Independent Bookstore Day is coming!

in Random Crap, YOU ARE HERE

Do you know about Independent Bookstore Day?  Because you should.  It’s a great way to support your local Indie shop and I’ll be there.  Well, sort of.

Every year, participating independent book stores encourage readers to come in for IBD and they offer kick-ass things that you can’t get anywhere else.  I’ve seen what’s coming this year and it’s bad-ass and I am incredibly proud to be included in the celebration.

I drew this specifically for Indie Bookstore Day and the only place it will be sold is at independent book stores on Saturday, April 29th.

youarehere-ibd

It’ll be printed on archival matte paper and it’s 16X20 and (just like with any of my drawings) you can either color it or leave it black and white.  There will be only 2,500 available and they’re all personally signed by me.  It’s not in my new book, YOU ARE HERE: An Owner’s Manual For Dangerous Minds, so it’s exclusive to indie bookstores.  They’re first-come-first served so call your local indie store to see if they’ll be carrying it.  I realize that many of you are like me, in that I would rather eat a bag of glass than make a phone call or leave the house, but there is a special exception to this because bookstores are safe, magical places full of sanctuary and escape.  They’re like church, but with less eating Jesus.

I’m not sure if I even make anything from the sale of the prints but anything I get I’ll use to buy books for people in this community because I know not everyone can easily afford them and books are the best medicine that exists in the world.  THE END.

Wait…not the end.  I forgot the details.  You can only get them in person at independent bookstores in America on the day of IBD but if there are any left the next day they might be available to buy online or over the phone.  I’ll remind you of all of this stuff again later because you’re probably as forgetful as I am.

I hope you like it.  I hope you like the book.  I hope I’m good enough for you.

111 thoughts on “Independent Bookstore Day is coming!”

Read comments below or add one.

  1. That’s a beautiful drawing and a beautiful sentiment. I use independent bookstores all the time. We NEED bookstores. They are places of healing. I just wish your poster were available in Canada.

  4. Nice. Now you’re sounding like my dad (who we’re convinced was someone’s jewish and/or catholic grandmother in a previous life.) “If you think I’m worthy…”

    Omg, you know you’re loved. But we’re happy to tell you again. And again. Because everyone needs to hear I love you regularly.

  5. Thanks for the heads up! I love perusing independent bookstores. I’ll check to see if the Boulder Bookstore will have one. Love your design!

  8. You’re better than good enough, often times you’re all I have when the world becomes too much. Please don’t ever change! <3

  12. You’re more than good enough, often times you’re all I have when the world becomes too much. Never stop being you! <3

  13. I was so brokenhearted to hear on a trivia question on the radio yesterday that said that 10% of people don’t even OWN a book!! Hopefully word of this gets out and that number goes to 0%!!! Love everything you do! Be proud of all of the beauty you bring to this world of ours. 🙂

  14. My book club, Reading Between The Wines, is reading Furiously Happy next month. I will procure my copy at my indie bookstore tomorrow! And TBH will probably buy eleventy-million other books too. Because I am weak. But in a good way.

  15. Thank you for making my day with your posts! Could you please tell me what it the name of the song you used to introduce your Furiously Happy audio book? Or where can I get it??? Please, please I have been looking for it without luck. Thanks again! Alejandra >

    (I have no idea. Sorry! I can try to find out. ~ Jenny)

  17. I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER ( and I meant to talk loudly in all caps) post on any blog or website, but you MUST know that you are good enough…period…the end!

  19. You are good enough. I love that drawing. Will they be at all indie bookstores? Or just in Texas? I just wondered if it would be in Ohio as well? I love bookstores. They are the best, I love the smell the best. Libraries are great too. Helps that they are free too. Thank you.

    (All over America. 🙂 ~ Jenny)

  20. Oh, I love this idea! I have two independent bookstores near me that I love and will be sure to support both (as I usually do) on the 29th! Now we need a Nat’l Library Day:).

  21. Books are some of my very favorite things in all the world. One can never have too many – it’s just a reason to buy more bookcases.

