As much as I love low prices and Amazon Prime 2-Day shipping, I hate what places like Amazon are doing to independent booksellers and even larger competitors. For that reason, I’d like to point out a number of Amazon alternatives. Most of these are still bigger than your average independent bookseller, but it’s a place to start. I’ll post more as I find them.

Some of the most pleasant online shopping experiences that I’ve ever had have come from smaller online retailers (places that aren’t yet household names). Break away from the Amazon habit just once. Even though I’m often guilty of heading to Amazon most of the time, I love browsing the sale sections on Powell’s (oops, I don’t have a picture for them), and I regularly place orders there, too. No one will ever recreate the small bookstore feel online, but they come pretty close.

Okay people, is it:

(a) Melissa Etheridge’s new girlfriend
(b) The lady who served me beer when I asked for water, last week at a remote highway cafe
(c) Sheryl Crow’s latest successor to the rock queen title
(d) Author Elizabeth Hand

Obviously, since you’re reading this here, it’s not a tough question. If this were another page, though…I’m willing to bet most of us would have a little trouble.

Anyway, aside from being one badass chick, Elizabeth Hand has written a number of books you should know about (if you don’t already). My favorites?

Generation Loss - It’s gritty and artistic, if you’re into that sort of thing. I can only hope that not all of her poor, tortured protagonist is coming from within.

Saffron and Brimstone - If you like short stories and you enjoy creeping, haunting fantasies, you will definitely enjoy at least a few of the stories in Saffron and Brimstone. I’ve never been able to relate with things like tattooing and neo-paganism, so that dampened my interest in a couple of them, but they’re well-written. Reading her words is not so very different from an afternoon escape spent exploring a dusty attic full of antiques - both familiar and novel at the same time.