on the ebooks front, of course: Darton, Longman & Todd have a good selection available in Amazon Kindle and Apple iBook format; and SPCK have a growing range, conveniently showcased for the rest of us by Keith Jones, who are undoubtedly leading the way as a Christian ebook retailer, with regular updates posted via twitter:

If you’re serious about keeping up to speed with digital developments, make sure you’ve read Bendicte Page’s Bookseller report, 7/10/2011, Christian publishers turn to apps in market squeeze and

Update, 31/10/2011, 12 noon:
 

October 28, 2011

No change before Christmas as TMD prepares for “significant” reduction in range of suppliers

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, Christian Suppliers, Wholesale Services | Tags: , , , , , , , |
[12] Comments 
Update, October 29, 2011: Eddie Olliffe reflects on the viability of specialist Christian wholesaling: Book Trade – Reflections on the UK specialist wholesaling model
TMD: Trust Media Distribution - The new name for STL Distribution

TMD: Trust Media Distribution

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS in rapid succession from TMD this week have highlighted two of the constant challenges faced by Christian booksellers and retailers: stock availability and range.

In the first announcement, issued on Tuesday 25th October, TMD stated that their range of UK publishers would be “reduced significantly” following a review of their current supplier base. That review is now underway with conversations between TMD and suppliers that one, who did not wish to be named, described as “what appeared to be an ultimatum to improve terms or sever our relationship”.

Although TMD’s initial announcement specified that no significant changes would be made “until the New Year”, it nonetheless raised the inevitable spectre of previous disruptions to the supply chain in the run up to Christmas, and a second announcement reiterating that “Christmas supply will remain largely unaffected” was issued on Wednesday, a point that Pete Barnsley, TMD’s Supply Chain & Marketing Team Leader, was keen to emphasise in a conversation with him later that day: retailers can remain confident that it’s business as usual at TMD.

I asked Pete what the reduction in range implied for STL/TMD’s one-time ambition to be the “One Stop Shop” for Christian retailers and he acknowledged that those days were over, admitting that in some cases it makes more sense for retailers to go direct to publishers for better terms and availability.

Given that the publishers listed in the initial announcement fall largely into the evangelical/pop/USA categories, I also asked what the range reduction implied for the more academic, catholic, liberal and mainstream UK Christian publishers: is this a theological narrowing of the range or a focus on the “big guys”? Pete wouldn’t be drawn on who might be in or out until the review is complete but emphasised that TMD’s aim is to serve the entire Christian marketplace across denominational boundaries, and that publishers with a single line were as likely to be included in the new mix as those with hundreds of lines.

The situation, Pete explained, is a case of facing up to reality: better to focus on what TMD can do in terms of publishers whose product availability they can be confident of rather than raise unrealistic expectations amongst retailers and end up letting both them and, ultimately, their customers down.

Retailers whom I contacted were broadly empathetic: the “One Stop Shop” was a fantasy and few, if any, have been wholly reliant upon STL/TMD, sourcing elsewhere as necessary despite the inconvenience of the extra admin involved in dealing with smaller orders and extra invoices.

The question remaining is whether other distributors or wholesalers can step up to the mark? No one was available to comment from Norwich Books & Music, but Phil Burnham, CLC’s UK Director, advised that CLC Wholesale would be willing to assist where appropriate:

CLC Wholesale would be very happy to hear from booksellers if there are items in keeping with our Statement of Faith that they would regularly source from us if we carried them. I’ll pass on any related comments to my wholesale colleagues for their consideration.

 

October 24, 2011

How to Sell a Book: Radical thinking for authors, publishers and readers

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Musings... | Tags: , , , , |
[4] Comments 

THIS POST EMERGES out of a conversation in the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group, in which we were discussing (amongst other things) the pros and cons of authors self-publishing v/s going with an established publisher. It’s a tough call for authors in the present economic climate, especially if your book doesn’t quite fit into a clearly-defined niche; and it’s a tough call for publishers: faced by the choice of investing in a debut work from an unknown writer or a new title from an established writer with a good track record, what would you do?

