James Patterson Gives $500 Bonuses To Workers At 9 CT Bookshops

CONNECTICUT — Author James Patterson is giving a bit of holiday cheer to 600 independent bookstore workers from around the country through his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.

He pledged a personal contribution of $300,000 to be distributed in amounts of $500 to booksellers from American Bookseller Association (ABA) stores, according to the ABA's website. Nine Connecticut booksellers from around the state will receive the award.

Patterson tweeted: "I’ve said this before, but I can’t say it enough—booksellers save lives. What they do is crucial, especially right now. I’m happy to be able to acknowledge them and their hard work this holiday season."

Booksellers had the option of nominating themselves for the program, or they could be nominated by employees, managers, bookstore customers, publishing professionals, and others.

“We all continue to be awed by, and grateful for, Mr. Patterson’s continuing support of independent booksellers,” Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, said in an Associated Press story. “It means so much to have him recognize the valuable role booksellers play in the industry and we appreciate his financial generosity as well as his generosity of spirit.”

Patterson is "the most popular storyteller of our time," according to his bio. He is the creator of characters and series including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Effing Smith, and Maximum Ride. Patterson has given $2.1 million to independent bookstores and employees, and donated more than 1 million books to children at under-resourced schools.

Here are the Connecticut booksellers that received the award from Patterson:

• Douglas Riggs, Mystic, CT, Bank Square Books
• Jack Dutt, Bethel, CT, Byrd's Books
• Diane Garrett, Greenwich, CT, Diane's Books of Greenwich
• Polly Stott, Washington Depot, CT, Hickory Stick Bookshop
• Jill Sweet, Madison, CT, R.J. Julia Booksellers
• Meghan Hayden, Glastonbury, CT, River Bend Bookshop
• Audrey Beaty, West Hartford, CT, River Bend Bookshop (West Hartford)
• Michelle Cammarota-Smith, Danbury, CT, The BookSmiths Shoppe
• Emily Gilbow, Kent, CT, Vroman's Bookstore

The full list of recipients is available here.