A Tale of Two Bookstores: Farley’s and Canterbury Tales Forever

Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope, PA, and Canterbury Tales Forever in Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA are two cozy and amazing indie bookstores worth all of our attention and support.

For the past 7 months, my buds and I at the Philly Liars Club have been on our “Truth Tour,” throwing parties for independent bookstores, and spreading the word about why it’s important to shop at indie stores first. Our Truth Tour parties have been fun and festive, featuring most of our 13 Liars Club authors.  But what about cozy bookstores who can’t fit all of us at once? This calls for a Two-Timing Liars party, of course!

So, on Saturday, December 12^th, a bunch of two-timing liars takes over Farley’s Bookshop and Canterbury Tales Forever. We’ll be simultaneously throwing a festive book signing party at the two bookstores in one day.  From 11 a.m. straight through to 7 p.m. on that day, visitors will find two of these low-down liars at both indies signing their novels, giving away holiday goodies, and spreading excitement about shopping in our local independent bookstores.

Liars shuttling between the two stores that day include: New York Times bestseller L.A. Banks (Thirteenth, St. Martin’s), Bram Stoker award winner Jonathan Maberry (Patient Zero, St. Martin’s), fantasy author Gregory Frost (Shadowbridge, and Lord Tophet, Del Rey/Random House), young adult author Marie Lamba…me…(What I Meant…, Random House), contemporary novelist Kelly Simmons (Standing Still, Washington Square Press/Simon and Schuster), debut crime novelist Dennis Tafoya (Dope Thief, St. Martin’s), historical author Keith Strunk (Prallsville Mills and Stockton, Arcadia Publishing Images of America Series), mystery author Merry Jones (The Borrowed and Blue Murders, Minotaur Books), and social media marketing consultant, writer and lecturer Don Lafferty.

Books by all of the authors will be on sale at both locations throughout the day, and for every three Philly Liars Club books purchased, customers will get a free Philly Liars Club book bag.

The Philly Liars Club authors have deep ties to the local area.  Besides living nearby, many of their books also take place in the vicinity.  My novel, What I Meant… takes place in Doylestown, as does Tafoya’s amazing debut Dope Thief. Strunk’s Prallsville Mills and Stockton taps into the history of the river town, and Jones’ The Borrowed and Blue Murders, as well as the other mysteries in her series, all take place in Philadelphia.

With so many authors shuttling between the two bookstores, breathlessly spreading holiday cheer and passing out goodies, the Two-Timing Liar’s event will definitely be zany and fun. But there is also a serious side to this event. “As authors with local connections, we want to make sure that people in the area connect with their local independent booksellers,” says author Keith Strunk. “The big chain bookstores and online retailers have been squeezing out all the wonderful indie bookstores across the country, forcing many out of business completely.  This year, we want to remind everyone to come to your indie first when you do your holiday shopping. You’ll be amazed at what you find there.”

“Booklovers take note,” says author Dennis Tafoya. “Folks who haven’t been to Canterbury Tales Forever in a while will be stunned by what they find.” The store, under new management since last February, now stocks three times as many books as they had before. “The shelves are loaded with local history, local ghost stories, and local travel books, along with a huge selection of great fiction and non-fiction in all categories,” Tafoya says. “Plus there are tons of new releases, many at discounts ranging from 20-40%. Truly this has become an amazing place for browsing and shopping.”

Canterbury Tales Forever is a big supporter of local authors. They are open to any author coming and doing a signing here, no matter who publishes them. Just try to get that sort of support at your big chain bookstore! This is truly the kind of bookstore that we all want to thrive.

Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope has been an important part of the surrounding community since it opened in the 1960s. The store is owned by book-lovers James and Nancy Farley, and folks who helped the store start up include Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers of PBS fame) and James Michener.  Today, Farley’s exudes the feel of an old-time bookshop.  “This store has everything,” says author Kelly Simmons. She points out that Farley’s has the title selections that those big box stores do, and that their children’s section is unrivaled.  “But Farley’s also has a charm that those big stores definitely do not.  Plus its staff is so approachable and knowledgeable about books. And then there’s the store cat, Butter. You have to love a bookstore with its own cat.”

Farley’s services also rival those found in those big chains.  Folks can order any book, including those that are out-of-print or from a small press, by phone or on-line, and these orders can be shipped, or picked up in the store. The bookshop provides gift certificates for undecided holiday shoppers, and there is even a frequent buyer club, rewarding participants with a $30 coupon for every $300 spent.

“This store is a gem,” says author Jonathan Maberry, who urges people to think of independent bookstores first before going to that online retailer or chain store. “By shopping at independents for your holiday purchases, you’ll help ensure that unique stores like Farley’s Bookshop and Canterbury Tales Forever will be here for us for years to come. We need them. We hope everyone feels the same and joins us at our Two-Timing Liars celebration. It’s going to be a great time – honest!”

For more information, or to reserve a copy of an author’s book before the event, call Farley’s at 215-862-2452, or Canterbury Tales Forever at 215-794-8719.