Boldly Going Where…

I’ve been so overwhelmed with amazing people in the last few weeks. In the last year, if I’m to be honest. But this last month has been a parade of intrepid individuals that are coming up with some pretty awesome plans of action to affect their future. I LOVE proactive people!

As an entrepreneur myself, it’s been my privilege to connect and support other small business mavens. I run a group on Facebook for a variety of craftspeople and entrepreneurs, and I am constantly seeking the company of other business minded people.

The last few days I have been interviewing (by the simple nature of our conversation) Kristan Cannon about her brand new business venture, Lone Wolf Bookstore.

As an author, I get completely googley about bookstores in general. But Lone Wolf is a brain child that was fostered and inspired by National Novel Writing Month and the Indie book market, both of which I actively participate in and support.

The part that I find impressive about Lone Wolf is that it’s starting out as an online store only (with plans to expand to a physical store front later).
Now I know, we have Amazon, the behemoth of the web. And Barnes & Noble have been wise enough to expand to the internet. And we have the handful of indie publishing sites that sell their own books.
But Lone Wolf is simple and completely a bookstore, it’s purpose to find and purvey great books, particularly from the independent market, and those that were birthed out of National Novel Writing Month.

Lone wolf exhibits the beauty of living the small business, entrepreneurial life with the classic, homey feel of unlocking your first storefront and flipping that open sign for the first time… except that it’s doing it via the World Wide Web. And Kristan is doing it without major umbrella sites like Etsy or Ebay. She clicked the open sign on her very own corner of the internet and is ready to welcome book lovers through the door.

As both a traditionalist and a sci-fi and technology fanatic, I cannot stop raving about how beautiful this is.

”When I say books are my life, I mean it,”
On top of opening a bookstore, Kristan is a fellow author, as well as an active board member at KCE Editions, a non-profit cooperative publishing house made by authors for authors. She’s an active voice in the NaNoWriMo community, and the Indie Writer’s Network. She’s a staunch supporter of literacy, reading and young writer’s programs.

“For now my plan is to start with being an online dealer of New, Used and Rare books,” says Kristan about her new store, “to, and from, anywhere there is a trade agreement in place with Canada (I'm Canadian) and get it to support itself.”

Future plans include a bookstore/café storefront in Ontario, Canada, where you can come in an enjoy a nice coffee or tea while perusing the best of Indie publishing and NaNoWriMo masterpieces.

Congratulations on your new store, Kristan. I wish you the very best in your enterprises!