carolyn gage and alix olson are perfect examples of why we need places like mother kalis. alix is just getting known and, from everything i know, she is completly independent. she has no one pushing her work except for herself and dedicated volunteers. and carolyn, i'm sure carolyn was like alix when she was starting out. doing it all on her own. and its not like now she's being published by a huge publishing house. both depend upong the network of independent bookstores to sell their books, their spoken word cds.

see, the big bookstores, what they sell is decided by some corporation, what they sell is not decided by the person who is working in the store. plus the big bookstores buy in volume, and then if something doesn't sell they return it to the distributor and the artist, well.. the artist gets screwed because the big bookstores bought more than they could sell.

in the small stores its word of mouth. its the artist walking in and talking to the owner, its the owner valuing their work as much as they value harry potter and visibly placing their work as such. the small stores take the chance on the lesser knowns, they take the chance on the unknowns. they give a voice, some voices that end up making millions, some that make just enough to get by, and even a few that don't make even that much.

but the small bookstores, they understand the need to introduce new ideas into the public thinking. they understand that to be a better, freer, more well thought society we need the different, the new. they take chances.

the people who run the small bookstores truly love books. they love ideas, they love the work of spreading it and creating community around it all.

the big bookstores, they just want to make the buck. they aren't interested in the radical or the different. the big bookstores, they just want to make as much money as they can. they might tell you different, but go in and ask for alix olson or carolyn gage.. they might be able to get them for you, but walk into your local barnes and noble or borders and say you want to see their books in your hands now. and if you can't, ask why. ask why you can't see them. is it because they are out? is it because alix hasn't gotten a chance to get her book and cd to them? or is it because they can't make a million dollars on them?

i'm rambling. and i'm even rambling about two women who have gotten incredible press, carolyn gage's plays are being produced all over, both have gone international with their work. alix olson was on the cover of ms. magazine. no, i'm not asking you to ask about the poet who came in last in the most recent slam, i'm asking you to ask about writers who are good.

actually, instead of going to borders or barnes and noble, go down to that small independent bookstore.. dont' ask for alix or carolyn, just browse. you'll be surprised at all the lovely new ideas you find....

posted by brooke at July 27, 2002 10:57:50 PM