Distribution is an aspect of publishing is something publishers typically handle. Which bookstores and libraries your book lands in, whether your book is featured on a table or lined on a bookshelf, and how many books are kept in stock are just some of the many factors that determine your book’s distribution and sales.
Bookstores and libraries cannot stock every book that is published in a year, so these negotiations are important for your book getting in front of readers. Whether you’re planning to traditionally or self publish, learning the intricacies of book distribution will arm you with the knowledge you need to make your book launch as successful as possible.
This panel is made up of local bookstores and the New Orleans Public Library to discuss the ins and outs of getting your book onto the shelves.
This event is free. No RSVP necessary.
The panel:
Rel Farrar: Adult Collection Development Librarian, New Orleans Public Library
Rel Farrar is the Adult Collection Development Librarian for New Orleans Public Library. She wrote and produced Out Of The Boil: A Climate Change Musical at The New Marigny Theater in October 2024. She enjoys drinking tea, travelling (both armchair and otherwise), talking to strangers, doing cartwheels (note: left handed lead only), and collecting baubles of dubious value for her "reliquary".
LeeAnna Callon: Blue Cypress Books
LeeAnna Callon is a Mississippi native but has called New Orleans home for over a decade. She has spent her life loving books and the past 15 years actually getting paid for it. Since 2012, she has managed Blue Cypress Books, a woman-owned, women-run, independent bookstore in New Orleans. In 2024 and 2025, Blue Cypress Books was voted Best Locally-Owned Bookstore by readers of The Gambit.
Mik Grantham: Lowpoint Books