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James Patterson will donate $1 million to indie bookstores

Patterson says a bookstore will need to be 'viable' and have a kids' section to qualify for a donation.

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Wilfredo Lee/AP
James Patterson says he will donate $1 million to indie bookstores over the next 12 months.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

Author James Patterson is taking out his wallet when it comes to supporting independent bookstores.

Patterson recently announced he will be donating $1 million to indie bookstores over the next year. He had previously started a campaign titled “Who will save our books?” that consisted of ads with the text being posted all over the country. “But nothing changed,” he told the Wall Street Journal.

His $1 million donation plan was mentioned in the WSJ article, which ran Sept. 2, and the author discussed his plan further during an interview on "CBS This Morning” which ran yesterday. He said he will donate the sum to various locations over the next 12 months.

Co-host Norah O’Donnell asked him how the money will help.

“It’s going to start,” Patterson said. “It’s going to help. And it ranges from, ‘We have two people here who haven’t had a bonus in seven years,’ here’s some money. The only things we’re going to ask are: one, is it a viable bookstore, and secondly, do they have a children’s section?”

The author is behind many books for adults and children and his newest work, “Treasure Hunters,” was released yesterday. The book, which follows adventure-loving siblings who are searching for their parents, will reportedly be the first of a series.

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