April 11 2024 at 6:00 PM ET on Zoom

The New Voices New Rooms Spring Owners Retreat will be held April 11th at 6 PM ET / 5 PM CT on Zoom.  Bookstore owner members from the NAIBA and SIBA regions are invited to attend and share information, issues, and advice. The general theme of this retreat is “Plans for Independent Bookstore Day.”

The Retreat will be moderated by Erin Matthews, owner of The Last Word in Mt. Airy, Maryland and Bunnie Hilliard, owner of Brave+Kind Bookshop in Decatur, Georgia.

Owners Retreats are an invaluable opportunity for networking with your fellow store owners. Attendance is free but limited to 50 people, 25 from each of the SIBA and NAIBA regions. You must be a member of either SIBA or NAIBA and a store owner to attend. One person per store, please.

REGISTER HERE

New Voices New Rooms is a programming partnership of SIBA and NAIBA that focuses on networking and bookseller development. NVNR holds virtual retreats and programs throughout the year and hosts an in-person conference in August. Find out more about NVNR at NewVoicesNewRooms.org

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 in Louisville, KY

Indie Press Social returns this spring, this time to Louisville, Kentucky. Booksellers from SIBA and its sister organization in the Great Lakes will get together for a day of connecting with colleagues, indie presses, and bowling!

The event program includes:

• An office tour of Sarabande Books, a nonprofit literary press founded in Louisville, Kentucky that champions poetry, fiction, and essays.
• A presentation at Carmichael's Bookstore's Frankfort Avenue location, where eight independent presses present on their mission and upcoming titles.
• A group discussion and Q & A from booksellers.

The featured publishers are Beacon Press, Europa Editions, New Directions, Other Press, Sarabande Books, Soho Press, Two Dollar Radio and Verso Books. After the presentation attendees will head on over to Vernon Lanes for dinner and bowling! 

Registration is $25/bookseller with a limit of 25 booksellers from SIBA.

Register here

Linda-Marie Barrett:
Reading: I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, for my book club. A deeply disturbing tale of Jennette's suffering at the hands of her delusional, obsessive mother that might cause me to have a panic attack. I'm still waiting for the "hysterically funny" moments promised in the blurbs. Maybe funny in the "tears of a clown" way? It's really well written, just not for the faint of heart (me, obviously). Also reading How to End a Love Story, which begins with a tragic premise, but promises much, including a happy ending.
Listening: To my Calm app, or soothing Pandora stations, especially when reading I'm Glad My Mom Died.
Watching: Switching between Death in Paradise or Madame Blanc.

Candice Huber:
Reading: Almost finished An Education in Malice!
Listening: Almost finished Butcher & Blackbird, which is a very dark romance about two serial killers (who only kill bad guys) who fall in love. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like both horror and romance, the audiobook is great. There are two readers who recorded in the same room, so the dialogue is actually them going back and forth. It's well done!
Watching: We finished Avatar and have moved onto Korra. Only one episode of The X-Files left! And I LOVE Resident Alien.

Nicki Leone:
Reading: In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. I'm also getting ready to go on vacation, which begs the question: What books does one bring to read during the eclipse?
Listening: Collecting poetry on audio for when I'm stuck in airports when I go home to visit the folks.
Watching: A tanker smash into a bridge.

SP Rankin:
Reading: On page three of Philip Geffer’s Cocktails with George and Martha: Movies, Marriage, and the Making of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Listening: Hair raisingly gorgeous music from Danielle Ponder (Some of Us Are Brave) and Allison Russell (Outside Child).
Watching: Palm Royale, a total confection of caftans and mile-high wigs, set in Palm Beach in 1969 with a stellar cast. And on a completely different note, A Question of Silence (1981), a fiercely unsparing, tough, and darkly comic examination of rage, patriarchy, and violence from Dutch director Marleen Gorris.

Andrea Richardson:
Reading: Just finished my ARC of Chris Whitaker's All the Colors of the Dark and it destroyed me emotionally in the best way.
Listening: The Office Ladies Podcast - I love those two!
Watching: Jon Stewart being back on the Daily Show briefly has brought me so much joy lately.

"What I loved about NVNR? All of it quite honestly - loved the sessions, loved the energy of the group, and loved that it was [a joint conference] to learn from other eastern seaboard booksellers."
--NVNR 2023 Attendee

At the New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) Owners Retreat in January, booksellers shared many ways they budgeted for store downtime and planned closures. One thing everyone agreed on was that with a little creativity, “downtime” — such as when your whole staff takes off to attend NVNR 2024 in August — can be turned into an event and revenue generator for your store. And indie booksellers are nothing if not creative:

• Host a sale. When Lost City Books started closing for a week every summer for staff development, they also created a “pre-closing” sale, which became an annual event that their customers looked forward to.

• Join Bookshop.org.  The next payout is in July, right when stores will need extra cash for travel expenses.

• Devote profits from your “staff picks” to pay for staff to attend NVNR. Your staff will be even more motivated to hand-sell those books, and over the course of three or four months, the sales will add up. 

