What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?
The podcast studio
What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?
Farming While Black
If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?
The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin
Do you have a strange customer story?
Yes, someone called and asked if we had a restroom.
What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?
Nikole Hannah-Jones
What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?
That it’s easy and you’re just sitting around reading all day.
What is your least favorite bookstore task?
Cleaning toilets
Favorite part about working in a bookstore?
Being surrounded by books all day and having access to read them all.
Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?
Think and Grow Rich/ The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman.
D.J. Johnson is the owner of Baldwin and Co. in New Orleans.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
