Interview with Bookstore Owner: Amanda Anderson

The romance bookshop that feels like home.

We sit down with Amanda Anderson, the owner of The Last Chapter Bookshop in Chicago, to talk about what it truly looks like to build a modern independent bookstore that’s equal parts retail, event venue, and community home for romance readers.

Amanda shares her path from corporate sports business to entrepreneurship, why she started The Last Chapter Bookshop as an online bookstore first, and how book boxes, preorder campaigns, signed books, and merchandise helped her prove demand before opening a brick-and-mortar space. 

Then we get into the fun stuff that romance readers search for: what subgenres are flying off the shelves, how she decides which indie romance authors to champion, and why big releases can spark waves of demand. 

If you love romance novels, Chicago bookstores, author signings, and the behind-the-scenes of small business ownership, press play, then subscribe, share the show with a fellow reader, and leave a review with your go-to romance trope.

Follow The Bookshop on IG: @thelastchapterchi  and follow Amanda on IG: @xoxoaanderson

Bookshop Website: https://thelastchapterbookshop.com/

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Transcript

Meet Chicago’s Romance Only Bookshop

Jordan 0:00

She's the owner of a romance-only bookstore, the last chapter bookshop. But it's so much more than just a place to buy books. It's a community-driven hub where romance readers can connect, gush over their favorite tropes, and feel completely at home. If you're a romance lover in the Chicago area, this is the spot you need on your radar. Warm, welcoming, and full of heart. Once you walk in, you may never want to leave. Please welcome to the podcast the woman behind it all, Amanda Anderson. Hey, hi. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

Amanda Anderson 0:34

Oh my gosh, no, it's such an honor. I'm so excited to chat with you.

Jordan 0:38

I am so excited to chat with you because I honestly think it's so cool that you are literally the owner of a bookstore. Like, how freaking cool is that? I think it's cool.

Amanda Anderson 0:50

Thank you. Honestly, it's like it feels so surreal to me even after doing this for five years. Like to say that this is my career and like what I do for a living. It's just like sometimes I'm like, this isn't real. Like it's such a pinch me like career that I have.

Jordan 1:05

I feel like it's like one of those things that people want to do it, but don't end up doing it, and you did it.

Amanda Anderson 1:13

Yeah, yeah. Honestly, I I feel like I think people like romanticize a lot of like owning a bookstore and it's so much work. So I think that being able to be one of the very few people that says, like, I did do it, um, is is very empowering, honestly.

Jordan 1:31

As it should be, as it should be. Oh, okay. So before we dive into the episode, I do want to ask you what has been the highlight of your week so far.

Amanda Anderson 1:43

I just got back from the like such a great convention. So I did the Holiday with the Bells book convention this past weekend, and it was in Texas, so it was really nice to get out of

Convention Life And On Site Book Selling

Amanda Anderson 1:54

the Chicago cold for a few days. Um, but it's my first convention of the year. So I really like started out with a bang. It was so much fun. Um, just I think seeing readers and authors that I've known over the years and just like meeting new faces and like getting to talk about like the last chapter. Um, it was just such such a great experience. Like, I can't wait for the next one. Um, and yeah, just really started off my convention season with a bang.

Jordan 2:20

Are you doing more conventions? Is that like in the future?

Amanda Anderson 2:24

Yeah, I it's so funny because I always call it my travel season as if I'm like a baseball player or like an athlete. Um, but it's you know, I have a like a gap, I think, within the year that I do travel a lot for like different conventions and stuff. So this is my first one. I'm actually going to BookCon in April, which is huge. So I'm so excited to be doing that. And then I have Wild and Windy Chicago, I have Star of the North, and then Book Harvest.

Jordan 2:50

Oh my goodness, you have so many on the horizon. Yes. Okay, I now I don't know if you can like like say this, and I don't, and please feel free to be like, no, Jordan, you can't ask that question. But are you, because you're a a bookstore, are you the one supplying the books? Are you because I know you also sell merch, so are you going and selling your merch there? Like, what is your uh like presence at book conventions?

Amanda Anderson 3:20

Yeah, so uh I sell both. Um, for three, four of the conventions we're doing this year, we are the official bookseller on site, uh, which means that for any traditionally published authors or international authors or pretty much anyone who wants us to um have their books at our table, we're kind of like that hub for them. So usually when we have like traditionally published authors, they can't sell their own books. So the bookstore on site would be the one um that is selling the books. Um and then for something like BookCon, we'll have books, we'll have authors and stuff like that. But because it's such a huge convention, there isn't one set like bookseller for it.

Jordan 3:56

Okay. So are you like one of a few then? Or is it just kind of like you're you're there, but you're not really a bookseller there?

Amanda Anderson 4:06

Yeah, so I'm there, but I'm not so the event doesn't really have like a set official bookseller, it's just a bunch of different other like bookstores and vendors that are selling their products.

Jordan 4:16

That is so cool. And I'm like, I'm not going to BookCon, but I think it's so cool that it's like back because I kind of I feel like like during like the height of COVID, they shut down. And then I don't know if they ever really knew if they were coming back. So I when I saw, I believe it was some point last year, saw that they were coming back for this year, got so excited because I feel like it's like the convention.

Amanda Anderson 4:40

Yeah, it it is, and I think just like us being able to do it is such a career highlight because you know, everyone has business goals, and that was like one of my business goals was to do like a huge convention of this size. So kind of spoke that into fruition, honestly. Um, and I'm just so excited. Um, my team is so excited, like we're all just so excited to say that like we got selected for book hunt and we get to be there and be a part of all of the magic.

Jordan 5:07

Okay, so we will dive on into the questions now. So I have it broken up into three parts. I have it as being like a bookstore owner, and then I have reading and personal. So for the questions under bookstore owner, we'll just we'll just dive in. What made you take the leap to open a romance-only bookstore?

