Jacket Copy broke the news today that BookTour.com will close. Since 2007, the site has helped authors, publicists and readers connect through book tours.

Site manager Kevin Smokler wrote an email about the closure: “Fewer author tours and changes in book marketing budgets have made our company financially unviable. And while we would like to continue providing the valuable service that is BookTour, everyone here has families to feed and bills to pay.”

In this new environment, book club visits could be the best way for writers and readers to connect. Check out our Authors Who Visit Book Clubs directory and invite a nearby author to visit your group. Follow this Google Docs link to explore (and sort!) the genres, websites and contact information for more than 500 writers around the world.

Would you travel to visit a book club and talk about your book? Fill out this simple form on our Facebook page and we will add you to our rapidly growing list.

UPDATE: Smokler now works as a consultant for Byliner. (Via Matt Mullin)