Susie Rich was raised in Cincinnati Ohio, and has spent her career working in the social work/homelessness prevention field. Several years ago she began to pursue her passion for writing; she has published ‘Beauties, The Eye Of The Beholder’ in an Ohio magazine. She has written a number of short stories and is working on a current novel as well as a graphic novel. She currently resides near Boston, Massachusetts with her husband. A profile of Susie appeared in the Gloucester Times https://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/local_news/susies-stories-is-all-about-childrens-literature/article_ead279cb-bda7-5658-8e58-fe239c1396c0.html
Susie's Stories Purpose:
To educate and entertain, promoting a positive image of self-esteem, confidence and the importance of community to both young readers and adults. Susie’s Stories will encourage a positive attitude toward problem solving through storytelling, and will also focus on understanding and preparing for extreme weather events. My purpose is to keep children and families safe; before, during and after extreme weather events.
We’d love to hear a little more about the history of your bookstore.
It's a great story. My husband and I were invited to a meeting for a non-profit group for whom he was a board member, and the individual was at her summer home in Rockport. I had never been to Rockport and my husband convinced me that it would be a very nice scenic ride. Once there I was impressed by a tour given to us by the host and went back a few weeks later to explore further. I came across two shops for rent and my curiosity got the better of me and I called the number on the sign which was quickly answered by the new owner. I casually ask the rental amount with no intention of starting a business. The owner asked what I intended to do with the shop because they try not to have duplicate vendors. Even though I was caught off guard by the question, to my surprise I came up an immediate answer and told her that I am an author; how about a children's bookstore? The owner was very interested and noted that Rockport did not have a children's bookstore, and it has taken off from there.
Do you have a mystery section, a local or New England section?
We do not currently have a designated mystery section, but we do have some mystery and suspense books featured. We do have a section where we proudly feature New England based local authors.
How would you describe your customers? What do they like to read?
Rockport is basically two worlds. As a summer tourist destination many of our customers are national and international and are fascinated by many different genres. A lot of them look for books about the area and beach reads. The locals love, mystery, fiction, and adventure stories.
How has the book selling business changed for you in the past few years? How are you operating during the pandemic?
We are going into our third season and our online store has been gaining momentum. We are following all safety protocols and walk in customers are very cooperative regarding following these guidelines, so we work hard to stay up and running. For half of our store's lifetime, we've been dealing with the pandemic so in a sense it's been easier for us to adapt.
What are the greatest challenges or areas of growth you see in the future?
We worry about the impact of reading development on young readers during the pandemic, and how they will be affected by all the virtual school time that they are dealing with. We also wonder how the shopping habits of readers of all ages will change once the pandemic is over. We need to find ways to stay unique and inviting.
Many of our members are NE mystery authors. What advice do you have for them to reach readers?
As an author who wants to make sure my voice is heard I have learned to participate in social media. On Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram I will give encouragement to other writers. It's a way to become a part of a large community of writers. I also seek out writing communities and opportunities for submissions or promotions of my work. Engage at your comfort level so that you are not a mystery.
Other comments?
Thank you for this opportunity to share and I encourage your members to write, write, write. Nothing is more gratifying than to bring to life what is in one's imagination. There is a large community to which writers of all levels can reach out. I believe the world benefits from our combined talent.
Visit Susie’s Stories at 51 Bearskin Neck, Rockport, MA or the online store at https://susiesstories-107442.square.site/
Susie’s Stories Rockport MA
Phone: 508-233-8418
https://susiesstories.com/
Thanks to Tilia Jacobs whose recent zoom panel on Black-owned establishments featured Susie’s Stories.
by Frances McNamara
Author of the Emily Cabot Mysteries
francesmcnamara.com