Books-A-Million Welcomes James Patterson to Birmingham.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 18, 1998--Books-A-Million, Inc., (Nasdaq/NM:BAMM) proudly welcomes bestselling author of "Cat & Mouse," James Patterson to Books-A-Million at Wildwood North Shopping Center. Friday, November 20 at 7:30pm, Mr. Patterson will be signing his new bestseller, "When The Wind Blows."

Set against a sinister backdrop of genetic engineering and illegal scientific experimentation, "When The Wind Blows" is a chilling suspense novel, repeatedly daring readers to test their notions of human evolution and medical science.

For more than two decades from his first award-winning book in 1976 to the latest in the immensely popular Alex Cross series -- Patterson has been acclaimed for his page-turners -- as his five previous #1 megabestsellers attest. "When The Wind Blows" sets an entirely new standard. Patterson weaves jaw-dropping scenes, heart-stopping plot twists, and memorable characters to create an entirely new reading experience. "When The Wind Blows" is destined for bestseller lists as well. The novel has a one-million-copy first printing and a $1 million advertising and promotion campaign, including an eleven-city publicity tour.

James Patterson, fifty, is the author of five bestsellers -- "Along Came A Spider," "Kiss The Girls," "Cat & Mouse" (all in his Alex Cross series), as well as "Miracle on the 17th Green." He lives in Westchester County, New York, and Florida with his wife and son.

Books-A-Million, Inc. is one of the leading book retailers in the southeastern United States. The Company presently operates 168 bookstores in 17 states. The Company operates three distinct store formats, including large superstores operating under the names Books-A-Million and Books & Co., traditional bookstores and combination book and greeting card stores, both operating under the name Bookland. The Company also sells books at its site on the World Wide Web. (http://www.booksamillion.com)