Amanda Anderson 5:26

My background, like corporate-wise, was I used to work in sports business. So I ran and did the marketing and programming for youth sports parks um around the US. So I I did that and I just kind of had a like a realization that this wasn't

Why She Opened A Romance Store

Amanda Anderson 5:43

like the career that I wanted to do full-time. Um, and I moved back home and I kind of had a talk with myself and my therapist. I I'm the type of person where I need to have a career that really fills up my cup. And at the core of it, I am so community focused. I, you know, I love bringing people together and creating those experiences. And romance books have truly saved my life. Like, I can't express like how much like I started reading when I was honestly way too young reading romance, and I just found so much like understanding and empathy and love in all different forms through romance books. And I always use the joke that I, when I retired, I wanted to open up a romance-only bookstore because I think that romance back when I opened didn't get the recognition it deserved, and I wanted to be a place that did give it that recognition. And life just kind of lifed for me, honestly. Um, I started my company in 2021. Uh, I was still working a corporate job at the time because I, you know, I wanted to figure it out. I was 26 at the time. So I wanted to figure out what it meant to be a business owner, what kind of business owner that I wanted to be. And yeah, it just happened that, you know, so many things kind of fell into place, so many things kind of fell out of place where I hit a point where I was like, I do want to just pursue this full time. And I gave myself a timeline that if by six months I wasn't where I wanted to be or where I needed the business to be, that I would go back to corporate, but still writing the bookstore full time. And I think the universe was just trying to give me a sign because it took off in ways I could have never imagined. Um, and then we opened up our storefront doors in 2023. So celebrating three years as an actual brick and mortar business is it's just exactly what I wanted it to be. And yeah, I think it was just a lot of needing to find love and needing to find a sense of community when I was so lost. And I always found that within romance.

Jordan 7:41

Okay, wait. So in 2021, were you just an online bookstore? What was the 2021 to 2023?

Amanda Anderson 7:49

Yeah. Yeah, so I was just online. So I did again, like I said, like did a bunch of different conventions and stuff. Um, we had a huge online presence, and we did book boxes, merchandising, um, pre-order campaigns, and all of that stuff with me knowing that my end goal was to open up a brick and mortar. And honestly, I'm so grateful that I started online first before diving into a brick and mortar. Um, because I think that I just learned so much through the online process that it just made opening up the brick and mortar uh just so much more of a stronger appearance.

Jordan 8:20

Okay, I can I can see that because I feel I feel like opening like the brick and mortar must be like in a like a feat of its own. And so I feel like you kind of had your foot in the door being an online bookstore first. So like that must have made it at least a little bit, I don't, I don't want to say easier because I know both of those are still very hard, but it it seemed to be like an the next step.

Amanda Anderson 8:44

Yeah, I think it gave me the confidence. I think that it gave me the confidence that I could do this. Um, and I think just with like my business, my background in business, like, you know, I think owning, not owning, but like operating and doing like marketing and programming, like even though it was sports, a lot of those skills were so transferable to you know what I'm doing with my bookstore. And then I worked as an indie romance author, a publicist for two years, two and a half years. So like also taking those skills and like putting that into the bookstore. I think that I think all my different career paths like really set me up for success in the role that I'm in now.

Jordan 9:20

Yes, a hundred percent. So then I wanna I wanna know how did you come up with the name of the bookstore, the last chapter bookshop?

Amanda Anderson 9:29

Yeah, so I always used to lie to people in my life because I am a huge reader. Like, I when I get super invested into a book, like I'm the type that will cancel plans. I like, you know, I would

From Online Hustle To Storefront

Amanda Anderson 9:43

be at the dinner table with my Kindle on my phone, not like reading because I just couldn't put this book down. So I always used to lie to people when they would be like, Well, how much longer do you have left in the book before we can leave? And I'll say, I'm just on the last chapter, I'm just on like the last chapter. And I would be on like chapter seven just to get a little bit more of reading time. And I, when I was coming up with the business name, I was like listing a bunch of different words and different things like that. And I remember on Thanksgiving, we were heading out to do something, and my mom asked, like, well, when are you gonna be done? Because like we have to leave, or like I need you to come join the family and actually be a part of Thanksgiving. And I said, Okay, okay, I'm on the last chapter of the book. And it just kind of like had an epiphany where I was like, this is what my store's name is meant to be. Like it just, it was, it was so it was so on brand for me. I think so many people can resonate what like the last chapter of a book does for them and like what the last book of a series and like just the completion of all that. Like, I think the last chapter means so many different things to people, but for me, it truly just meant it was just something that I used to tell the people in my life so that I got a little bit more reading time in.

Jordan 10:52

I love that, and I think like that's what's like just so fun about knowing like the names of the like the fact that you named like your bookstore something that you would always have said to people, but then you're right because it's like usually the last chapter is it's like so important to so many people for different reasons, so it's like they can all resonate with that name, and I I really I like that. I really like that.

Amanda Anderson 11:22

Thank you.

Jordan 11:24

Okay, so now kind of going into like the meat of having a bookstore. What is the most challenging part of having your own bookstore?

Amanda Anderson 11:39

I think just managing expectations sometimes, um, and trying to make sure that I am doing all that I can to be what the last chapter stands for. So I think that, you know, I always want to be able to provide

The Hard Parts Of Ownership

Amanda Anderson 11:54

great experiences and making sure that I'm supporting all the different um, you know, assets of the community and that I'm doing as much as I can for our pre-gird campaigns and our author, um, our author events, and that everything that we're doing really aligns with what I want the last chapter to be. Um, because there's you get hit with so many different things, right? And things that I in my wildest dreams could have never like imagined, I would have to think about. And I just have to constantly remember like what like what my missions and my values are. Um, and the expectations part is like making sure that I am stocking the books that readers want, that I'm providing that safe experience and providing that great experience like for readers, um, and also just for authors and publishers and everyone alike, because it it can get overwhelming sometimes to try to please everyone and to try to make sure that I'm providing such a good quality experience. Um, and that's kind of like internal to understand that like you can't please everyone, and sometimes that I may drop the ball, and that just like is what it is, and I have to accept that. Um, so I think like those are the most challenging parts of it. Um, and I think just dealing with just kind of like everyday like business owner stuff, like, you know, are my employees happy? Or, you know, are we doing what we can um, you know, to this event? Like, are we doing the reach out? Like, I think just a lot of, I guess I would say people management to sum it all up.

