Linda Grana, manager of Reasonable Books in Lafayette, Calif., recently helped organize an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a debut novel that was released on September 4, 2001, just days before 9/11. Prior to her current job, she had worked as manager of the Lafayette Book Store from 2000 to 2010. Grana said that pulling the event together and making it happen was a labor of love for both her and Dave Simpson, the former owner of the Lafayette Book Store. The following is her account of how it all came together:
"Back in 2001 the Lafayette Book Store, in the San Francisco Bay Area, got behind debut novelist Elizabeth Rosner in a big way. Owner Dave Simpson had received an advance reading copy of her book The Speed of Light and fell in love with it, to the point of deciding to offer a first ever, unheard of, money-back guarantee on the hardcover when it was released on September 4. This small-town indie bookstore ended up selling over 400 copies of the book with only a single one being returned! A friendship was sparked between Dave and author Liz Rosner that lasts till this day.
"Sadly, the Lafayette Book Store closed its doors in July of 2010, but this past April Rosner contacted Dave Simpson and former store manager Linda Grana asking them if they had any ideas for celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of her book. Linda, who now works at another independent bookstore, Reasonable Books, in the same town of Lafayette, suggested doing a 'Lafayette Reads' promotion, encouraging the community to read the book over the course of the summer. The store offered a 20% discount on copies of The Speed of Light (Ballantine) purchased at the bookstore. On Tuesday, September 22, Dave and Linda... collaborated with Reasonable Books in an event celebrating this 25th anniversary of Liz Rosner's timeless book.
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| Pictured: (from left) Elizabeth Rosner, Dave Simpson, Linda Grana | |
"The program included both Dave and Linda in conversation with the author. The evening itself was in memory of Random House publishing rep Ron Shoop, who passed away in January of 2020. Shoop's wife, Helen, was in attendance and received from Linda a framed photo of Ron (who was also a champion of Liz's work), holding two of Liz's books as a keepsake to commemorate the evening's event.
"After the program officially ended, all headed downstairs--the author to sign books, and the rest to enjoy a Lafayette Book Store reunion party. There were many beloved former customers (some who are now customers of Reasonable Books) and several staff members who came to celebrate, one even from out of state. There was a memorabilia table that had on display numerous signed hardcovers of authors who had become good friends of the store, as well as scrapbooks, photo albums, news clippings, and various other mementos. All in all, the night was a beautiful celebration of Elizabeth Rosner's novel, a glowing tribute to a beloved and dearly missed Bay Area literary figure, and a party remembering a bookstore that was once a pillar in the community. Reasonable Books is happy to continue carrying the torch for independent bookselling in the small town of Lafayette, Calif.!"