#BooksForwardHelpline: Helping you learn how to download ebooks and audiobooks, and connecting you to your next great read

With libraries and many bookstores closing physical locations for quarantine and Amazon suspending nonessential shipments, book lovers who prefer physical copies are faced with a dilemma: How will you get your hands on your next great read? We understand not everyone is familiar with how to access ebooks and audiobooks, and figuring this out can be daunting if you’re self-isolating due to COVID-19.

Books Forward has organized a free helpline to connect readers with the books they need. Call us at (615) 212-8549 between 9 a.m and 5 p.m. CT, or browse our resources below.

We can help you:

1. Learn how to download ebooks and audiobooks

Read our helpful guide, and call us if you have any questions. We can walk you step-by-step through the process of downloading digital and audiobooks so you can easily begin reading or listening to a new book at the touch of a button.

2. Troubleshoot downloads to your preferred e-reader, iPad, computer or phone

Providers offer online help desks to assist you through common issues you may run into:

• Kobo
• Libro.fm
• Amazon
• Audible
• Indiebound also offers helpful info on each service.

And call us if you still need help figuring out the best way to download reading material, regardless of your reading device.

3. Offer reading recommendations to help you find a new book you’ll love

Need something new to read and not sure where to start? You can join our #BooksForward Reading Challenge, where we are reading, sharing and discussing new books (a great way to feel more connected right now!). And check out our curated reading list, where we’ve compiled some of our favorite books that are particularly helpful and relevant for readers who are stuck at home during this time. Or call us! We have tons of great recommendations for you based on your reading preferences!

4. Discover how to support indie bookstores and libraries from home

You may be able to pick up a physical book curbside at your local bookstore or library. But you can still engage with and support your favorite independent bookstore and local library, even when their doors are closed. We’ll teach you how to order ebooks from bookstores and use your library’s app to download books.

Ready to get reading? Call our Books Forward helpline at (615) 212-8549 if you have any additional questions, and let us help you get connected to your next great book without leaving home!

Also check out these resources and articles from our family of authors and experts in response to coronavirus: 

• Free Virtual Learning Opportunities for All Ages
• Forbes: “The Psychology Of Uncertainty: How To Cope With COVID-19 Anxiety” — Bryan Robinson, author of #CHILL: Turn Off Your Job and Turn On Your Life and more than 40 other nonfiction books and novels
• Vox: “Coronavirus: The evolution of hand-washing, explained by a historian” — Peter Ward, author of The Clean Body: A Modern History
• Book Club Babble: Virtual Book Clubs Could Help Deal with Coronavirus Stress
• Lit Happens: “‘Indoorsman’ expert meets quarantine with inspirational humor” — John Driver, author of The Ultimate Guide For The Avid Indoorsman: Life is Better in Here
• Huffington Post: “I’m 8.5 Months Pregnant During The Coronavirus Pandemic, And It’s Scary” — Christine Meade, author of The Way You Burn
• Lit Happens: “Working From Home New to You? 7 Career Writers Show How to Do it Best.”
• To come: How your book club can go virtual and still connect with authors around the globe

May you have happy and healthy reading.

Marissa DeCuir

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.