Jordan 13:20

I I get that that can I can see that being like a lot, just all under one hat too. And I don't know, because like I know I don't know about you personally, but I know a lot of people the they struggle with like passing off tasks because they're just like I can do it better. Like if I do it, I know it's getting done the way I want to. But uh being the owner of a bookstore, you can't necessarily do that. You need to know when to like hand things off, and yeah, that I can see that being tough.

Amanda Anderson 13:54

Yeah, it's super difficult. Um, because I, you know, I think that when you own a bookstore, you are the face of the bookstore, right? You're the face of the brand. So you want to make sure that you have your hands in everything to make sure that like it's exactly what you want it to be, because at the end of the day, like any mistakes or anything like that like do fall on me. Um, but it's incredibly difficult to try to run an entire business um by yourself and a lot of learning of what I can pass off, what I can't pass off, and you know, maybe where I need to be a little bit more hands-off um in certain processes.

Jordan 14:31

Also, to go back to what you were saying about stocking the books that the readers want, I I had a question, which is how do you decide which books to put on your shelves? Because there's so many books out there. So, how do you how do you decide which ones go on the shelves?

Amanda Anderson 14:53

Honestly, it's a lot of trial and error. I would say um, you know, I really have a strong emphasis in supporting like independently published like authors. So I, you know, I really try to make sure that I'm researching. Um, I listen to customer feedback a lot of like authors that they're loving or authors that, you know, like are really on the radar.

How She Chooses What To Stock

Amanda Anderson 15:14

Um, I am a huge reader of independently published authors. So a lot of books are like tried and true by me. Um, listening to my staff and just really like using like social media but also word of mouth of you know who's doing well and who would really fit for our store. Um, and like also fit at the time because we have waves of which subgenres are doing well. So like there is a wave of when fantasy is doing really well, when contemporary and when sports is doing really well. So, like also like predicting the waves of what is going to be hot and like popular at the time. Um, and then like for traditionally published authors, it's just how their publishers like pitch the book to us. Um, you know, like I know what's a good fit for my store. So if a publicist is like, hey, I have this book coming out, it's X, Y, and Z, it's this, this, and that, I have to say, okay, I know that's a great fit because I know my customers and I know what they're looking for.

Jordan 16:08

Oh, okay. So that's kind of nice. It's almost like the four traditionally published books. You have someone coming to you being like, I have these books. Like, do you want any of them? But then the independently published books, you need to go and find them and be like, okay, I want that one, I want that one, I want that one. Yes. Oh, okay. Which and then it we were kind of you kind of mentioned like subgenres. As of right now, do you see any subgenres that you can't seem to keep on the shelf because people keep buying them, or you see subgenres what like subgenres do you see people like gravitating towards?

Amanda Anderson 16:47

Hockey romance, I think, with the rise of heated rivalry and now the off-campus series launching in May. I think hockey romance, I mean, hockey romance has been tried and true for years within our store, but right now I think there's such a wave of it. Um, I would say so. Hockey romance, and then in fantasy, I would say very heavily romanticy. Um, you know, that enemies to lovers, that forbidden side of romanticy. Um, and then as far as contemporary, it's honestly a mix. Like, I think a lot of people want those very like lighthearted, you know, Emily Henry sort of uh contemporaries, and then some people want those contemporaries that just absolutely consume their souls.

Jordan 17:26

I'm curious because do you see like if okay, because I know I don't know if this is gonna make sense, and I don't, I like don't know. I'm just gonna say, okay, so like Liz Tom Forte's book just released. So do you see a rise in sports romances because her book released? So then, because I know you mentioned like hockey with heated rivalry and the off-campus series, but then I'm curious if like certain authors release books, then you see a rise in people wanting more of that.

Amanda Anderson 18:02

If that's yeah, I think it's absolutely so I think it's it's definitely a rise, but so for someone like Liz Tom Forty, since she writes across the board like all different sports, I think that people are wanting series that have different sports. So I think when like certain authors like write multiple sports, people want series that like have multiple sports, and then like when people like heated rivalry where it's all hockey, then readers only want that hockey romance. So um, like Liz Tom Fordy in her own league was absolutely fantastic, but we've had a lot of people that are like, I want a series like that that covers a bunch of different sports.

Jordan 18:42

And do you actually because now I'm so to be completely honest, I'm not a huge sports romance girly. It's not normally what I like gravitate towards, but I had like my best friend told me to read Mile High like years ago, and then maybe I only read it like just last year. But I think it is so cool with what Liz has done and the fact that she did include all the sports in a series, which I and funny enough, it's like a Chicago-based like area, so then it's all the sports that are around like Chicago, and I think it's so cool that she did that, where I feel like most of the time it is a series that follows the same sport, and it's usually the same players on the same sport and how they're like finding their person. But I really think it was cool that you got all these different like sports. Do you even know of any other series that have done something similar or authors that have done something similar?

Amanda Anderson 19:46

I can't think off the top of my head, but I also truly think that what Liz Tom Fordy created is otherworldly. I like I I think that series the reason it does so well and like the reason that it's so special is because yes, it's about sports, but it's found family. It's like it has all these other tropes that are so significant in it. Um that I think it really resonates with a lot of people. I think her, I mean, her writing, I I can't say enough good things about it because that series is so special to me, just like I know it is so special to other readers. And I think it's because she she covered multiple sports and she showed like how different the sports are, but like how also like similar they are with like the players and their thought process and things like that.

