The Best Bookstores Across The Bay Area

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If you’re someone who still values the environment of a bookstore, we’ve got the best for you. 

There’s nothing like the peace and quiet that comes with finding your new favorite book at a bookstore. Although the internet doesn’t require you to leave your own home, at a brick and mortar bookstore you can sit down and read the synopsis of several (usually with a freshly made coffee), meet your favorite author for a book signing, or meet people with the same interests when you find them in your favorite genre aisle. 

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best bookstores across San Francisco and the Bay Area here: 

Book Passage

1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
Open 10 AM- 5 PM Monday through Friday, 9 AM- 5 PM Saturday, 11 AM- 5 PM Sunday

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The “Bay Area’s Liveliest Bookstore” earned its name from hosting a broad spectrum of events every year. From children’s books to book groups and writer’s organizations, every reader or writer will find an event for them. 

The Booksmith

1727 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 
Open daily from 12-6 PM.

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This woman-owned bookstore is located in the historic Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco. They have many in-person, and now virtual, events you can attend, and their employees are bound to help you pick out your new favorite book. 

Sausalito Books by the Bay

100 Bay Street, Sausalito, CA 94965
Open daily Mon.– Fri. 11 AM – 7 PM, Sat. & Sun. 10 AM – 7 PM

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This bookstore, opened by a local resident, has an expansive section focusing on maritime and nautical reads. It also has a great selection of local authors. This bookstore is specially curated for the community, and its employees have over 30 years of experience.

Dog Eared Books

900 Valencia St. , San Francisco, CA 94110
Open Daily 10 AM- 10 PM.

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Dog Eared Books was established in 1992 and has been distributing many different genres, crowds, and puppy sightings ever since.  You’ll also find books from a lot of local Bay Area writers (like James Bostwick). 

The Henry Miller Library

48603 Highway One, Big Sur, CA 93920
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11-5 PM. 

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This memorial library opened in 1981. Not only can you read and buy books at this serene library, but you can also host or attend a private event. They feature Big Sur authors and have had performances from some of the most notable musical artists (Red Hot Chili Peppers and more). 

City Lights Bookstore

261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
Open Daily from 12-8 PM. 

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City Lights Bookstore was America’s first all paperback bookstore. It was established in 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, both poets. It now offers all kinds of books, genres, and events dedicated to the knowledge of art, history, music and more. 

Bell’s Books

536 Emerson St., Palo Alto, CA 94301
Open Daily 11 AM- 5 PM.

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Bell’s Books was established in 1935. It is a family-owned independent bookstore and has bay area residents raving about their rare book selection and signed copies. Bell’s Books has two stories of a wide variety of genres (everything including children’s books). 

Here are some great ways to support Acts of Omission AND your local bookstore!

  • Shop in-store.
  • Pre-order releases.
  • Purchase an audiobook through Libro.fm
  • Shop online through your local bookstore.
  • Buy gift cards.
  • Engage with your favorite bookstore on social media, and spread the word!

Two of James Bostwick’s favorite local bookstores are included on this list (Book Passage and Sausalito Books by the Bay)  so if you swing by, you could potentially run into him! Check out the bookstores on this list, or if you’re not from the Bay Area, take a trip to your local bookstore and purchase Acts of Omission in stores (or through the bookstores’ websites)!

Support Local Bookstores This Holiday Season

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This holiday season it’s more important than ever that we support our local independent bookstores.

Independent bookstores are not just stores, they are the anchor to a community where friends gather and out of towners come to visit. They spur ideas and creativity and range from quiet places where perusing is a day well spent to lively performance spaces.

There are many ways to support your local bookstore:

Shop Online: Use this handy bookstore finder from IndieBound.org to find a local bookstore to support. You can also shop online at Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that financially supports local, independent bookstores. Acts of Omission is available in paperback, and you can choose which independent bookstore you’d like to support.

