Author James Patterson, of "Alex Cross" and "Maximum Ride" fame, announced the recipients of his annual Holiday Bookstore Bonus. Among booksellers receiving the money are six from Idaho:
- Katelyn Fouch, BookPeople of Moscow, Moscow
- Nichole Stanton, Hares and Hatters Bookshop, Pocatello
- Hanna Fischer, Rediscovered Books, Boise
- Cristina Houston, The Lit Room, Garden City
- Melissa DeMotte, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene
- Shauna Holyoak, Winnie & Mo's Bookshop, Idaho Falls
Patterson personally contributed $300,000, which was distributed in amounts of $500. He has been giving the holiday bonuses ranging from $500 to $5,000 to employees of independent bookstores since 2015, according to his website.
In a post on Instagram, Patterson said he loves what they do and enjoys being able to help a little over the holidays.
"One of the great things about this particular project is every year after Christmas, I get back notes from almost everybody that we gave gifts to," said Patterson in the video. "They're so cool and so heartfelt and tender and charming and witty and funny."
The Lit Room, which is located inside Oldspeak Book Bar, also posted on Instagram that the bonus is one small way they can say thank you to Cristina Houston for her hard work and curated space.
You can see the full list of recipients here.
