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James Patterson Opens Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program for 2019 [4]
- By Liz Button [5]
Today, James Patterson announced his 2019 pledge to independent bookstore employees: a personal contribution of $250,000 as part of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program [6].
Patterson is partnering for the sixth year in a row with the American Booksellers Association to distribute the funds, which will be granted in amounts of $500 to 500 individual booksellers. New this year, a specific number of the bonuses will be set aside for children's booksellers. This year’s campaign will be open to all U.S. independent bookstore employees through October 12.
The grant application [6] asks one simple question: “Why does this bookseller deserve a holiday bonus?” Patterson will select winners from bookstores all across the country to receive bonuses this holiday season.
In 2018, Patterson gave $250,000 to bookstore employees and in 2017, he donated a record $350,000. In 2016, he gave out $250,000 to 149 independent bookstore employees across the country; and in 2015, $250,000 to 87 bookseller recipients. In 2014, Patterson awarded $1 million in grants to 178 independent bookstores.
Over the past decade, Patterson has also given away more than a million books to students all over the United States and visited hundreds of schools to advocate for youth literacy.