Brewster Book Store Worker Gets Bonus From Famed Author

ORLEANS – When Michelle Koch opened her email and saw a congratulatory email on behalf of author James Patterson, she didn’t know what to think.

“At first I thought it was spam, because everybody in the world gets a lot of spam,” said Koch, an Orleans resident who works as a buyer for the Brewster Book Store.

It wasn’t spam. Instead, Koch was one of 600 independent bookstore employees nationwide to be granted a $500 holiday bonus from the celebrated novelist.

"I’ve said this before, but I can’t say it enough — booksellers save lives," Patterson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, last week.

Koch has worked for two years at the bookstore, where she is a sideline buyer charged with bringing in all of the store’s inventory apart from books.

“Cards, gifts, candles,” she said. “We’re trying to integrate more things from local artists, local makers. Regional things.”

While someone at the bookstore (she’s not sure who) nominated her for the bonus, Koch said she shares the recognition with everyone at the shop. A former longtime employee of the Nauset Public Schools, she said the staff works to create a personalized space for people to not only stop in to shop and browse, but feel welcomed as part of the community.

“It’s not just about the books,” she said. “It's the ethos of the whole store. It’s really about community engagement and supporting people in whatever they need.”

That homespun feel has made independent bookstores an ideal fit for the Cape, where chains and big box stores are traditionally kept at arm’s length. At a time where she said independent retailers need more community support than ever, Koch said the support that residents and visitors give to mom and pop shops deserves to be recognized.

“It’s a critical time,” she said. “Different people who come in and buy one card a year don’t realize what a backbone they are.”

Koch plans to give a portion of her bonus to a local nonprofit, as well as Doctors Without Borders. She also may put some of it toward a trip, or perhaps spend it on seeds. An avid gardener, she helps grow flowers for sale at the store.

But beyond the bonus, Koch said she’s grateful for the support that Patterson continues to give independent retailers across the country.

“It’s incredible that he’s giving so much back,” she said. “The numbers are just incredible. I don’t know out of all these people if he gets thank you notes, but boy is he going to get a big one from me.”

Email Ryan Bray at ryan@capecodchronicle.com