• “Round up” sales at the register in support of bookseller development. Ask your customers if they would like to round up their purchase to the next dollar amount and earmark the extra money for staff development or education. Customers want to support not just their local bookstore but the people who work there. 

And of course, keep an eye on your SIBA newsletter for information about available funding:  travel grants, scholarships, and sponsorships. NVNR travel grant applications are now open. 

Registration for NVNR opens April 2.  Full event tickets are $50 off in April.
Click here to be added to the NVNR early notification list

By Candice Huber, SIBA Membership Coordinator

Brave + Kind Bookshop is owned by SIBA Board member Bunnie Hilliard, and they will celebrate their sixth anniversary this year. Prior to owning the store, Hilliard worked at several banks. Once she became a parent, she developed a passion for children’s literature and decided to open her own bookshop. Besides selling children’s books, Brave + Kind holds workshops, camps, multilingual story times, parties, and more. Hilliard says the best part of being a bookseller is helping people see themselves or their loved ones in stories.

According to Hilliard, the best thing the store did in the past year is launch the Atlanta Indie Bookshop Crawl. “Always collaboration in lieu of competition. A rising tide lifts all ships.” Brave + Kind also consistently partners with local nonprofit organizations to provide free books and author visits to schools and programs that don’t often have adequate access. Their main priority this year is to continue developing community and connecting with customers and the like-minded.

Hilliard’s favorite handsell is perpetually The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, which she says is the story of America every person should read and know. She’s currently reading Trayvon Generation by Elizabeth Alexander, who was the poet at President Obama’s 2008 inauguration.

You can learn more about Brave + Kind Bookshop on their website and you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at @braveandkindbooks.

Linda-Marie Barrett:
Reading: Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner, one of SIBA’s April Read This Next picks. Colton Gentry is a country music star who, overwhelmed by grief over his best friend’s death in a mass shooting, and too much alcohol, tells an arena of country music fans his unfiltered opinion on guns. After his career immediately crashes and burns, he begins the task of starting over, again, in his hometown in rural Kentucky. A wonderful, big-hearted read.
Listening: To the sounds of lawn maintenance equipment starting up for the first time since early fall. Ah, spring.
Watching: Death in Paradise, which is ever-charming, though another example of a British mystery series with a per capita death rate that boggles the mind and doesn’t scare away the tourists who keep coming for (the final) vacation.

Candice Huber:
Reading: Still on An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson. It is delightfully dark.
Listening: Just finished The Seep by Chana Porter. It was creepy and funny and sad all at the same time. A real emotional roller coaster!
Watching: We have finished Avatar the Last Airbender and have moved onto The Legend of Korra. Also started The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, which is hilarious if you love irreverent British comedy as much as I do!

Nicki Leone:
Reading: In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. And I just started The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk.
Listening: Done with Hero and the Crown, on to The Blue Sword (which I like even better).
Watching: Not much time for TV this week, I did turn on the news periodically, and lasted about twenty minutes before I turned it off and went out in the garden to pull weeds.

SP Rankin:
Reading: Finally, finally nearing the end of Carson McCullers: A Life. I'm glad I read it (it's excellent), but I'm glad I'm about to finish reading it. Next on the list is a 2023 reissue of Sarah Caudwell's 1981 mystery, Thus Was Adonis Murdered. Witty and erudite, Caudwell has long been considered a "mystery writer's writer," and though that doesn't apply to me it's definitely a good way to get me to pick up a book.
Listening: Sometimes you just need to return to the source, which for me means Dusty Springfield. She invariably leads somewhere interesting.
Watching: A dreadful new thriller-ish show that for some reason I felt the need to watch every episode just to make sure it didn't pull a switcheroo and get good at the end. It didn't. Way to stick the landing! My 2024 project of films I've never seen by women directors continued with Chantal Akerman's brilliant, strange, fearless Je tu il elle (1975).

Andrea Richardson:
Reading: One Way Back by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. I've been trying to think of what to say about it for several minutes now and can't encapsulate my feelings well enough to do it.
Listening: A sweet old lady cat that I am babysitting this week purr her little head off while I work next to her.
Watching: The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin on Apple TV. It's honestly not very good but I love Noel Fielding enough to deal with it.

The April 2024 Adult Read This Next! is full of both story and song and seizing second chances.

Read what booksellers have to say here:

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

What SIBA Booksellers have to say:

Women! In! Peril! by Jessie Ren Marshall
I'm happy to report that Women! In! Peril! lives up to its obsession-worthy title and cover. This short story debut is full of smart, fresh fiction that I wanted to savor.
– Julia Lewis from Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Virginia

Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner
I loved this story about second (and third) chances and rekindled young love in a small southern town. Themes of alcohol addiction and commentary on American gun violence give COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT depth that would make this romance a fabulous book club selection.
– Jessica Nock from Main Street Books, Davidson, North Carolina

A Really Strange and Wonderful Time : The Chapel Hill Music Scene: 1989-1999 by Tom Maxwell
An illustration of how indie music created a magical Third Place...An eloquent honoring of a place and time where indie rock was paramount and the community was passionate for it.
– Jamie Fiocco from Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
It's actually unfair how good this book is. Kuang seamlessly weaves together grief, trauma, and hope in a way that cracked me open.
– Gaby Iori from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
A wonderful romp of a debut novel.Every page is both fun and funny and the suspense for how she’ll finalize things will keep you reading.
– Josh Niesse from Underground Books, Carrollton, Georgia

