SIBA Will Install Two Directors to the Board of Directors at the New Voices New Rooms Show
SIBA is pleased to announce the addition of Jamie Rogers Southern of Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC to the SIBA Board of Directors. She will join Deanna Bailey of Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia, appointed in July, at the SIBA Annual Meeting being held online during New Voices New Rooms September 24th at 11:30 AM to be formally welcomed to the Board.
Jamie Rogers Southern is the Interim Executive Director at Bookmarks as of October 1st. Bookmarks is a literary nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It began as the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, and an Authors in Schools program reaching 7000+ students of all ages annually, and several other book and author events throughout the year. In 2017 the organization completed a successful capital campaign and opened a bookstore and permanent event space in downtown Winston-Salem. Before Bookmarks Jamie worked at Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL, and for the American Booksellers Association. She is married to Ed Southern, Executive Director of the North Carolina Writers Network. She's also a University of Alabama football fan. Roll Tide!
Jamie Rogers Southern and Deanna Bailey join board members Janet Geddis of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, John Cavalier of Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Kelly Justice (current Board President) of Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia.
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Thursday, September 3, 2020
The stellar programming in place for New Voices New Rooms wouldn't be possible without the generous (that's too mild a word) support of the the show's exhibiting publishers and vendors. These companies recognize the importance of independent booksellers
to the success of their products and to the book industry itself, and they have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their commitment to the indie bookseller market.
The Virtual Exhibit Hall is filling up with new publishers, gift companies, and services being added every day. Visit and see for yourself!
Although the show won't start for another 19 days, many exhibitors already have links on their pages for setting up appointments to meet or requesting review copies. There are video links to editor and rep presentations,
edelweiss collections, and information about show specials.
On each page you'll also find a form to leave your virtual "business card." Your information goes to the exhibitor, and enters you in the New Voices New Rooms Show Raffle.
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Eight Regional Bookselling Associations
Present Opening Keynote Event with Rev. Al Sharpton
The eight regional bookseller associations are working together this fall to present a special trade show season Opening Keynote event with the Reverend Al Sharpton. Independent booksellers are invited to join us as Rev. Sharpton presents his important, timely book RISE UP: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads (Hanover Square Press; 9/29/20), on Tuesday, September 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm ET.
Rev. Al Sharpton is the host of MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation” and the founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), one of the leading civil rights organizations in the world. With over 40 years of experience as a community leader, politician, minister and advocate, the Rev. Al Sharpton is one of America’s most-renowned civil rights leaders. Sharpton also hosts the nationally syndicated radio show, “Keepin’ It Real”, which broadcasts in 40 markets, five days a week.
In RISE UP, Rev. Sharpton revisits the highlights of the Obama administration, the 2016 election, Trump’s subsequent hold on the GOP and his interactions and relationships with other key players in politics and activism. He also amplifies the new voices and movements that have emerged in response to the Trump presidency.
Rev. Sharpton will be in conversation with Ramunda Lark Young of MahoganyBooks, and will take questions from attendees. This virtual event will be held via Zoom, and access will be limited to association member booksellers only. Booksellers may register for free now, via this link. Approved registered attendees will receive a Zoom link prior to the event.
Special thanks to Hanover Square Press/HarperCollins Publishers for their support.
About Hanover Square Press: Hanover Square Press publishes compelling fiction and nonfiction encompassing a broad range of genres—from crime, thrillers, literary and high-concept fiction to narrative history, journalism, science, biography and memoir, including New York Times bestsellers from Dan Abrams and David Fisher, and Rick Ross. www.hanoversqpress.com
SIBA's Reader Meet Writer Author Series branches out into children’s programming in October with two author-illustrator hosts, Constance Lombardo and Vanessa Brantley-Newton. They will rotate duties and bring up the energy for kids and adult viewers. Constance is the author/illustrator of the middle grade Mr. Puffball series (HarperCollins) and the picture book Everybody Says Meow (HarperCollins). She currently lives in Asheville, NC with G. G. the cat and Louie the old beagle. Vanessa is the author of 5 children's books and has illustrated over 50. Diversity is at the core of her work as she longs for all children to see themselves beautifully illustrated in picture books. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and daughter and has a cat named Stripes.
We are so excited to bring you this programming! Please email lindamarie@sibaweb.com if you’d like to join the circle of participating Reader Meet Writer indie bookstores, or to book your authors into our programming.
Saturday, Oct 10th 11:00am - 12:00pm EST: Out! How to be Your Authentic Self with Miles McKenna in conversation with Emily Hampshire of Schitt’s Creek (!!!). This is the ONLY event Miles McKenna is presenting in this way for booksellers. Activist Miles McKenna came out on his YouTube channel in 2017, documenting his transition to help other teens navigate their identities and take charge of their own coming-out stories. From that wisdom comes Out!, the ultimate coming-out survival guide. Viewers at this event will find validation, inspiration, and support for their questions big and small—whether exploring identity or seeking to understand the experience of an awesome queer person in their lives.
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
In order to prepare for the forthcoming New Voices New Rooms show, for the month of September SIBA's Office Hours will be held by appointment only. To make an appointment, email Linda-Marie Barrett at lindamarie@sibaweb.com.
There are already over 300 people registered for New Voices New Rooms, not to mention over 50 exhibitors, and more than 75 events on the schedule. Will your
store be represented?
You must register by 8/31 to receive the show box of goodies, and you must be registered to be able to attend ANY of the events. Look who has already registered!
A Novel Experience Adventure Bound Books All Things Inspiration Giftique Auburn Oil Company Booksellers Avid Bookshop Bards Alley Book No Further Bookmarks
Bound2please Books Cavalier House Books Charis Books & More Copperfish Books Douglasville Books E. Shaver, Booksellers Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews Ernest & Hadley Booksellers Fiction
Addiction
Firestorm Books & Coffee Flyleaf Books Fountain Bookstore FoxTale Book Shoppe Garden District Book Shop Geomi LLC dba MoonPie General Store & Original Book Warehouse Givens Books Horton's Books
& Gifts Itinerant Literate Books M Judson Books MacIntosh Books and Paper Main Street Books Main Street Reads Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe My Sister's Books, Inc. NeverMore Books Novel.
Oxford Exchange Page & Palette Page 158 Books page after page bookstore Park Road Books Parnassus Books Prince Books Read Books Bookstore in Virginia Beach, VA Read It Again Righton Books South
Main Book Company Spiral Circle Bookstore & More Square Books Square Books, Jr. Story on the Square Sugar Island Sylvia Barnhill Designs dba Lowcountry Whimsy The Book Dragon Shop
The Book Tavern The Book Worm Bookstore The Bookshelf The Country Bookshop The Crazy Book Lady, LLC The Family Book Shop The Haunted Book Shop The Little Bookshop The Muse Book Shop The Snail
on the Wall The Storybook Shoppe Tubby & Coo's Mid-City Book Shop Turning Page Bookshop Underground Books Union Ave Books Wonderland Bookshop Writers Block Books
SIBA promotes six new books every month to readers, the customers of our member stores, in our Lady Banks Bookshelf promotion. These titles appear at the top of our weekly Lady Banks Commonplace Book newsletter, which has a circulation of over 60k. We
also feature them above the fold on the homepage of Authors 'Round the South and as the cover image of the ARTS facebook page, with buy links promoted to our 15,000 Facebook friends. Plus, we boost these titles on our Facebook page for thousands more
views. A different member store is featured with the titles every week. We give SIBA member stores a heads up on each month's featured titles, to encourage in-store and online displays.
For publishers looking to promote their new titles out to readers across the South, Lady Banks Bookshelf is our greatest value because of high visibility and engagement across multiple platforms. Contact us for
more information or to get your titles on "The Shelf" in coming months.
Coming up in September:
I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference by Mark Shulman and Serge Bloch The Lost Country by William Gay Mountain Laurel by Lori Benton The Forever Wish of Middy Sweet by Terry Kay Whose Woods These Are by John Lane Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine
SIBA's Reader Meet Writer Author Series features bestselling authors and fresh new voices, fiction and non-fiction, in an engaging and accessible format. Over 65 SIBA member bookstores participate in our virtual event series, and audiences have topped well over 400 attendees. Beloved author and indie advocate Wiley Cash is our host, and viewers couldn't be more pleased with his thoughtful, charismatic presence and engagement with featured authors. If you're a member store and would like to join our circle, or a publisher with authors you'd like us to consider hosting, please contact lindamarie@sibaweb.com<
September Reader Meet Writer Events:
Thursday, Sep 3 at 7PM EDT: Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad is Untrue will be in conversation with host Wiley Cash. Nayeri is the publisher of Odd Dot, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, where he oversees a team of designers, editors, and inventors creating joyful books for curious minds. In his middle-grade novel, Nayeri shares the fictionalized story of his family’s flight from Iran in the middle of the night to a refugee camp in Italy, and eventually to a school in Oklahoma, where he is met with curiosity and suspicion. Kirkus Review calls Everything Sad is Untrue a “A modern epic... with beauty amid the pain, as well as laughter.”