Jordan 20:41

That that is a good point because and I think I actually think you are a hundred percent accurate because I'm not a huge sports romance girly, but the sport isn't very prominent, like it's like almost like the side character, and it's more so like the characters and like what you're saying with the found family, like that makes so much more sense now. Probably why I like it.

Amanda Anderson 21:09

Yeah, and I think she weaved the sports aspect into it where it it does, like you said, it doesn't take over the story, but you know it's there.

Jordan 21:19

What does a typical day as a bookstore owner look like? And is there even such a thing as a typical day?

Amanda Anderson 21:27

I think the only thing that is typical about like owning a bookstore is the admin side of it. Like I will always have emails, like without a question, I will always have like emails that I have to answer and that I

A Real Day Behind The Counter

Amanda Anderson 21:40

have to plan. Um, but honestly, like every day really isn't the same. Like I have some days where I'm solely spent spending time like working on admin stuff, like emails, planning out events, working on graphics, like all of that. And then I have some days where that are very like storefront heavy where I'm you know I'm doing inventory, we're moving things. Around at the store. I'm doing basic like bookseller tasks. We're putting up decorations and stuff like that. Then I have days where it's very event heavy where I'm working the event. I'm going over, you know, the structure with our staff. We're working with the authors, publishers, you know, about the event, doing the book signing, the setup, the cleanup, and all of that. And then I have days where it's all three. And I, you know, you just kind of learn to rock it. I always get so many surprises that I'm like, hey, I didn't anticipate for this, but I'm gonna figure it out and we're gonna do the best that we can. Um, so I feel like it's I kind of wear so many different hats, but if I had to kind of like loop it in, I feel like I wear three very different hats.

Jordan 22:42

Can that be like stressful, especially if you're working these long days and you have these three different hats? If you group them, like you're saying, in three different hats, to switch two different hats in the same day?

Amanda Anderson 23:00

I I think it really took me a long time. Um, honestly, I I would say it probably took me about four years to figure out that balance and figure out how that works. Um, and I say that, but we may talk in six months and I may be like, hey, I have different hats now and things have changed. But I think it took me a long time to craft what it looks like. Um to and I think it's also too because you know, when you do what when you do what you love, it doesn't feel like work. So the past five years, I've never worked a nine to five. I've never only worked five days a week. Like I am constantly on. I work seven days a week. I'm like, I work 24 hours a day. So I think I have just become accustomed to it. Like I'm used to having to work a 15-hour day at the store. Um, but there's also days where I only maybe have to work like a four-hour day or like a six-hour day. So I've just I think become so accustomed to it that it doesn't really phase me anymore, if that makes sense.

Jordan 23:59

It's almost like it's your new normal, not that anything's normal, but it's like your new normal to like a work schedule. Yeah. Okay. Uh so what is something listeners might be surprised to learn about what goes behind the scenes of being a bookstore owner? I know it's kind of similar to what you gave, but yeah, more behind the scenes.

Amanda Anderson 24:25

I would say um, I think just like how utilitarian things are, like this is how an event works, these are the rules and stipulations, um, you know, like these are the the protocols and the procedures that we have to follow. Because I think on the consumer side, they see the fun of it and they see the end product, but they don't see like the step-by-step things that we have to have in place to bring that end product. And that um, you know, a lot of times when we have different rules and stipulations, it's for a reason. You know, like if we have to have extra security at event, that's for a reason. If the author can only sign like one or two books, like it's for a reason. So I think that that there's reasoning behind everything. Um, and as a consumer, you don't need to know why. You know, I think that our job, like my job as a bookstore owner, is to provide the experience. Like you don't need to know the 58 steps it took us to get there to give you that like experience.

Jordan 25:23

What is like the most fun or like the most exciting thing about being a bookstore owner or like what you do in a day-to-day, or on maybe just like once you've done or something?

Amanda Anderson 25:37

Honestly, I think it's just chatting with our customers. Like, I love the sense of community that we've built at the last chapter. Um, I I love getting to know people's lives and like just getting to be a part of their lives. That's maybe not so like business, it's more so like a friendship. Um, like there's days where I'm having an awful day and we would have an event at the store, and like customers don't realize that chatting with them and like just being able to be in their space and around them has turned my day completely around.

Jordan 26:09

What advice would you give someone who wants to open their own bookstore?

Amanda Anderson 26:14

Honestly, I would say make sure that you have the passion to do this for the next 50 plus years. Um, because I think owning a bookstore is very romanticized a lot, but at the end of the day, it is a business and passion can only take you so far. I think that like you have to be able to be passionate about something, but also be very business-minded about it. Um, and to carve your own path out. You know, I build the last chapter off of the, you know, the reason why the name exists. And I knew that at the core of it, I wanted to be a sense of community. I wanted to be a place that uplifts authors' voices, that um, you know, we're constantly providing like great experiences. So I think finding your like niche within the community and like what you want your business to be known for, maybe versus like, oh, well, this business does this and this business does this, but that may not align with who you are. Um, and a lot of betting on yourself that, you know, there there may be times that something doesn't work out, or there may be times, you know, like we just did a huge list Tom 40 event at Wrigley Field. Like, there's times where you have to make those big decisions and you have to be willing to basically bet on yourself and bet on the audience that you build. Um, and part of that is making sure you're building that audience, making sure you're building that customer base.

Jordan 27:33

That's so true. And I do want to like go back to like I feel like people do romanticize things. I know I do it myself, romanticizing things, but I like saw somewhere, it was probably on social media to be honest, but it was about this like couple who always wanted to open their own like coffee shop, and they finally did. And it's hard, like you're doing what you want to do, like even though you're doing what you want to do, and it's like your dream job, and you like were told that as long as you do your dream job, you never have to work a day in your life, but it's still like become it is a job, and it still becomes a job, and there's gonna be things that you don't love about that job, even though you still love the job. But I think we do get in our heads to romanticize things, and it's like, oh, it's all it is is like rainbows and butterflies and sunshine, and that might not be the case.

