Consignment Program

As booksellers, we see supporting authors as an important part of our job. We know that without meaningful support for authors, we would never have the opportunity to discover so many of the wonderful books that have enriched our lives.

Whether you are looking to publish your first book or you are an established author, we look forward to the chance to help you in any way we can.

Want our store to carry your book? Here's how!

Please read the following guidelines regarding our policies.

Please make an appointment in advance. We would like to speak with you regarding your work and the best way to market it, however, because we are in a retail environment, appointments should be made in advance. To schedule an appointment, contact our book buyer and General Manager, Jeanne Costello at jeanne@mariasbookshop.com

Please provide us with the following:

Publisher information
Distribution information
Pricing (retail and wholesale)
Contact information for the author
Web address for author and/or book
A copy of or synopsis of the book
List of other retailers stocking the title
Advertising/marketing undertaken by the author
Events and gatherings executed or scheduled
JPEG image of cover art for web use

Please understand that author events and book signings are established only once the book has proven to be a seller.

Please review our consignment policy below prior to your meeting.

Consignment Policy

Self-published books are taken on a consignment basis only until a proven sales record is established.
Wholesale and retail costs of the book will be established upon acceptance of the book. The typical mark-up from wholesale is 40 percent.
Maria's Bookshop will stock the title for six months, reordering when necessary.
If the book sells within the allotted six-month time period, payment will be made.
If the title does not sell, it will be returned to the author or donated to an appropriate local group or organization. It is the author's responsibility to pick up the unsold book(s) or to pay for shipping.

Greater success comes from a wide array of author-coordinated promotions. Tips for a successful consignment

Encourage your friends, family and other contacts to purchase your book at Maria's Bookshop.
Contact local media and mailing lists to let them know that the book is available at Maria's Bookshop.
Send out press releases, review copies and other promotional materials.
Get involved with book clubs, libraries and other community organizations.

Requesting a Book Signing

At Maria's Bookshop, we are lucky enough to field requests from many authors, both well-known and yet-to-be-discovered. While we wish we could say "yes" to them all, we often need to make difficult decisions about which events will best serve our unique community of readers.

If you are an author hoping to set up an event with Maria's Bookshop, please contact our Programs Director, Mary Schwartz, mary@mariasbookshop.com with the following: