Bookstores have an extra week to place their orders! The deadline to order SIBA holiday catalogs has been extended to June 22.

The extension comes at the request of booksellers, whose schedule this week has been taken up with Children's Institute, cutting into the time needed to to make their holiday catalog plans.

Bookstores can order up to 7000 catalogs free of charge and have them imprinted with the store logo and info for a one-time set up fee of $110. Extra catalogs are available in boxes of 500 at cost.

ORDER HERE

The SIBA Holiday Gift Catalog is a centerpiece for SIBA bookstores' 4th quarter sales. See the growing title list, featuring popular SIBA-buzzed books such as:

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (Tor Books), which Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian. Virginia calls "A fun collection of great characters: a cruel sorceress, her daughter, a creepy horse, and a middle-aged woman whose intelligence and common sense will steal the story."

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (S&S/Marysue Ricci Books), which Jessica Nock at Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina says is "A propulsive and atmospheric family drama. I especially loved the architecture and design components!"

Remember, also, that proceeds from the catalog fund SIBA programming for the upcoming year. So the more bookstores participate, the more publishers will support the catalog and thus educational programming for SIBA booksellers.

Don't wait until the very last minute. Place your order now. Right now!

Read This Next! July is not your average collection of beach books! "Uncanny." "Incredible." "Magical." "Weird." "Beautiful." These are just some of the comments booksellers had about the stories in the July collection of buzz-worthy and notable forthcoming titles.

RTNext! Bookseller Resources:
Edelweiss Collection | Flyer | Flyer Front (image)

What SIBA Booksellers have to say:

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher
As the narrator stumbles through a life forced upon her in America, she becomes increasingly more untethered to her life. Her homeland, Palestine, is out of reach, and in flashbacks to her childhood, we can glimpse the parts of herself she left there. Zaher ruminates on statelessness, nature, opulence, and beauty in the narrator’s slow spiral. The Coin is an incredible debut!
– Kelsey Jagneaux, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
Reading The Lost Story reminded me of being a kid, and of the many hours I spent immersed in magical faraway worlds. Inspired by the classic Narnia novels, Meg Shaffer’s second novel is both a fairytale for grown-ups and a love story. Recommended reading for anyone seeking to reawaken a sense of wonder.
– Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez
A family drama that centers on a mother's secret, this novel is honeyed with warmth, truth, and the secrets that--once revealed--eventually bring us closer together. A beautiful book about finding happiness, no matter our paths.
– Julia Paganelli Marin, Pearl's Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
A hauntingly eerie tale about two sisters, Shelia and Angie, set in 1980s Appalachia. The imagery in this novel was so raw and creepy. I haven't looked at rabbits the same since finishing this book. This is a weird novel but a fun one, trust me!
– Anna Anabseh, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

The Striker and the Clock: On Being in the Game by Georgia Cloepfil
It is hard to explain the exact mixture of nostalgia, joy, and melancholy this book wrung out of me in its short but powerful pages. Georgia Cloepfil put into words what bangs around in my heart when I think of soccer. A lyrical and poignant tribute to the beautiful game and the people it turns into players, into teams, into champions, and eventually back into people.
– Morgan Holub, E. Shaver, Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Current Read This Next! books and what SIBA booksellers have to say about them can always be found at The Southern Bookseller Review

Linda-Marie Barrett / Executive Director:
Reading: Something Wilder by Christina Lauren, welcome escapism after a heavy read. About to start A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum, for my book club.
Listening: "Infinite Lofi for Focus" and similar stations on Calm as a meditative background for work, and to our neighborhood soundscape. My young toddler neighbor, Theo, lives next door and makes my days with his delightful bouts of laughter.
Watching: Continuing on with Death in Paradise, but preferring to opt for card games or time out on the porch watching fireflies.

Candice Huber / Membership:
Reading: Still into The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sarah Raasch, which I'm really enjoying so far!
Listening: In the midst of The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields.
Watching: I am unashamedly still binging The Vampire Diaries. I'm two seasons in, and it's actually better than I thought it would be!

Nicki Leone / Communications:
Reading: Still the same from last week: Her Side of the Story by Alba de Céspedes, Carpentaria by Alexis Wright, and Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. All three books have very strong voices contending for my attention. I'm wondering if I should have tried to read them all at the same time.
Listening: Code Switch podcast's most recent episode on immigration policy in the US. Since I'm a descendant of some of those poor-as-dirt Italian peasants who came through Ellis Island, I have a vested interest in the subject.
Watching: Lazzaro Felice / Happy as Lazzaro (2018) I am totally benefiting from SP's current obsession for movies by female directors. For a story that is basically a fable it gives up its mysteries sparingly and stealthily. After the film was over I watched it again the next evening, watched it like I read a book that has caught hold of me -- pausing often to think about the different scenes and characters.

SP Rankin / Website Administrator:
Reading: The brand new, big, glossy, and extremely browseable Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film by Alsonso Duralde.
Listening: I listen to music pretty much all day, every day and my favorite morning ritual is planning out my playlist for the day. Instead of mentioning anything specific this time, I want to encourage fellow streaming listeners (and myself) to find material ways to support your favorite artists--whether it's buying vinyl or merchandise, going to hear them live, or hitting a tip jar. Indies supporting indies!
Watching: The beautiful, otherworldly Happy As Lazzaro (2018) from Italian director Alice Rohrwache. It's packed with imagery that seems as ancient as a Giotto fresco and as insistently contemporary as Rosellini, with a title character that made me think of Chance the Gardener from Being There if things didn't work out as well. When it was over, Nicki immediately said "OK I need to watch that again," which is probably the best description.

Andrea Richardson / Sales:
Reading: I just re-read Shae by Mesha Maren to get ready for an event this week and I swear, it's even better the second time around.
Listening: My brother-in-law is a Sierra Leonian pop star living in VA (weird but cool!) and his new song is a real bop that I can't stop playing.
Watching: I am currently very into a terrible reality dating show that I don't want to admit to watching publicly.

"My goal for NVNR? Seeking new vendors/products, learning from sessions and networking with fellow booksellers - it's like an IV infusion of energy!"
--NVNR 2023 Attendee

No matter what your reasons are for attending New Voices New Rooms, the Exhibit Hall on Saturday is going to be a centerpiece of your time at the conference. It is the one time when everyone is in the same room at the same time. If there are publishers you want to meet with or vendors you want to start accounts with, this is the time you’ll be working on those goals.

Connecting with publishers and vendors before the conference will help you make the most of your time in the Exhibit Hall. You can set up appointments in advance and let your sales reps know your priorities and what you are looking for. 

Things to do now so you don’t need to do them later:

1. Register for NVNR.  Exhibitors receive updated lists of the bookstores that will be at the show, which they use to make their own preparations. They won’t know your store will be there if you haven’t registered yet.
   
   
2. Put together your paperwork: If you are looking to open new accounts, have your banking information and a credit reference sheet ready. If you are looking for authors for your events program, create or update your store press kit. Don’t forget your business cards and digital business cards.  
   
   [Insider Tip: Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, creates a dedicated page on their website that gives details of the things they are looking for from publishers.]
   
   
3. Update your store listing on NVNR’s Bookstore Row.  Bookstore Row is the Conference online directory of attending bookstores. Store addresses and photos are available to anyone, but more detailed information is only available to registered attendees and exhibitors. Update here.
   
   
4. Review NVNR’s Publisher Dinner Etiquette Checklist. The conference schedule deliberately leaves dinner time unscheduled so that publishers and booksellers can spend time with each other. If you are invited to dinner with a publisher, this checklist will outline some of the dos and don’ts to make a good impression with your hosts. (Also, don’t forget to revisit and review the NVNR Attendee Checklist for more helpful information.)

Register Here

Current Newsletter: Happy Pride

Book Buzz Feature: Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings
It is my deep and unwavering belief that every person is deserving of profound, beautiful love, whether that be platonic, romantic, and/or familial, and Opal and Pepper’s journey exemplifies that. These two queer, neurodivergent women are messy and emotional and terrified to show anyone just how much they feel for fear of being hurt. But, in spite of that fear, they recognize the love they deserve and grab for it with both hands.
― Mazey Eddings, Letter from the author

Decide For Yourself Banned Book Feature: Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi
One of the most fraught relationships in humanity is sisterhood. In Yolk, Choi takes on that relationship and explores it through both the joy and pain....Come for the angst, stay for the characters you may just love like sisters.
―Faith Parke-Dodge, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

NEW REVIEWS | SUBSCRIBE | SUBMIT A REVIEW | FOR PUBLISHERS

SOUTHERN INDIE BESTSELLER LIST
For the week ending 6/2/2024

Edelweiss Collections:
(sort by "Catalog Order" to see each list according to rating)

Hardcover Fiction | Hardcover Nonfiction | Trade Paperback Fiction | Trade Paperback Nonfiction | Mass Market | Children's Illustrated | Children's Interest | Children's Series

"Publishers urged booksellers to reach out to them directly whenever an issue arises and emphasized that indie publishers and indie booksellers share many of the same values and missions, as well as challenges."

The SIBA & GLIBA Indie Press Social on May 21 brought booksellers and indie publishers together to network, discuss ways to support each other’s goals and enjoy an evening of dinner, bowling, and pool. Featured publishers were Beacon Press, Europa Editions, New Directions, Other Press, Sarabande Books, Soho Press, Two Dollar Radio, and Verso Books. 

Booksellers especially appreciated the Q&A with publishers, with a number reporting they left with a much clearer mission and next steps for incorporating and working with indie presses.  These discussions covered cash flow and credit hold concerns, distribution and packing challenges, co-op, visibility in store displays, reviewing books on Edelweiss, and stores banding together to pitch themselves as a “circuit” to attract more author visits.