  22. I love independent bookstores. But I never heard them referred to as IBD. I’m an old GI nurse so I got confused about why you were talking about inflammatory bowel disease. 🙄

  24. Good enough? Kidding me? Your blog post updates are the only emails I actually look forward to. Not counting the ones where the constant trials and tribulations of Nigerian princes bring daily the promise of making me a millionaire. Or vampire brotherhood membership offers- those I look forward to as well. But being out of a job I cannot afford the dues. Bloody plutocratic vampires.
    Please don’t stop. Ever.

  25. Interesting. I’ve never heard of Independent Bookstore Day. We have no indie bookstores here, but maybe I can convince my mom to go for a little drive to a bigger town? (And you are ALWAYS “good enough”, because you are you, and you are fantastic)

  27. Oh, I need to pre-order You Are Here so I have to check and see if there are any of your prints available. I hope they’re at my favorite store and not at the place where I used to work. Fingers crossed!

  28. Gasp! Independent Bookstore Day is on my birthday!!! Why didn’t I know about this before??

  30. Auntie’s only has their event schedule finished thru March. May have to take a walk down there during lunch this week.

  32. Naked bookseller alert!

    We are RV’ing in Quartzsite AZ, home of the independent Reader’s Oasis Books, owned by the famous nudist Sweet Pie. He goes starkers, other than a strategically placed crocheted modesty sock. Now that’s independent!

    Also, as we learned on our visit on Wednesday, he does not go nudypants in the winter. We arrived to find him fully clothed. “I’m a nudist, but I’m not stupid,” he explained. I get it, but wow, was that a disappointment.

    Read about him: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/31581

  33. You are amazing! Thanks for putting it all out there by being real and transparent. Been telling everyone I know about your books which I have just read. Those who read them LOVED them. That many people can’t be wrong. Can’t wait for your next one.

  34. A loss of independent book stores has been a big issue where I live. I love wandering the independent stores (and used stores) to find gems and benefit from peoples knowledge. I will check out whether there are any events here – thanks Jenny!

  37. You are more than good enough!! I wish that I had enough spare money to buy this, as it totally describes my life, but I’m literally down to my last $75 this month and need that for the power bill. I will love it from afar!! Please, anyone who can, buy this, and love it as only we can!!!

  38. I love, love, love, little and independent shops! (hmmm, just realized little and independent describes me. I’m 5 ft. 1 and Captain of My Soul ish). Anyway, yes, do support indie bookstores!
    And thank you for the lovely picture, and, as always, your luscious words.

  39. I bet none of my indie bookstores will have these, but it’s worth checking. I am all about the limited edition Jenny print. I’ll trade someone a Jenny print for a painting done by a snake or tortoise.

  41. We used to have 4 bookstores in my town, now we have zero. It’s truly heartbreaking. And yay for buying books for those who can’t afford them! You yourself got me my copy of “Furiously Happy”, and one of the readers of your blog got me “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”. When I start working again (hopefully soon) I will pay it forward!

  42. Love this idea and really love the drawing but hate that I live on a tiny island off the coast of Maine with zero bookstores in site. 🙁

  45. To quote Stuart Smalley, “You’re good enough. You’re smart enough. And gosh darn-it, people like you!” 🙂

    Not sure if I’ll have the spoons to drive up to Vroman’s, but we have an indie used/new bookstore a couple of miles from my house. I’ll check to see if he’s signed up (or if the bookstore cat has signed up — she is pretty smart!).

  48. You are better than good enough!
    Our independent bookstore closed a few years ago and I miss it terribly. I loved the personal recommendations, how they held on to books they thought I would like, and how they warned me to book my new Harry Potter before it sold out. Sad that the big box stores have squished the little ones. Now I can spend hours and not find something I’m excited about because there are too many distractions and choice. The library is still safe and the e-reader doesn’t scare me too much, except when it seems to know me a little too well. That’s another story…

  50. THATS MY BIRTHDAY! so um yes sorry for shouting but this will be a lovely bday gift to myself! Gotta check my ST Louis stores….