Amanda Anderson 28:30

Yeah, I get asked all the time, well, since you own a bookstore, you probably get to read all the time. I'm lucky if I'm reading 50 books a year, like truly. Like, I'm you know, there's so many books I have in my TBR that came out years ago, and I just haven't had like time to get back to it. And also, too, that sometimes you kind of hit like a book slump or you hit like a wall where because your life is you're constantly doing the business side of books, you forget that books bring pleasure and bring enjoyment. Um, which is why, like for me personally, like I don't set a reading schedule for myself. I don't really set a goal or anything. Um, I just let my mood determine what I'm reading because I think when I tell myself, well, I have to read this book and I have to read that, it feels like a job to me. And my job is already books.

Jordan 29:20

And so you don't want to add on more of a job that's books. Yeah. I get that, I totally get that. So I know you kind of already mentioned this, but do you host any events or signings at your bookstore? And was there an event or signing that really stuck with you? Are there any future ones you're really excited about? Just tell me more.

Amanda Anderson 29:43

Yeah. Um, so we host about 175 events um every year. Uh this year, I think we're definitely gonna surpass that a little bit, but we are very, very event driven. Um, I have absolutely loved that we get to do so many events um and that we're always finding like new ways and new events to bring to the table.

Author Events From Cozy To Wrigley

Amanda Anderson 30:04

Um, I would say to date, my career high has been hosting Liz Tom Fordy at Wrigley Field. That was, I think, beyond my wildest dream to dream event. I think that we were able to execute it very well. That not only Liz herself, but the publisher and our customers really responded well to that. Um, truly was like a career, um, like a career high for me. And we have so many events coming up that I'm very excited about. Um, we're hosting Megan Quinn, um, and she's in conversation with Brynn Weaver, which is gonna be really fun. And we actually are renting out the Wonder Museum for that, and we're gonna have candy vendors, we're gonna have like a professional photo booth set up. So I think that honestly, like doing the event at Wrigley gave me the power and like the confidence to do really big events now, um, which has been really fun. And that doesn't take away from our like, you know, our our smaller events. Like, I think I'm so blessed with the authors that we get to host and like different community events like our book Bedazzling Nights and uh like PowerPoint nights and like movie nights and stuff like that. Um, I'm also really looking forward to because I just really love connecting with our readers. And then um for Romance Bookstore Day this year, you're actually gonna be the first person that I'm talking about this with. Um, we are doing an entire blog party. So uh we yeah, we're doing an entire blog party for Romance Bookstore Day. That is just I'm so excited about that. We're gonna have different vendors and different authors, and we're getting our community super involved in it. So I'm so excited about that. I think that, you know, that is also gonna be a very much so career high for me, being able to do something like that in the city of Chicago.

Jordan 31:47

That is so cool. And now I'm so sad I don't live in Chicago. Nowhere close to Chicago because I want to go to these events. I think that's what is so cool about like romance books, and maybe just like books in general, but I feel like it's especially for romance books that you could be like, and I say this too with conferences like you could be the only person that goes to these sort of things, and it's a-okay, because everybody else there, you all have something in common, and you can just talk about books and romance books, and it will be like you went with like your best friend, and I think that is so cool and so special because all we just all love books and romance books specifically. So I just like I want my local bookstore to do stuff like that.

Amanda Anderson 32:43

Keep pushing for it, you never know, right?

Jordan 32:46

This is me telling them they should do it, except the only I mean, like more local bookstores are not romance solely, so I think it's like a different vibe, and the ones that I know are romance are kind of far away, which just doesn't make it like the easiest for traveling, but I would travel, I would do it. Yes, uh okay, so now we're into reading. What book made you fall in love with reading?

Amanda Anderson 33:15

I think when I was younger, it was definitely the summer I turned pretty series and the after series. Um, and there's a series I don't think this author has ever written anything else, but

Books That Shaped Her Reading Life

Amanda Anderson 33:28

it's called The Summer Boys by Haley Abbott. I again this, I don't, I try to truly don't think this author has like ever written anything else. I also don't even think you could get these books anywhere now, but I think those three series um really shaped my love for reading.

Jordan 33:46

Okay. I mean, I do like the summer I turned pretty show, but I never read the books.

Amanda Anderson 33:52

Oh man, the books like I think those books specifically got me through a really tough time in my life. And I just remember like reading that series and feeling so seen as a like as a person and just so hopeful that like what I was going through at the time I would be able to overcome.

Jordan 34:11

I love when books like do that because like I feel like I have a couple too. Did you ever read the Seabree series?

Amanda Anderson 34:20

I haven't read her Seabree series, but I read um gosh, whatever her sports series is. I think that came out a little bit later.

Jordan 34:29

I don't know that series, but this series is like what really made me like fall in love with like romance books, like reading all the people in that series, but I don't I don't love any of her other books. So um, okay. If you could live in a fictional world, which one would you choose to live in and why?

Amanda Anderson 34:51

Honestly, the Windy City series by Liz Collin for D. That would be a good one. Yeah, and I live in Chicago already, so I feel like that's why it just gives me such a sense of home. But I I think just like what the characters have, like within sports and without a sports, like that's the type of love that I strive to find in life, like with a partner, but also outside of a partner. Like the found family in that is just like I would I would kill to be a part of that friend group.

Jordan 35:23

Oh, same. I love that whole friend group so much, and I agree. I think uh I just love like the whole found family. Like, I really wish I had like that kind of group myself. I also love Ryan Shea, and if I could have him in like actual form, we just won't tell my husband that cute.