Tuesday, Sep 8 at 3PM EDT: Anna North, author of Outlawed, will be in conversation with Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood. North's novel dusts off the myth of the old west and reignites the promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. It’s been described as “The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West.”Febos' book of essays examines the narratives women are told about what it means to be a girl and the realities of growing up female in a world that prioritizes the feelings, perceptions, and power of men at girls' expense. Carmen Maria Machado praises Girlhood, "These essays are moss and iron-hard and beautiful-and struck through with Febos' signature brilliance and power and grace. An essential, heartbreaking project.”
Thursday, Sep 10 at 7PM EDT: Carl Hoffman, author of Liar’s Circus: The Strange and Terrifying Journey into the Upside-Down World of Trump’s MAGA Rallies will be in conversation with host Wiley Cash. A former contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler, Hoffman has traveled to 80 countries on assignment; he has written about cannibals in New Guinea, Mumbai’s railways (the deadliest in the world), and the indigenous tribes of Borneo. Now he trains his unique eye on his own country. Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail meets Strangers in Their Own Landin this work of daring and immersive contemporary anthropology. Hoffman, who has written about the most dangerous and remote corners of the world, journeys deep inside Donald Trump’s rallies, seeking to understand the strange and powerful tribe that forms the president’s base.
Tuesday, Sep 15 at 3PM EDT: Simon Stephenson will discuss his debut novel, Set My Heart to Five. For fans of Fredrik Backman and Gail Honeyman, Set My Heart to Five is a delightfully entertaining, deceptively poignant debut novel about a human-like bot named Jared. Jared works as a dentist in small town Michigan and is engineered with human DNA to look and act like a real person. One day at a screening of a classic movie, Jared feels a strange sensation around his eyes. Everyone knows that bots can’t feel emotions, but as the theater lights come on, Jared could swear he’s crying. Confused, he decides to watch more old movies to figure out what’s happening. And so Jared’s adventure begins in “this profound exploration of what makes us human, and a love letter to outsiders everywhere.”
Thursday, Sep 17 at 7PM: Margaret Kimberley will discuss her book, Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, a concise, authoritative exploration of America's relationship with race and black Americans through the lens of the presidents who are elected to represent and govern all of its people. Cornel West, author of Race Matters praises, "Margaret Kimberley gives us an intellectual gem of prophetic fire about all the U.S. presidents and their deep roots in the vicious legacy of white supremacy and predatory capitalism. Such truths seem more than most Americans can bear, though we ignore her words at our own peril!" Margaret Kimberley is a New York-based writer and activist for peace and justice issues. Perfect timing for this discussion as we head into election season.
Tuesday, Sep 29 at 5PM: Connor Towne O’Neill will discuss his book, Down Along with that Devil’s Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy.
Journalist Connor Towne O’Neill takes a deep dive into American history, exposing the still-raging battles over monuments dedicated to one of the most notorious Confederate generals, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Through the lens of these conflicts, O’Neill examines the legacy of white supremacy in America, in a sobering and fascinating work sure to resonate with readers of Tony Horwitz, Timothy B. Tyson, and Robin DiAngelo. Publishers Weekly praises, “O’Neill writes with grace and genuine curiosity, allowing people on all sides of the issue to speak for themselves. This inquiry into the legacy of American slavery is equally distressing and illuminating.” As communities across the South grapple with these issues, O’Neill’s book could not be more timely.
SIBA needs to hear from you. You are our core members, and the daily goal of our team is to meet your needs as best we can. How are we doing? How are we helping? How can we do better? Just a few minutes of your time answering this short anonymous survey
will be a tremendous help as we plan for the future.
As we've begun listing our schedule of author events, educational programming, and networking opportunities on our site, we sense you might be wondering, "Where do I even begin?" So much to choose from, schedule into your calendar, and register for. We hope you find the schedule a bounty of delights and resources to sustain and inspire you and your bookstores as we head into the holiday season.
