Lists

13 Authors Who Worked in Bookstores

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Jenn Northington

Director, Editorial Operations

Jenn Northington has worked in the publishing industry wearing various hats since 2004, including bookseller and events director, and is currently Director of Editorial Operations at Riot New Media Group. You can hear her on the SFF Yeah! podcast nerding out about sci-fi and fantasy. When she’s not working, she’s most likely gardening, running, or (obviously) reading. Find her on Tumblr at jennIRL and Instagram at iamjennIRL.

Did you know that both David Mitchell and Sarah Waters are former booksellers, according to The Guardian? If you’ve read Just Kids, you already know that Patti Smith used to work (and occasionally sleep) at Brentano’s. There’s a long tradition of booksellers writing their novels during their lunch breaks, and writers seeking out jobs in bookstores, and current publications are no exception. Here are 13 authors who have slung books for a living — some of whom still do!

Cover Collage for Bookseller Authors

Bonus round: here are four amazing authors who don’t just work in bookstores, they own them.

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