Amanda Anderson 35:46

Well, and Ryan Shea reminds me so much of my younger brother. So I remember reading it, and it's just like so many attributes of like who he is and like his quiet type of love, is very much so how my brother is. So reading his sex scenes was a bit weird for me, but it just yeah, like I I think that, and then um, if you've ever read The Boys of Avix U by Megan Brandy series, like it's so much so the same vibes and the same feelings of that found family, and you know, like love after loss, and you know, finding your person. So, and I would just love to live in both of those worlds, honestly.

Jordan 36:21

And it's like better than a fantasy where I'd probably die within like 24 hours if I get that long. So, what is one underrated author, or wait, who is an underrated author that you think everyone should read?

Amanda Anderson 36:38

I have a few, so I think Shonora Williams, um, Elizabeth Deer, um oh my gosh, Jay Bree and I like Jay Bree. I know, I know Jaybree. I love her. Uh Jay Bree and if I had to pick one more, I would say Siobhan Davis.

Jordan 37:02

Okay. Now, if I didn't ask this, so if you don't have titles, that's okay. But do you have uh books that you would recommend people read by these authors?

Amanda Anderson 37:16

Yes, for Shonora Williams, I would say Beautifully Broken Love. Um, for Elizabeth Deere, I would say The Clash of Claws, or Jay Bree, the Hannaford Prep Series, or Siobhan Davis, The Saint Hood Series.

Jordan 37:31

What is one book? So this is different than the one that you've how helped you fall in love with reading. What is one book that you would recommend to anyone and everyone?

Amanda Anderson 37:43

Say You Swear by Meg and Brandy.

Jordan 37:46

I love that book too.

Amanda Anderson 37:48

That book truly made me believe in love again. I I like I remember reading that for the first time when it was indie published, and I had to call off work the next day because I was so emotional, and I just really needed to sit with that book and sit with its feel like my feelings around it, like to the point where I couldn't reread it for years because it it just it just truly spoke to a part of my soul. Um, and honestly, in her own league now, like I know it just came out by Liz Tom Fordy, but I think that both of those books speak to my soul in such similar ways. Like, I think Say You Swear was like my book when I was in my 20s, and now that I'm in my 30s, I feel like in her own league gives me the same exact feelings that Say You Swear gave me.

Jordan 38:36

I loved Say You Swear, I loved Ro uh Noah, and I just I don't even remember the female main character's name. I just remember loving Noah.

Amanda Anderson 38:44

Ariana.

Jordan 38:46

Yes, and then I'm currently reading in her own league, and I'm loving Reese so much. And I love because I feel like too, I and I'm sure like now that you're it you're also in your 30s, a lot of these books are characters in their 20s, or at least the female main characters in their 20s, and then like the male main character can be in his 30s, maybe like late 20s, and sometimes there's a reverse age gap, but like that's like very seldom. But I think it is so cool. Like I love finding when the female main character is closer to my age, so like having Reese, I just I love it. She's such a boss, yeah, and she's like older.

Amanda Anderson 39:33

And I love that. Yeah, I really I really resonated with her. I think being a business owner and having worked in sports where a lot of men didn't respect me for the role that I was in. Um, and I think also too, like to an extent, like having to come to terms with like maybe being okay with like not ever having a like a long-term partner and stuff in life. Like, I I think I just like I really resonated with so many facets of her. Um, like that I caught myself choking up a lot of the time where I was like, I have felt that way before, or like I remember when I went through something so similar to that. Um, which is yeah, she just like I really, really resonated with her um to the point where I'm like, I kind of just want to keep rereading that book for the rest of the year.

Jordan 40:22

Fair. I I do I'm not sure if you're like an audiobook girly, but I love audiobooks, and I have to say, I really, really like the audiobook of in her own. Yes, it's so good. So so good, but I do I'm curious if you have the same thoughts, and if you don't, I'm so sorry. The only thing that kind of gives me the ick is the male main character when he tries to talk in Max's voice, or when he talks in Max's voice. Oh, yes, it's cringe, it is cringe.

Amanda Anderson 40:53

I will say though, I think any audiobook where they try to talk in a child's voice, it just like it's one of those things that you just have to accept. You're like, listen, I know you're not a child, so you can't you can't talk in a child's voice, right?

Jordan 41:08

But sometimes I'm just like, oh boy, but like I fair, fair, but I do think there are some narrators that are a little bit better at it than others.

Amanda Anderson 41:21

But like I do think he was the perfect voice for Monty though.

Jordan 41:25

Yes, I completely agree because when he's not talking in Max's voice, I'm like, yes, I'm here for it. I love it. Go on, but then yeah, Max comes on and I'm like, oh geez, no, please stop. Yes. Okay, so last question in reading. So I hear you're also a huge fan of heated rivalry, same here, and I want to talk about it. So have you read the series, seen the show?

Amanda Anderson 41:56

So I've seen the show. Um reading the series is next on my list. Um, but again, like I just said, I don't really like to make like a firm

Heated Rivalry Fandom And Screen Adaptations

Amanda Anderson 42:05

list. So I feel like it's one of those that I will definitely get around to this year. Um, I just don't know when.

Jordan 42:12

Uh totally understandable because I also haven't read the seer like the series yet either, but I am completely and utterly obsessed with the show. I also like for the series too, I'm a slowburn girly at heart. So when I think it was like the prologue or the first chapter and it dived right in, I was like, okay, I don't love this, but I I was here for the show of it. Like when they just like kind of like dived in and I but also like my the and I don't know about you, but like my last like the last two episodes were a hundred percent my favorite episodes of like the whole show.

Amanda Anderson 42:52

And oh yeah, the club scene, the club scene, like uh, I think that's episode four, gets me every time, and then like leaving the club scene like into episodes like five and six, just uh my heart. Like, I the cottage scene and with them in Miami, like playing on the same team, and like Shane in the hospital, it was just so beautiful.

