I always encourage our authors to plan book signing events with independent bookstores rather than mega-chain booksellers. Indie bookstores have roots in their community and they know their customers. I have been a long supporter of local businesses and I hate to see family owned businesses close down. My long-term goal is to establish a marketing program with our authors which include indie bookstore only book tours. Too many publishers and authors are caught up in the idea that a successful marketing program focuses only on "chain store" events. Independent bookstores provide a personal touch which so many authors remember for years to come.

On a different note, Claddagh Ltd. Publishing House has added a new imprint, Scriptum Press as part of our expansion. Scriptum Press is for our line of Italian books. Caro Fantozzi by Tiziano Thomas Dossena is the first book we are releasing under this imprint. Caro Fantozzi is a wonderful collection of ten short stories in Italian, some fictional, some autobiographical, by an Italian journalist living in New York. The book also includes an award winning essay on the Italians in America (Gold medal, Premio Emigrazione). Dieci racconti, alcuni di fantasia, alcuni biografici, scritti da un giornalista italiano che vive a new York. Il libro include un saggio su gli Italiani in America che ha vinto la medaglia d'oro al Premio Emigrazione.