This photo taken Wednesday, July 8, 2015, shows a sign welcoming book fans to Monroeville, Ala., the hometown of "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee. Lee's second book "Go Set a Watchman" is set for release July 14, 2015, and town officials are hoping the new novel draws more visitors to the quiet town of 6,300 people. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
This photo taken Wednesday, July 8, 2015, shows a sign welcoming book fans to Monroeville, Ala., the hometown of “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee. AP
MONROEVILLE, Alabama— The Alabama hometown of author Harper Lee is getting ready for the release of her second book 55 years after her novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” became a sensation worldwide.
A small bookstore in Monroeville, Alabama, has sold more than 7,000 copies of the book — so many the owner had to purchase an additional building just for storage.
Volunteers will gather for public readings of Lee’s new book “Go Set a Watchman” after it’s officially released Tuesday. Organizers also are planning walking tours around Monroeville, which serves as the model for the fictional town of Maycomb in both books.
One person who’s not expected to attend any of the events is Lee.
The 89-year-old Lee still lives in Monroeville, but she’s in declining health and guards her privacy closely.
This photo taken Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Monroeville, Ala., shows ruins of the childhood home of author Truman Capote, who inspired the character Dill in Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Lee’s second book “Go Set a Watchman” is set for release July 14, 2015, and the Capote site is among the locations that interest tourists and literary fans. APThis photo taken on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, shows a truck passing a sign decorated with a mockingbird in Monroeville, Ala., the hometown of “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee. APAuthor Harper Lee smiles during a ceremony honoring the four new members of the Alabama Academy of Honor at the Capitol in Montgomery, Ala. APThis April 8, 2015 photo shows a “To Kill a Mockingbird” mural painted on the side of a car dealership in Monroeville, Ala., the hometown of “Mockingbird” author Harper Lee. APThis April 8, 2015, photo shows the old Monroe County Courthouse in Monroeville, Ala. The building, completed in 1903, is a centerpiece in the hometown of “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee. APThis photo taken Wednesday, July 8, 2015, shows Mel’s Dairy Dream, located on the site of the childhood home of author Harper Lee in Monroeville, Ala. The small business attracts visitors seeking spots mentioned in Lee’s book “To Kill a Mockingbird.” APThis book cover released by Harper shows “Go Set A Watchman,” a follow-up to Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” The book will be released on July 14. AP
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