Jordan 43:18

It honestly, it so was, and you can tell, like it was just like done so perfectly, too, that I don't know if another show can compete, like can compete with it. I feel I fear oh no that it won't happen. So that's why I'm like so excited for season two, which I believe it's set for next year. Like, I think they're recording filming, filming filming this year, and it's set for like I want to say like April of next year.

Amanda Anderson 43:51

I will be feral for season two because I honestly I rewatch Heated Rivalry like every few weeks. Just because it's such a comfort show, or like if I'm doing laundry or washing dishes, I'm like, let me just put it on like a something like entertainment. I am just gonna be absolutely feral. I think it's such a beautiful represent representation of queer love and the pining and the slowburn and like what athletes that were queer were going through at that time, and just like it was just so beautiful, like so well done. The character development was like absolutely insane. Um, I just oh I love it so much.

Jordan 44:30

Same. I also think they cast it perfectly for like those two, like Ilya and Shane. Like they those, like, is it like Hunter and Connor? I think I think so. I think those are their names. I think they were like the perfect like people to play those roles. And I think it's so funny because I believe they had Shane first. And I don't know if you saw this, but I I think they were down to two different people for Ilya. And basically, I I want to say it was the director, and he was like, like Hunt Hunter, who who do you think should play Connor? Like who out of these two people, who do you think? And he's like, Well, I think it should be or yeah, who should play Ilya? You know what I mean. Um, and he was like, it should be Connor because I know he could throw me up against the wall and like fuck me.

Amanda Anderson 45:21

And I was like, Yes, yes, also I think chemistry tests had to have been so in like literally release the chemistry test because just the way that they are in real life and in the show, I know that the chemistry test was just off the charts.

Jordan 45:39

Like a hundred percent. They just like I also I think that's what I love about the show even more is the fact that they are so close in real life, just that they are best friends, and like you can see how they interact at different things at like different events and stuff, and I just love that. And I don't know, like it's just such a like also feel good show. I sorry, also going back to the show, like I love how they threw in game changers for that like third episode, and I love what they did for that, which I think it was done very well because you you needed their story and you needed what they did and went through and what happened. I mean, the title literally gives away they like are game changers for like the whole series, so you need their point of view, and you need to know what happened and what they did and went through to get like Ilya and Shane's yeah, like story.

Amanda Anderson 46:42

Yeah, I think it wouldn't have made sense without us having their story.

Jordan 46:47

I completely agree with you, and I just I love it so much, and I can't wait for their season two. Like, I want it so badly, and I just it's so good.

Amanda Anderson 46:59

It is. I'm so excited to see where they go with season two, and I just like I just have full faith. I have full faith that they're gonna do it right. Like, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna say, oh well, I hope they have this, I hope they have that. Like, I just have full faith that they're going to have the story play out the exact way it's meant to.

Jordan 47:20

Granted, I haven't read the books, but I completely agree. I completely agree. And even like everybody that said that they've read it and then watched the show, it's pretty much on par, like word for word, what was in the book is in the show. And I think like most shows don't do that, and not at all. And I feel like I was actually talking to someone else about this, but that and granted, again, I can't really talk for the book because I haven't read them, but the show is so character driven. Where I feel like a lot of shows and movies are not, they're more plot-driven. So the fact that they like Jacob I didn't a Lordy. Oh, not a Lordy, oh my gosh. Oh uh Tierney, I think is his name. Yeah, Tierney. I love that, and I love that they stuck to a character-driven plot instead of changing it to something else to fit what they think the people want to see and watch, which I like, and I think that's why it ha like someone else was saying too like heated rival heated rivalry has this special sauce, and I completely agree, which I kind of want to get your thoughts because I was also chatting with somebody else earlier today, because a lot of people, there's people that go both ways of like, so we're getting the off-campus, like the deal show on Amazon Prime, and I think that's set to come out, I want to say in like May or something, and a lot of people are saying that it's gonna have the same hype that heated rivalry has.

Amanda Anderson 49:20

I think this is the thing though, I think they are completely separate, like heated rivalry and off campus. Like, I wouldn't even put them in the same category. Like, and I think that they're both gonna shine in their own lanes. I think that if you're only looping them together because of the hockey aspect, that's not fair. I think that heated rivalry is such a different series from off campus that we need to let them live on their own. Like, I don't think they need to be like looped in, and also they have different audiences. I think the off-campus series definitely has like more of a younger um like audience where it says like heated rivalry, I think maybe has more of like a more mature audience. Um, and you know, they might also intermix, but I think that they're so completely in different lanes.

Jordan 50:07

Fair and I I do agree with you there, but I do think a lot of people are gonna go in automatically comparing it to heated rivalry, and I do not think it will match up to heated rivalry, but I do agree with you, it is two different things, and we shouldn't compare them, but I'm thinking of the people that because it's going to a wide audience, so I think everyone that is not from the book world that watched Heated Rivalry loved it, I think they're going into this thinking it's going to be very similar, and it's not, yeah.

Amanda Anderson 50:40

And I think they're doing themselves a disservice with that though. Like I'm somewhere when I go into any yeah, and I go into any adaptations, like I never expect it to be similar to the book because it takes the joy out of it, you know. Like, look at what like with Withering Heights, like everyone was like, it was so opposite of the book. Because yeah, like withering heights on paper to screen wouldn't be enjoyable. Like, I think that it's it's okay that it's not similar as long as it has like the core essence of what it is, and like I'm so excited for the off-campus like series, but I would never in a million years compare it to Heated Rivalry.

Jordan 51:21

And I think that's like fair and that's good. I'm I almost I I completely agree with you, and I I would not compare it either, but I do unfortunately feel bad of them releasing this. So it's like too soon after Heated Rivalry, but you can't, it's not like they can wait because heated rivalry is coming out again next year, so I think they're already at like a disadvantage of yeah, unfortunately. I and don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna watch it because I remember reading the deal years ago and loving them too. And I like am very excited to see the show. I'm gonna watch it, but I just I think unfortunately, the wider scope of who's watching will compare it, sadly.