  52. Can I just say so lovingly and the ecstatically that I am so happy to see a design of an asian woman? As an asian woman, in America’s media I sometimes forget what it’s like to see someone who looks like me..

  53. Can I just say lovingly and ecstatically that I am so happy to see an asian woman in this design? As an asian American right now, it is so sweetly shocking to see someone who looks like me

  54. Only one in my area is used books and they aren’t in the list on the site so I cannot get it. Sad face. Hugs anyhow Jenny

  55. I would like you to know you are good enough. You are kind and brilliant and inspiring and your writing is no small part of the reason that I am alive and sought treatment for my depression. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  56. “I hope I’m good enough for you.” Jenny, you sausage. Always.

    (Until you started mentioning the book I didn’t even know you could draw and I already loved you.)

  60. You, my dear, are more than good enough. I have no doubt these will sell out like hot cakes, but in the unlikely event everyone gets lost or sucked into a black hole on their way to the bookstore tomorrow, I will browse online for leftovers.

  61. I’ve been looking through the IBD catalog and it’s so awesome! I can’t find any bookstores in this part of the state that belong to an independent bookseller’s association, so I may have to wait for an online chance. Or sweet talk a Facebook friend if I can, LOL! Gotta have that poster, and the literary condoms too. 😉

  62. Books are the best. My students can’t fathom that at any given moment I usually have 3-4 books going. It will be a sad day when my brain can’t deal with that anymore.

  63. You are totally good enough for us Jenny and I’d love to join in on this! I’ll have to see if there are any indie bookstores near me and see what I can do!

  64. Good enough for us. No Jenny, sometimes you are the best of us. A hero of compassion and kindness in the worst of needs and hurts. Guiding light in the dark, and source of the small smile, or deep laugh that begins healing.

  68. Reading “Furiously Happy”. I had the same thought about “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as a child. I thought they were singing, “Bring us some ‘frigging’ pudding
    “. I wasn’t opposed to the tactic if it got them what they wanted and I did really feel like they deserved something for standing in the cold. Lol

  69. You’re awesome Jenny. You go above and beyond for this amazing community you’ve created. Never ever doubt that you’re good enough. We love you.

  70. Silly goose, you’re more than you could ever imagine. The way you encourage others is amazing. Infinity loves

  71. With every breath you are good enough and even if all you do with your time here is take those breaths you are good enough.
    Philosophy aside I’m a psychiatrist who had a year of surgery that left me pretty unhappy with my body and the world in general. And what got me through it is your embracing of the idea that we’re all a little broken. So thank you.

  73. I hope my local independent book store gets in those prints! They took part in IBD last year!

    (BTW, if you can contact the person who was reply 50 above, tell her that the Book House in Maplewood (an area of St. Louis) did IBD last year. But they don’t have the cat anymore. I miss the cat.)

  74. Are you having one of your “imposter syndrome” days? Cause it goes without saying that you’re good enough, but we can keep saying it over and over till you start believing it, if that’s what you need. Love and hugs, always.

    (It’s obvious when those days strike, isn’t it? ~ Jenny)

  76. 🙁 I’d love in but I live in Australia. Maybe you can please send some our way for National Bookshop Day in August 😀

  78. Oh sweetheart. You are good enough, I promise. Do what I have to do sometimes. Pretend I am someone else. I always give other people more kindness and acceptance than I give myself .

  79. Indie bookstore day is one of my favorites! Every day on my site I’ll be highlighting a different indie bookstore that one of our contributors loves. It’s a great chance to love on some of the best bookstores out there.

  80. I’m trying to find a participating store in my area — but the website’s “search” isn’t working. Maybe our tribe has overloaded it.
    (Hoping for Hartford Connecticut, by the way, but New Haven will suffice.)

