HometownReads.com Surpasses 100 U.S. Locations

With an estimated 48+ million books in print and digital available on Amazon, it's a daunting task for most authors to be found - and book lovers to find new authors.

That's where HometownReads.com has filled the gap for the past two years.

The brainchild of avid reader and entrepreneur Becky Robinson, HometownReads.com was launched in January 2016 to connect book lovers with authors in their hometowns. As of today, HometownReads.com represents authors in 109 locations, with Durham, N.C. being the latest, featuring more than 2,700 authors and more than 5,200 books in 39 genres.

"You don't need to be a New York Times best-selling author to write a story that stirs your imagination, or motivates you to make a better life," Robinson said. "There are countless talented writers and storytellers across the country who deserve to be read."

Robinson said the popular "shop local" movement is one of the key reasons HometownReads.com has seen such tremendous growth in a brief time.

"HometownReads.com creates community within the book universe. It is a way to harness the power of online connections to connect authors, readers, and bookstores within the same zip code," she explained.

Corrales, New Mexico, is a prime example of how you don't need a large, metropolitan area to have an active arts community, Robinson said.

Corrales author Jim Tritten said the HometownReads.com platform is invaluable.

"HometownReads.com provided an excellent mechanism to attract authors in our village of Corrales, New Mexico. As a national program, and an alternative to affiliating with a nearby big city, Hometown Reads is an ideal platform for authors to bond, mentor new writers, and attract local readers who support the arts," he said.

Robinson said the connections that HometownReads.com has created has mobilized authors like Tritten. Authors across the U.S. have told her and her team how they've worked together to approach local bookstores and libraries and encourage them to stock more books by local authors and organize events that support the reading and business community.

HometownReads.com, launched in early 2016, is a startup division of Weaving Influence, a boutique digital and public relations firm that specializes in serving authors with comprehensive book marketing services. In addition to its custom book marketing services, Weaving Influence developed a do-it-yourself, book-marketing course called Book Marketing Action Guide.

Find more at http://www.weavinginfluence.com, and follow Hometown Reads on Twitter and Facebook for more news.

Note to Editor: We have quotes and comments from authors in many of the 100+ HometownReads.com locations. We can send them to you (we have their approval), or we can connect you with an author or two in your coverage area. To do so, contact Kristin Elliott: kristin@hometownreads.com.

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