First book event of the tour: Book Woman

It's simple. Book Woman represents exactly why we need to keep our independent bookstores alive. Owner Susan isn't in this just to "buy for one dollar, sell for two", she's in this for the love.

So many books in the world would never get sold without the hand selling by passionate readers behind the counter of independent bookstores. There are great books that aren't meant to be block busters, they don't fit well into a Hollywood script.

But they are good. Better than good. Necessary. They are stories we need to hear and pass on. They are stories from different voices than the three or four that control 95% of every media outlet in the country. Voices that remind us that sound bites don't tell the whole story, and that many voices are systematically silenced.

So it was an honor to start my book tour at Book Woman. Susan gave me a warm welcome. We both brought chocolate. And not just any chocolate. I'd rushed around looking for a bar of Theo Spicy Chili chocolate, one I'll be using in a chocolate barbecue sauce for the upcoming TV appearances, but couldn't find it. Guess what? Susan bought that exact bar for my reading.

There was more synchronicity that night. Besides the chocolate, I happened to draw a winner for the contest (totally legitimately), from Austin, that was coming to the reading. She came, and because I was also thrilled that Elizabeth Englehart, Carly Kocurek, and Lisa Jordan Powell Melanie Haupt, three of the authors of Republic of Barbecue: Stories Beyond the Brisket came to the reading, I told the group about their book.

The winner of the contest wanted to buy that book too, not getting that she was seated next to the authors. When I told her later that she had just won their book, she was happy.

Three cheers for Book Woman! Remember, you can order books from independent booksellers just like you can on any of the on-line retailers. Without the shipping costs.