Amanda Anderson 52:12

Yeah, and I hope the book community stands up for it. Like, I hope they really show people who aren't book readers that like these are not even in the same like category. Um, and I think it all just comes with like marketing and like word of mouth of like, yes, heated rivalry was absolutely amazing, but like heated rivalry and off campus, that's like A and B. Like they're not in the same language whatsoever. So I just hope you can give it an honest chance. Yeah, like I hope people give it the honest chance it deserves.

Jordan 52:43

Yeah, I do too. But also, I'm like still excited for it, and I'm excited for season two of heated rivalry, and cannot wait.

Amanda Anderson 52:50

And those things can coexist, like I think that's what people don't realize is like those things could coexist. Like, I'm so excited for off campus, but obviously I'm so excited for heated rivalry season two.

Jordan 53:01

Okay. All right, so we're into the last three questions, which is in personal. Um when are you okay, when you're not at the bookstore or reading, what do you like to do in your free time?

Amanda Anderson 53:18

I love to bake. I absolutely I love to bake. I love

Life Outside Books And Future Goals

Amanda Anderson 53:23

making things with my hands from scratch. Um, I also play the guitar, so I love to just play my guitar. Um, so baking guitar, and I love to work out. So I love to try new classes. I like I love Orange Theory so much. Um, and honestly, I love going to the movies. I'm such a movie person. Like, if anyone's ever like, do you want to go to the movies? I don't even care what we're watching. Like, I just like love being in the movies, but um, I have really been working on finding the things outside of work that bring me enjoyment. Um, and it's just so cool to like find these little things that I get to do and I'm starting to like really love and make a part of my like regular routine.

Jordan 54:05

I like that just because like I feel like also too, like with reading, it's more books. So like you need to find things that are outside of books because I I feel like a lot of people that read it is their hobby, but they're not also working with books. They're their day-to-day job is something completely random, and they can use like reading as an escape, which I know too, like you can use reading as an escape too, but you also need more of an escape.

Amanda Anderson 54:34

Yes, yeah, and that's why, like, don't get me wrong, like whenever I have a chance to, like, I try to read every night. Like, I like I like it takes me a lot longer to read a full book, but I do try to prioritize like reading every night. Um, but it's also okay if I don't get to read because I'm doing something else that fills my cup.

Jordan 54:51

What is a fun fact about you that the listeners might be surprised to learn?

Amanda Anderson 54:56

Honestly, I think that I'm just like I nerd out about things. So I like just have like my little mini obsessions. Um, and honestly, I think that I I think just how much of like a human I am in the sense, like I am a sweatpants and hoodie girl. I, you know, I don't always like look so prim and proper. Like, I think that just like at my core, like I'm just a girl, like as like cliche as that is. Um, you know, because I get to meet people and they're like, oh my god, like you're just so down to earth. And I'm like, yeah, that's just my personality. Like, this is just like who I am. Um, and probably that like I do things, like I play good, I play the guitar. Um, I love my like, you know, my fandoms. I'm a huge Twilight girly. I'm a huge Hunger Games girl, um, huge 50 shades. Uh, and yeah. Oh, also, I am the biggest Fast and Furious fan in the world. That franchise, I re-watch Fast and Furious so often. Like, if Fast and Furious, if they make 500 movies, I will be the first person in line at the theater to watch it, to buy it, to rent it. Like, I'm a huge, huge Fast and Furious girl. Oh my goodness I wow, I would not have guessed that at all. It's like I like literally, if I'm ever like, I don't really know what to watch, I'm finding a fast and furious movie to put on.

Jordan 56:21

The last question, so sad. But what is one future goal that you would like to achieve, either long-term, short-term? And it could be like personal, it could be with the bookstore, it could be like maybe wanting to get like a certain author um as a signing. What is like one future goal you have?

Amanda Anderson 56:41

I would love to expand. I would really love to expand in Chicago. I would love to get a bigger space to host different events um and stuff like that. So I really would truly um love to expand. And on a personal side, I am really looking forward to getting married and having a baby.

Jordan 56:59

We are manifesting this expansion. Yes.

Amanda Anderson 57:04

Manifesting the husband, manifesting the baby, all of that.

Jordan 57:08

Yes, it's happening, it will come to fruition. Yes. Okay, well, thank you so much, Amanda, for coming on the podcast and letting me interview you. I had the best time asking you all the bookstore questions.

Amanda Anderson 57:26

No, same. I'm honestly just thank you. This has been so fun.

Jordan 57:31

Yes. Oh, I also I do want to give you the floor. Do you want to mention like where people can

Where To Find The Last Chapter

Jordan 57:36

find you? Um, like your socials, like all that jazz.

Amanda Anderson 57:41

Yeah, so you can follow us on Instagram at the last chapter shy, the last chapter she h-h-i. That is where we post all about the store stuff, all of our vibes, everything like that. Um if you are in Chicago or if you are close to Chicago romance books today, um, August 15th or August 25th. I can't remember the top of my head. I think it's August 15th. We are going big and we are going hard. So we would love to have you guys. Um, and then I have a personal Instagram that I use to chat with people and like uh I post movie, movie reviews, book, you know, book recs and stuff like that. And that is XOXOA Anderson. Um, that is a place if you just want to gab with Amanda as a human and like not the business owner.

Jordan 58:25

Oh, I like it. And then do you uh so I know you're brick and mortar now, but do you still do have that online bookstore? And can people film that?

Amanda Anderson 58:37

Yeah, so both are are run and strong. Um, if you want to get in touch with our bookstore, our book box like like online side, it's at the last chapter like bookbox.com. We have all of our merchandise on there, special editions, pre order campaigns, um, sign books, and kind of everything in between.

Jordan 58:54

You've got it all. You've got it all. Okay, thank you so much. I had the best time. Awesome. Thank you. I really appreciate it.