Ali Brady on 'Battle of the Bookstores', Co-Writing, and Indie Bookstore Love

The Inspiration Behind 'Battle of the Bookstores'

• 💡 The novel is described as 'The Hating Game' meets 'You've Got Mail', featuring two rival bookstores, Happy Endings (romance-only) and Tabula Rasa (literary fiction), that are suddenly owned by the same person.
• 💖 The managers of these rival stores, unbeknownst to each other, have formed a sweet and vulnerable online friendship on an anonymous bookseller forum, leading to complications when their real-life rivalry intensifies.
• 📚 The authors drew inspiration for the authentic bookstore details from their friendships with booksellers, including Zibby herself, and from beta readers who were booksellers.

Celebrating Independent Bookstores

• 🌟 Booksellers are hailed as the unsung heroes of the publishing industry, trusted readers who hand-sell books and create community.
• 💖 The rise of romance-only bookstores is celebrated, noting that romance novels have always been the lifeblood of publishing and are now receiving more respect.
• 🏘️ Each independent bookstore has its own unique personality, quirks, and community, making them special and valuable.

The Co-Writing Process of Ali Brady

• ✍️ Ali Brady is the pen name for writing best friends Allison Hammer and Brady Godfrey, who have written four books together.
• 👯‍♀️ They each take ownership of a character and alternate writing chapters from their assigned character's point of view, then edit each other's work.
• 🤝 This intensive process ensures that both authors have touched every word on every page multiple times, leading to a strong, collaborative final draft.
• 🗣️ While they generally agree, disagreements do occur, but their love, trust, and respect for each other help them find solutions that strengthen the book.

Balancing Careers, Family, and Writing

• 💼 Both authors maintain full-time careers (advertising and physician) and have their own solo book projects.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Brady manages writing with four children, relying on a supportive partner and utilizing time when her children are older and more independent.
• 🤝 Their agents work together, creating more opportunities and a streamlined process for their joint projects.

Artists Against Anti-Semitism and Representation

• ✡️ Allison is a fearless leader of Artists Against Anti-Semitism, a 501c3 nonprofit formed after October 7th to support Jewish authors and combat anti-Semitism.
• 📖 The novel 'Battle of the Bookstores' features Jewish representation through the character Josie, with Brady having researched and learned about Jewish culture for the role.
• 🎭 The authors emphasize the importance of finding joy and escape through books, especially during difficult times, viewing their novel as a tonic and a respite.

Favorite Bookstores and Future Projects

• 📚 Favorite local bookstores include Volumes in Chicago, Park Books in Annapolis, and The Kings English in Salt Lake City.
• 🏆 A unique