Alaskans eager for Sarah Palin book release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Sarah Palin's book is highly anticipated in her home state — but she's no Harry Potter.
David Cheezem, co-owner of Fireside Books in Palmer, said people have been calling to make sure they'll be able to get the former GOP vice presidential candidate's memoir, "Going Rogue." He's opening early with coffee and doughnuts to celebrate the Tuesday release.
"I'm excited about the event," he said. "Am I as excited as I was for Harry Potter? No. That was huge."
When the last three Potter books were released, the entire downtown area became a virtual Hogwarts, the boarding school for witches and wizards attended by the boy wizard. Merchants, including Cheezem, held trivia contests, and shoppers dressed up in character.
Palmer is adjacent to Wasilla, the hometown of Palin, who resigned as Alaska governor in July. Cheezem said he's hoping some of that regional connection spills over to people buying the book from his store — at the full $28.99 price. So far, 23 of his 100-book shipment are spoken for.
"People are not just buying the book for political affiliations," he said. "They're buying it because Sarah Palin grew up here and they know her children and they know her."
Other sellers are offering discounts on the 413-page book, with some national retailers marking the book at about $9.
Pandemonium Booksellers in Wasilla will knock off at least 20 percent, said storeowner Shannon Cullip. Her store has 100 copies available and has another 100 sold through pre-order, including 25 from just one customer.
But there are a few non-fans among the loving hometown crowd, too.
"It's always mixed," Cullip said. "People either love her or they hate her. They either would rather die than read her book or they can't wait to read it and they think everyone needs to read it, too."
The Borders store in Anchorage is slashing the price by 30 percent for general customers and 40 percent for members of its Borders rewards program.
Rob Jack, the store's sales manager, said "Going Rogue" will be the first thing customers see when they walk in the door. But he declined to discuss how many books are available or how fast they're selling, only that pre-orders are in the triple digits.
"It's an anticipated book all right," he said. "There's a buzz all right."
The same discounts apply at Borders' Waldenbooks store in Wasilla. The books are going briskly, with half of the 300 copies already claimed, according to employee Crystal Dietz. The store was getting more and more calls leading up to the release date, with some asking if any signings are scheduled for Palin, who is launching a national book tour this week. There's been no word yet on any Alaska appearances.
"A lot of people calling from out-of-state to order from us," Dietz said. "They want the book sent from Wasilla just, I guess, because she's from here and everyone wants to be a part of that."
At Gulliver's Books in Fairbanks, tins of candies packaged as "Sarah's Embarrassmints" are a hot item, far outselling Palin's book.
Store owner David Hollingsworth said he has received 10 pre-orders out of his 100 copies. It's nothing like the frenzy he saw for the 2,000 copies he ordered with the last installment of the Potter series.
The July 2007 release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" prompted two young sisters to wait in line outside his store for 11 days, living out in their parents' camper. Hollingsworth also had a midnight release for Potter fans but didn't plan to repeat those hours for "Going Rogue."
"Yes, it's a big deal, but we've had bigger deals," he said.
Coinciding with Palin's national book tour, the Alaska Democratic Party announced Monday it was launching a Web site to hold Palin accountable on some issues. It's called "Say nO to Sarah," or SOS.
"It's a response to all the calls we've gotten from outside of Alaska from people wanting to know what's fact and what's fiction regarding Sarah Palin's record," party spokesman Kevin Harun said.
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On the Net:
"Going Rogue": http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061939891/Going(underscore)Rogue/index.aspx
Alaska Democratic Party: http://www.sarahwatch.org/