Publishers urged booksellers to reach out to them directly whenever an issue arises and emphasized that indie publishers and indie booksellers share many of the same values and missions, as well as challenges. Together, they can help support each other’s success.

Improve Your Shelves with this Indie Press Social Edelweiss Collection.

Linda-Marie Barrett / Executive Director:
Reading: Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters. Beautifully written, and one of the most eye-opening reads I've experienced in a long time. Each page is a revelation.
Listening: Our neighborhood is akin to a bird sanctuary, especially in the morning. With my handy Merlin app, I've been learning to identify different birdsong and bird calls, which is great fun.
Watching: Death in Paradise, but desperately seeking gentle, big-hearted alternatives.

Candice Huber / Membership:
Reading: I saw that The Lotus Empire by Tasha Suri is now on Edelweiss, so I couldn't help myself and started it immediately. I also just started The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sarah Raasch, which I'm hoping will be great fun to read alongside the intensity of The Lotus Empire.
Listening: Started The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. I love cozy fantasy and witches, so hoping this hits the spot!
Watching: I am unashamedly binging The Vampire Diaries, as I've never seen it, and I love teen supernatural drama shows because I don't have to think very much about them.

Nicki Leone / Communications:
Reading: Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire, edited by Jehad Abusalim, Jennifer Bing, and Mike Merryman-Lotze, Her Side of the Story by Alba de Céspedes.
Listening: Laura Nyro albums.
Watching: Regeneration (the movie version of the Pat Barker book).

SP Rankin / Website Administrator:
Reading: In time for a plane ride, Anna Dorn's Perfume & Pain. It's supposed to be funny, which I sincerely hope is true since it's a long flight.
Listening: Allison Russell's 2023 album The Returner, especially the song "Demons." If Cowboy Carter struck a chord, then Allison Russell will probably strike a few more.
Watching: I have been visiting one of my kids and we watched all of the new Bridgerton half-season like the rest of the entire world, probably. It's so very much not my thing, honestly, but I somehow couldn't stop watching and will definitely binge the rest of the season the instant it comes out. And then probably watch the other seasons. And I can't even blame anyone else.

Andrea Richardson / Sales:
Reading: I'm sitting in decision paralysis because I don't have anything I need to read and so much I want to read, I can't pick where to start. Send help.
Listening: Birds chirping outside and my cats chirping at the birds inside. Watching: Jeopardy! Masters - I can't get enough of those folks.

"What I love about NVNR is chatting with other booksellers and store owners and helping each other problem solve and figure out what issues are shared vs what issues are specific to my store."
--NVNR 2023 Attendee

The New Voices New Rooms Conference may be several months away, but savvy booksellers can get a lot of preparation done in advance in order to make the most of their time at the show. Here are some things to do sooner, rather than later:

• Reach out to other booksellers and vendors to let them know you will be at NVNR 2024. Now is the time to get on people’s radar: publishers are already deciding which booksellers they want to be sure to catch up with and perhaps even take to dinner. If you are part of a formal or informal bookseller group – an advisory council, a coalition of stores, or even just an ad hoc  group of booksellers with common interests – there is time in the program schedule for you to meet up together in person. Start planning your get-togethers now.

• Join the NVNR Conference Discord channel. It is open to all bookseller conference attendees and is there for booksellers to exchange information and ideas, ask questions, and, of course share photos. Ask for an invite.

• Find a conference buddy. If you are a new bookstore and/or this is your first time attending a book conference, you can reach out to NVNR for a guide or veteran bookseller to show you the ropes. This can be especially helpful if you have a specific goal in mind, such as “setting up new accounts with small presses” or “finding genre authors for our new Romance book club.”  Email NVNR if you’d like help.

Click here to register for NVNR: SIBA

Booksellers have one more week to place holiday catalog orders that include the saturation mail option.

Saturation Mail allows bookstores to send catalogs to specific zip codes and mail carrier routes. It can be very effective at reaching new customers beyond the store's usual mailing list and social media following. It is also a good way to expand a store's reach into new areas and markets.

Stores can work with the Regional Associations Marketing Partnership (RAMP) to fine tune where they want to direct their saturation mail efforts. Although saturation can be applied to an entire zip code, it's more common to use a more targeted approach: for example, by choosing an area with a new housing development within easy driving distance, or a neighborhood along the same bus or subway route as the store. Bookstores that have recently moved or opened a new location can use saturation mail to introduce themselves to their new neighborhood.

Stores receive up to 7000 catalogs free of charge, which can be used in saturation mailings. Additional copies cost $0.11 per piece. All mailed catalogs have a postage charge, as well as a one-time imprinting fee of $110.00. If you select saturation mail with your catalog order, RAMP will help you choose a coverage area that is both within your budget and maximizes your reach. The deadline to start a saturation mail order is June 1. The earlier you start, the more time you have to work on a mailing strategy that will work best for your bookstore.

Order your catalogs here.