And if you’re a bookseller, how do you decide what to stock? Is the extra admin involved in stocking titles from self-published authors or smaller publishing houses really worth it? Is it better to wave them away, to tell them to go strike a deal with a distributor/wholesaler?

When I was running the bookshop at LST (a distant memory now) my approach was simple: if I thought a title from a small publisher / self-published author was likely to be of interest to my customers, then I’d take it, but initial stock had to be either 100% sale or return or 100% see-safe, carriage paid both ways by the supplier. It generally worked well enough — yes, there was some extra admin involved in dealing with small invoices and parceling up returns, but no big deal really, and I’d encourage any retailer to give it a go. Remember this, people: The Shack started off as self-published — by helping out a small publisher / self-published author in this way, you could be giving the next ‘Shack’ a kick-start!!

So far, not so radical; however…

For Authors and Publishers: Here’s a challenge for authors and publishers: do you believe in your book? Do you want to see it on booksellers’ shelves? Then start the ball rolling by sending them a complimentary copy and tell them it’s theirs to sell or give away; but if they opt to sell it, then when — when, not if! — it sells, they have to use the proceeds of the sale to buy another copy (less whatever your trade discount is, of course). Cost to you: one book + p&p; but potential winnings … who can say? And a straight win for them whether they sell it or give it away: either money for nothing or a happy customer gets a freebie and — another win for you — tells their friends about the lovely book…

It’s a risky strategy, of course: I can hear all the objections and questions already after so many publishers and suppliers have had their fingers burnt and worse in the last few years in the SPCK-SSG/STL-Wesley Owen/Living Oasis fiascos; but as someone far wiser than me once observed, faith is spelt r-i-s-k. If we, as Christ’s disciples, aren’t willing to trust one another, aren’t willing to live out our faith by taking such risks, then what hope is there for the rest of society? And what, exactly, is the point of running a Christian business? What message do our business relationships convey to the rest of society?

For Booksellers: Now the challenge for booksellers: would you be willing to take part in such a scheme? Would you be willing to accept complimentary initial stock from authors/publishers on this basis? Not sale or return; not see-safe; but sale and restock when sold or give away — to commit yourself to not simply relegating the book to a back room or obscure shelf somewhere but actively supporting this vision?

For Readers: And last but not least, a challenge for readers, for those like me on the outside looking in, watching the demise of bookshops around the country and wondering what we can do: adopt an author, a bookshop and/or a publisher! If there’s a book you’d like to see on sale in a particular bookshop, go to the author/publisher and pay for them to supply it to your nominated shop with your compliments.

Imagine, if you dare, the difference this could make if enough of us did it: not just me, not just you, but your friends too, the members of your church.

The future of Christian bookselling is in our hands, my friends: let’s seize the day!

 

October 17, 2011

News Roundup – the twitter feed edition

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Book Trade, News | Tags: , , , , , |
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MY APOLOGIES to those readers who’ve missed the News Roundups over the last few weeks: life, as they say. The good news is that this trade of ours is at least as busy as I am, with as much going on as ever. Don’t forget, you can pick up on news as it emerges via the UKCBD twitter feed, which I’m using this time around, supplemented by my personal feed, Eddie Olliffe, Melanie Carroll and SPCK Publishing to liven things up a little. If you’d like to see your tweets featured here next time around, give me a nudge by mentioning @notbovvered or @ukcbd in any tweet you’d like me to highlight.

Whilst we’re talking social media, make sure you don’t miss the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group: it’s a closed group, intentionally so, a space for anyone involved in the Christian book trade to meet online but away from the public eye, to exchange ideas and information and offer one another mutual support. Feel free to drop in and join the conversation — or start one!

Over to twitter: most recent first…
 

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