Buy Gift Cards: You can’t go wrong buying a bookstore gift card for someone you care about! Call or go online and purchase gift cards from your local bookstore.

Enjoy Audiobooks through Libro.fm: One of the best ways to get audiobooks is through Libro.fm because each purchase directly supports an independent bookstore of your choice! And, of course, if you enjoy legal thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and courtroom drama, Acts of Omission is available as an audiobook!

Pre-order, Pre-order, Pre-order: Pre-ordering a book helps bookstores know what you want to read so that they can order it, have it in stock, and in your hot hands as soon as it’s released. When you pre-order, it also lets publishers know that there is a demand for an author’s work –  a win, win all around!

Engage with bookstores on Social Media: Follow independent bookstores on social media and sign up for their newsletters. Get updates on book releases, virtual events, giveaways, and more. Then recommend that others shop at their local store as well. Tag independent bookstores in your Instagram Story, share virtual events on Facebook and Twitter, and revisit bookstore events you’ve loved by sharing photos are all great ways to show your support.

Donate to Binc Foundation: The Book Industry Charitable Foundation helps booksellers impacted by financial emergencies and is currently helping booksellers affected by COVID-19. If you’re able to, consider donating to the foundation to support booksellers during this difficult time.

James Bostwick continues to support his favorite local San Francisco Bay Area indie bookstores Book Passage and Sausalito Books by the Bay, and thanks you for supporting yours!

Acts of Omission Libro.fm Audiobook Facebook Contest Winners

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Congratulations to the following Acts of Omissions Libro.fm audiobook winners:

  1. Pat Fayo – the top winner, also receiving the 12-month membership to Libro.fm
  2. Lisa Murray
  3. Cheryl Valdes
  4. Sandra Christine Lopez
  5. Marilyn Lauria
  6. Linda Holm
  7. Laurie Kereluk
  8. Linda Dreher
  9. Doreen Lamar
  10. Jean Frederickson

Make sure to check your emails for an email from actsofomissionbook@gmail.com. Message us on Facebook if you did not receive the email and we will send you the one-time use code.

Libro.fm is a site that makes it possible for you to purchase audiobooks from your local bookstore. You can purchase books à la carte if you are an occasional listener, or become a member at the same monthly cost as others and your first audiobook is free.

Enjoy listening to the legal thriller narrated by award-winner Roger Wayne!

When you are finished listening to (or reading) Acts of Omission, please leave a review at any of the following sites, as James Bostwick loves to hear from all the readers: AmazonAudible, and Goodreads.

For updates on the novel, giveaways, sequels, and more follow us on our social media channels Facebook and Instagram.

Ways to Support Your Local Bookstores on Independent Bookstore Day!

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To celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, August 29, 2020, James Bostwick, author of Acts of Omission, is sharing 6 Ways To Support Your Local Bookstore.

Independent bookstores are not just stores, they are the anchor to a community where friends gather and out of towners come to visit. They spur ideas and creativity and range from quiet places where perusing is a day well spent to lively performance spaces.

While Covid-19 has made it difficult for many local bookstores to keep their doors open, there are still simple ways you can support them:

Find Your Local Bookstores: There are over 2,300 independent bookstores across the U.S. and your local bookstores need support! If you don’t know where your local bookstore is located or want to explore new ones, use this handy bookstore finder from IndieBound.org.

Shop by Phone or Online: Most bookstores are standing by their phones, email, and online ready to help you find a book and take your order! They will either ship the books to you or most offer curbside pick-up. Some even have their doors open depending on the location. You can also shop online at Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that financially supports local, independent bookstores.

Enjoy Audiobooks through Libro.fm: Audiobooks are all the rage right now. Listening to an audiobook helps time fly while road tripping, walking, jogging, biking, washing dishes, cleaning the house, or simply relaxing. One of the best ways to get audiobooks is through Libro.fm because each purchase directly supports an independent bookstore of your choice! And, of course, if you enjoy legal thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and courtroom drama, Acts of Omission is now available as an audiobook!