  81. Last Saturday in… APRIL? Or lord, Jenny, you are going to have to remind us after Easter. Because I’m sure I’ll forget and then someone will post something about buying that amazing drawing and I’ll be all “omg, I totally forgot, it was IBD and I’m still trying to figure out if I was one egg short or if there’s an egg rotting under my furniture somewhere and now I’ll never be able to buy a copy and support indy booksellers.” Or something like that.

  83. Just want to make one modification to what you said…..
    books and dogs are the best medicine in the world!!
    Personally, I absolutely could Not live without both.
    Thanks for being a positive presence in my world, Jenny. I appreciate you.

  87. I wish I could get one in-person on the day. But my town is full of despair, because we don’t even HAVE an independent bookstore. The only brick and mortar bookstore we have is a sad “Books-A-Million” where 500,000 of their million books are Bibles (no shame in Bibles but I’d like more browsing variety, thanks), and they seem to devote more space to junky toys than actual books.

    I’ll just keep fingers crossed that some will be left for purchase after the day. 🙂 Those of you who have a good indie bookstore, don’t take it for granted, OK? (And have an extra-good time at them for those of us who don’t have one of our own.)

  88. The store by boyfriend works at participates in Indie Bookstore Day! I just sent him an email begging him to find out if they’re going to get any copies.

  89. I couldn’t wait another second to write to you. This post has nothing to do with above blog. I just finished reading Its Hard To Tell Which One of Us is Mentally Ill from Furiously Happy (coming shortly on the heels of re-reading Let’s Pretend this Never Happened for the 3rd time) and I’ve decided that what I have suspected to be true since the first time I read Let’s Pretend is most definitely fact. Your insight and understanding of the human condition is brilliant, unparalleled. I think you may be the answer to global unrest, global poverty, global warming and the myriad other overwhelming problems that plague humanity. I hope this compliment doesn’t send you under a table because it is meant as the highest praise from a humble fan. It’s a weighty responsibility you carry. I do have a bone to pick with you, though. I don’t want to read anything but your writing lately, making it hard to keep up with the reading I should be doing to keep my continuing medical education current (I’m a damn rheumatologist of all things). Thank you for bringing laughter and sage insight into the shit-storm that is life. For all of us who are trying to find groundedness and meaning in life, but instead feel like we’re wandering around aimlessly in a drunken stupor, you are a champion.

  90. Aack, as a sufferer my mind also went to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (that’s the umbrella term for Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, and possibly a few other things). This is SO MUCH BETTER than that.

  91. “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Lovely post, as always! Looking forward to IBD!

  92. They’re like church, but with less eating Jesus.” i think this might be my new favorite description of a bookstore (or fabric store). Thanks for the chuckle, Jenny

  93. Me too! I’m glad I’m not the only one! I was trying to figure out why anyone would want to get inflammatory bowel disease! Books are awesome though!

  95. I am personally phobic of bookstores. I especially hate the ones that also sell concessions. It weirds me out.

    But I have You Are Here on order, so if I’ve done any coloring in it by IBD, I may be persuaded to hit up a local IB for your drawing. I don’t actually draw or color, myself. I crochet, but I don’t see how that’s relevant to this convo.

    Sorry. I drifted.

  96. How do I find a participating indie book store in my area that has the poster you drew?

    (They have to order it so call your local store to ask if they’ll be carrying it. ~ Jenny)

  98. OMgoodness, Jenny. You are more than good enough. Please listen to Pink’s Fuckin’ Perfect and know that pretty much anyone I’ve ever talked to, who’s read anything by you, feels that way about you. We’re the collective “me”. You quite literally change lives for the better. Way more than “good enough”. 🙂

  99. You, Jenny Lawson, are the best! And IBD is my birthday. Yay you, yay me and yay
    IBD!

  100. I love you so much. I know we all flail around in our stuff, but you’ve become so especially good at making it cool, and I’m still out here because I can see someone ahead of me still out here. Making it cool. I usually just super lurk, but I have to say I really am proud of you surviving and becoming an icon. I know the hard days are still real, but you kick ass beautifully. <3

  101. I love your website. It makes me feel less alone in a noisy, lonely world. Your illustrations are amazing. You should make a 12-month calendar. It would sell like hotcakes. I’d buy it. I went to your You Are Here page and printed out all the illustrations you posted, and I’m like so amazed. I just stare at them, amazed, and it’s like an entirely different universe leaps from off the pages. You are ridiculously talented. I was looking at all these pictures like, how the fuck did she even DO that? You’re a total rockstar. Kudos for bearing your soul so bravely. And thank you for letting people know you’re a weirdo, just like we are.

