Canada's First Romance-Only Bookstore
Kicking off our month of thankfulness initiative
Independent bookstores play a huge part in our success as writers, authors, and creative people in general. To kick off this Month of Thankfulness, we thought we’d sit down with Canada’s first romance-only bookstore. Take some time this month to support your local bookstore; you never know what kind of story you’ll find!
Ashley Holloway (AH): Hi, Slow Burn Books (SBB) from Calgary, Alberta Canada! Thanks for taking some time with Unleash. We were thrilled to share your work with our writers. Your bookstore is unique in that it is an all-romance bookstore. Can you tell us a little about it?
SBB: Thanks for inviting us to chat with you today. Slow Burn Books is a family-run business started by my sister and myself, and we are the first brick-and-mortar romance bookstore in Canada! And probably the smallest too. We have a 209 square foot space featuring all things romance, from contemporary to sports to dark romance, as well as fantasy, monster, and young adult. We have enjoyed the process of becoming business partners while navigating the family dynamic and it truly has brought us closer together.
AH: Romance novels are a firmly established genre within the book world. What is it about romance novels that draws readers in?
SBB: Romance is definitely an established genre, and has been for decades, as evidenced by best-seller lists and sales numbers. Yet, it still has to fight to be taken seriously within the literary community. We have found that romance novels tick multiple boxes for readers: a guaranteed happy ending, allowing the reader to relax and enjoy the ride, an escape from real life, and then some extra spice, which really is the cherry on top.
With the boom in “BookTok” and “Bookstagram,” readers of this genre have found a place to openly talk about their love of these novels and to meet one another. The romance reader community is amazing and constantly surprises us with how thoughtful, supportive, and lovely they are. There is an extra level of connectivity through Instagram in particular, as readers can interact directly with their favourite author and get first access to an author’s news or book release information.
AH: While I appreciate this is a bit like naming your favourite child, do you have a favourite book (or author)?
SBB: You’re right, picking favourites like this is next to impossible. That being said, each of our staff has chosen their favourite author from the store. They are (in no particular order): Danielle L. Jensen, Elsie Silver, Sarah J. Maas, and Lyla Sage.
AH: Tell me about the importance of independent booksellers, like yourselves, to the publishing industry?
SBB: Indies like ourselves are hugely important. Perhaps we are biased, but being so close to the consumer and seeing the trends, talking about what they like and dislike, seeing what they pick up in the store, and what they gravitate towards really makes us feel like we have our finger on the pulse. Indies, of course, cannot generate the same sales volume that box stores/larger online retailers can, but they are a good mark of what the consumer wants and publishers do pay attention to that. We are also in the fortunate position of working closely with distributors like Raincoast here in Canada, who actually listen to their indie stores and value our input. It’s such a symbiotic relationship and we are lucky to have amazing reps in the industry who want us to succeed.
Indies, of course, cannot generate the same sales volume that box stores / larger online retailers can, but they are a good mark of what the consumer wants and publishers do pay attention to that.
We also try to bring in many independent authors’ titles to the store, which also highlights the importance of independent bookstores. Regardless of title discount, we aim to please the consumer. If they want a book and we can bring it in, we will.
AH: What do you recommend for a first-time romance reader?
SBB: We usually like to ease first-time readers into the genre by recommending two avenues of entry. Either fantasy with Sarah J. Maas, Carissa Broadbent or Danielle L. Jensen or the contemporary romance route with authors such as Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, Talia Hibbert, or Ali Hazelwood.
AH: What can authors do to support you?
SBB: Authors, both traditionally published and independent, can support us by:
Partnering with us for exclusive deals:
Arrange exclusive signed copies, special editions, or pre-order campaigns through independent bookstores to drive traffic our way.
Promote us:
Mention and tag us on social media when discussing your book. Encourage followers to purchase from independents instead of large online retailers.
Provide marketing support:
Share promotional materials, such as posters, bookmarks, or digital content with independent bookstores to help them market your book effectively.
Participate in "Shop Local" initiatives:
Engage in local or national campaigns that promote shopping at independent bookstores, such as Independent Bookstore Day (in April each year).
Slow Burn Books is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For ordering online, see the following link. For more information about Slow Burn Books, or their tropes search tool, click the following link.