Pre-order, Pre-order, Pre-order: Pre-ordering a book helps bookstores know what you want to read so that they can order it, have it in stock, and in your hot hands as soon as it’s released. When you pre-order, it also lets publishers know that there is a demand for an author’s work –  a win, win all around!

Buy Gift Cards: You can’t go wrong buying a bookstore gift card for someone you care about! Call or go online and purchase gift cards from your local bookstore.

Follow on Social Media: Stay in the know, get updates on book releases, author talks, giveaways, and more. Most have Facebook and Instagram, so start following your favorite local bookstores today!

To honor Independent Bookstore Day, author James Bostwick will be purchasing gift cards to some of his favorite local San Francisco Bay Area independent bookstores, including Book Passage, City Lights, Green Apple Books, and Sausalito Books by the Bay.

Be sure to follow Acts of Omission on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates.

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day – Acts of Omission Libro.fm Giveaway!

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CONTEST ENDED

Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday, August 29, 2020. To celebrate, author James Bostwick is giving away 10 Libro.fm codes for his legal thriller, Acts of Omission, as well as one year-long Libro.fm membership!

Libro.fm is a site that makes it possible for you to purchase audiobooks from your local bookstore. You can purchase books à la carte if you are an occasional listener, or become a member at the same monthly cost as others and your first audiobook is free.

Local, independent bookstores need our support, especially as our communities face the challenges associated with COVID-19. Celebrate your bookstore and all they bring to your community by signing up for our Independent Bookstore Day Giveaway!

Ten people will win the Libro.fm audiobook version of Acts of Omission and one of those lucky winners will receive a 12-month membership to Libro.fm. The membership also comes with an additional free book, so that will be 14 audiobooks total!

Click here to Enter The Giveaway Contest!!!!

Listen to a sample of Acts of Omission Audiobook here:

Contest ends on Friday, September 4th, 2020 and the winners will be announced on Monday, September 7th, 2020.

Acts of Omission Paperback Edition is Now Available

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The paperback edition of Acts of Omission is now available for purchase!

CONTEST ENDED

To celebrate the release, James Bostwick is giving away signed copies. Sign up here to win one of 5 signed paperback editions of Acts of Omission: Paperback Launch Giveaway. Winners will be drawn at random on Friday, June 26th.

acts_of_omission_sliderOrder your copy online today from a local bookstore on Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble or here on Amazon.com.

As a voracious reader of legal fiction, James Bostwick decided it was time to write his own novel, one that realistically depicts the difficult choices, high risk, ethical dilemmas, anguish and euphoria of everyday life for civil trial lawyers. Bostwick believes there are a lot of works that reinforce “ambulance chasing” stereotypes and present skewed or false views of the selection and preparation of trials, so after years of pondering writing a novel, he finally wrote Acts of Omission to correct that deficiency. The novel is loosely based on a San Francisco case Bostwick tried in 1984 when he went up against one of the country’s most famous attorneys to seek justice for a devastatingly injured teenager.

Acts of Omission is based in San Francisco, a city Bostwick adores and has lived and worked in for over 40 years. He took great pride in designing a book cover for his new novel that captures the essence of San Francisco. The book cover represents the spectacular sunset views of the Golden Gate from Crissy Field Beach and on the back of the cover, the bustling city streets shine through.

At its heart, this legal thriller is a soul-searching exploration of the meaning of friendship, love, and loyalty set in the maelstrom of a stunning courtroom battle. Fast paced, with surprises at every turn, this is a compelling page-turner filled with duplicity, sacrifice, heartache, and bare-knuckle legal brinksmanship. It is a searing tale of a legal system gone awry, where greed and power fight an unending battle against a young lawyer’s willingness to risk everything in his quest for justice.

See for yourself why this novel has sold out multiple times, received rave reviews, and a nomination for the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction. Buy your copy today!