  104. Add one more Canadian fan who would love to see some local Canadian shops carrying this picture! Local indie bookstores are my happy place, especially the kids’ bookstore where they know me and my kids by name.

  105. You are totally good enough for me! Tell your brain to never question that. I know, it may not listen, but repeat loudly and often.

  106. Hi, Jenny,
    I’ve always supported IBD, but is my book dealer going to have your new book? I pre-ordered it from Amazon in early November, and they mostly recently let me know it will ship MARCH 7th. They have moved the ship date TWICE, starting with mid-January, to February 7th, now another month away. If I bought it just for myself, I’d be slightly miffed, but, I ordered it for my oldest, sorta step-granddaughter’s birthday (I’ve been living in sin with her grandfather for 18+ years), which was last Saturday. I had already told her of the first delay, so she expected it next week. I texted her Happy Birthday and then told her about the additional delay and haven’t heard back from her. She’s at that weird age (aren’t we all?) – 13 or14 (even her ‘PawPaw’ doesn’t know?) – and she and I made our first real connection ever when I saw her last. I discovered she was a budding artist (like I have been for 60+ years), she showed me her drawings and I shared my work, and, she told me about her discomfort with her family (my sorta step-daughter is a piece of work). She has had to be the adult far too often and has, for the most part, raised her 4 year old sister, and now has an infant brother. Childcare (and parental care) was thrust upon her far too early, which she said cemented her desire to wait to procreate until after college and starting a career (something her mother never did, despite opportunities). I want that for her.
    She’s brilliant, like you, Jenny, and has not had the opportunity to branch out beyond her drama-fueled dysfunctional parents, but totally wants to. When we got that rare visit in November, I showed her your drawings and told her about your new book. She was fascinated by your words, as well as your art, so we ordered it for her. She was delighted! Though we discussed how adding her own colors to your drawings would help her understand color theory, I think your words will make even more of an impact on her. Thank you for providing a beautiful tool to help me connect with this vulnerable young women. Wish me luck!

    PS: If Amazon’s changing delivery dates were due to your editing, or not wanting to talk to your publishers, or it rained/snowed/hailed that one day in Texas and ruined your plans, or whatever, you get a pass. I totally get it. It’s been hard to get out of bed every morning since Cheeto Jesus was elected. My house and yard look awful, but my energy is being restored by my furor. At the very least, the SPLC, the ACLU, and PPH have more money, and I’m gathering the strength to call the cleaning service. I just have to decide what day it would bother me the least to have strangers in my home.
    xoxo
    Joanne

    (That’s so weird. It actually has never been scheduled for release earlier than March. The paperback of Furiously Happy was delayed though. Maybe that’s what the email was about? I think it was supposed to come out in November but they moved it to Feb. 7th. It’s still scheduled to come out then. ~ Jenny)

  107. I promise you, Jenny, when we sat down to order it, we remarked that the delivery date was just in time for her birthday. Who knows? Only Amazon knows. Or, I could be loosing my mind as I watch the demolition of our nation. Let’s just blame Cheeto Jesus!

  108. Jenny, I work at an independent bookstore in Lincoln, NE (Indigo Bridge Books; follow us on Instagram at @indigobridgebooks!). How do we go about getting some of these prints?

  109. Jenny, don’t you want to come to Florida??? It’s February! Pick a weekend when the Orange Cheeto isn’t in town, and you will have a wonderful time. We still have wonderful independent book stores here in Palm Beach. Please come!

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