And don't forget about the March/April Read This Next! Kids List:

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

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

Louisville, KY - March 15, 2024 – The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) and the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA) are thrilled to announce their partnership for the upcoming Indie Press Social, set to take place on Tuesday, May 21 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The day begins with an office tour of Sarabande Books, a nonprofit literary press founded in Louisville, Kentucky that champions poetry, fiction, and essays. The next stop is Carmichael's Bookstore's Frankfort Avenue location, where eight independent presses will present on their mission, and upcoming titles, followed by a lively Q & A from booksellers. The featured publishers are Beacon Press, Europa Editions, New Directions, Other Press, Sarabande Books, Soho Press, Two Dollar Radio and Verso Books. The day concludes at Vernon Lanes, for dinner and bowling!

More info and SIBA Registration

"It means so much to us as independent publishers to have the time and opportunity to stand before independent booksellers and hear what is and is not working for them, to talk with them about the books we’re publishing, the authors we are excited about, and the reasons for which we do what we do. Independent booksellers are our first and our best friends in the business, yet there’s so much room for us to do more together and to grow together. The Indie Social, pioneered by SIBA and now, in a historic first, co-hosted by SIBA & GLIBA, is the perfect forum for those conversations to happen." - Michael Reynolds, Europa

“We are so excited to welcome GLIBA, SIBA, and our fellow indie presses to Louisville, home of Sarabande, Carmichael’s Bookstore, and the evergreen debate: So is this the North? Or the South? While you’ll get split answers even from the Sarabande team, there’s one thing we agree on: Louisville is the perfect literary gathering spot to welcome all of you, our vibrant and vital shepherds of books, from all over our surrounding Northern and Southern states this spring. We can’t wait to open our doors to you!” - Joanna Englert, Sarabande Books

“SIBA is delighted to co-host our second Indie Press Social with GLIBA. Indie Press Socials create opportunities for publishers and booksellers to network and have important conversations in a more intimate, meaningful way. Ending the day with bowling and drinks at a vintage bowling alley, and perhaps a bit of friendly competition between teams of publishers and booksellers, will make this a day to remember and treasure. See you in Louisville!” - Linda-Marie Barrett, SIBA

"GLIBA is so excited to announce our partnership with SIBA and these eight distinguished independent presses for the much-anticipated Indie Press Social. We usually only get to see our fellow booksellers in the south during Winter Institute and so we are thrilled to have another opportunity at the incredible Carmichael’s. We are honored and thrilled by the invitation from SIBA. The convergence of indie bookselling and indie publishing is not only fun but crucial, making events like these invaluable for our organization. It is from events like these that the future of bookselling evolves. We can't wait." - Larry Law, GLIBA

Registration for the Indie Press Social is open to booksellers at both GLIBA's and SIBA's respective websites, with a limit of 25 attendees per regional association. For more information and to register, please visit SIBA’s website or GLIBA’s website for registration.

Contact: Linda-Marie Barrett, Executive Director, SIBA, lindamarie@sibaweb.com Larry Law, Executive Director, GLIBA, larry@gliba.org

About SIBA: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) is a nonprofit trade organization representing independent bookstores and publishers in the southeastern United States. SIBA is dedicated to promoting the literary culture of the South and supporting independent bookselling.

About GLIBA: The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA) is a regional trade association representing independent bookstores, publishers, and other industry professionals across the Great Lakes region.

SOUTHERN INDIE BESTSELLER LIST
For the week ending 3/10/2024

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

This has been a busy, active Spring for bookstores in the SIBA region, with a waterfall of opportunities, programming, and things to check off of an ever-growing check list. Here is what booksellers should have on their radar for this month:

1. Your Summer Catalog Orders are due March 15.
   These are beautiful gift catalogs filled with great books, They are FREE to all SIBA member bookstores, and come with digital and printable marketing assets. And they are an effective way to raise your store's visibility in your own community.
   Place your orders now.
   
   
2. Apply for the McCoy Grant by March 21
   The McCoy Grant awards two $1500 grants to unpublished southern women or nonbinary booksellers who harbor ambitions to be published writers. Since it is common for writers to gravitate to jobs in bookstores, make sure your store staff know about this opportunity. Full eligibility criteria and grant application
   
   
3. Both the SIBA Census and the Bylaws Ballot close on March 31
   These two important initiatives will guide SIBA into the future, so we need every SIBA member bookstore to participate. Yes, EVERY bookstore.
   View and vote on the bylaws here
   Fill out your census form
   
   
4. Prepare for Independent Bookstore Day: Sign Up by March 31
   If you have plans for Independent Bookstore Day on April 27, you can still add them to the IBD map. Click here.
   
   
5. Start planing for the New Voices New Rooms Conference August 7-11.
   Registration opens on April 2, and April registrations receive earlybird pricing. Click here to be added to the NVNR early notification list.