Included in this session:
Quick tour of NVNR website
How to view the four programming tracks
How to make appointments with publishers and vendors
How to download events into your calendar
Which events have limited attendance and require special registration
Dear DeeDee by
Kat Meads
A Sour Mash Southern Literature title from Regal House Publishing
December 4, 2020
$13.95 - paperback
ISBN: 9781646030156
A homesick-for-the-South aunt.
A North Carolina niece.
A correspondence that explores what makes us who we are.
“Hilarious and heartbreaking” —Norma Watkins, That Woman from Mississippi
“A beguiling take on Southern memoir”—Cris Mazza, Something Wrong with Her
West Coast-based Aunt K (the author) writes to niece DeeDee, ostensibly to bring her up to speed on family history and share anecdotes about their North
Carolina relatives, past and present. The letters soon evolve into broader discussions of community, loss, love, ambition, leaving the South (in body, if not mind) and what it means to negotiate life as a female. Integral to the correspondence are books and writers (from Burroughs to Woolf), landscapes
and cityscapes in North Carolina, California, New Mexico, New York, East Sussex and elsewhere. A persistent theme: the inter-weavings of person and place. In the tradition of Jane Austen’s letters to niece Fanny Knight and Fay Weldon’s Letters to Alice, DeeDee is a female’s interpretation of the world. It is also, in the sum of its parts, deeply concerned with the question of which
elements (genetic and circumstantial) conspire to make us who we are.
Events and buyer contact info: Arrylee Satterfield/VaLinda Miller
Number of years as a bookseller: 6
Best part about being a bookseller?: New Books
What book(s) are you reading?:The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel; Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis and Mike D'Orso; The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson; This is my America by
Kim Johnson; Bookmarked for Murder by V.M. Burns
Favorite handsell of 2020: All of V.M. Burns' Mystery Bookshop series, Hannibal B. Johnson's Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District), and JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars
Best thing you did this year at your store in response to Covid? Hired a company to come in two or three times a week to sanitize the store. Ensure staff and myself wear masks. Blessed to have emergency funds available to cover expenses
and blessed that I was able to telework for my full time job.
What are some ways you work with your community? Joined the political arena to understand the needs of the community. Involved in Race talks with the mayor and the community. Provide free books with an apple or healthy snacks for kids.
Volunteer for Charleston County Library. Board member of the Friends of the SC Library. Yearly Bring Your Child to Work Day.
Do you have any community partners you work with regularly? Not on a regular basis. Only when needed.
Do you have passions that carry over into your bookselling life? The love generated by my grandmother (She had to drop out of school when she was 14 years old) who walked me to my first library because she knew Rep. John Lewis and other
blacks were denied a library card.Rep. John Lewis, as was my grandmother, was told that libraries were for whites only and she was powerfully determined to see that I got a library card and read every book in that library.Those librarians took me
in their heart and when I would walk without my grandmother, having gone without food for that day, they fed me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.I will always for the rest of my life thank them for feeding me books and food.It's my passion in life
to continue to support all independent bookstores and libraries and provide food and books for kids.
What e-commerce platform are you using, and why did you choose it? Square and Go-Daddy. I use them because they are cheap and I have lots of computer geek friends who can help me.
Top priority for 2020/2021: Save for one year of expenses. Open a second bookstore. Continue working my full-time time. Have more virtual signings. Improve website. Improve social media. Work more in the political arena.
Favorite SIBA programming benefit: SIBA Discovery Show
2020 has been a challenging year, to say the least. But if there is a silver lining to be found it is perhaps that so many bookstores have risen to that challenge, finding new and creative ways to stay in business and serve their communities.
Organizations like SIBA and NAIBA have also had to become creative and innovative in order to serve their member bookstores. Creativity and innovation are the driving forces behind New Voices New Rooms:
the joint SIBA/NAIBA virtual show.
Eileen Dengler, the Executive Director of NAIBA, and Linda-Marie Barrett, the Executive Director of SIBA, came together to harness the resources of both organizations in order to produce a virtual event that would go above and beyond in meeting the needs
of their member stores. They recently sat down together (on video, of course, from their own respective offices) to talk about New Voices New Rooms, its challenges and some of the hopes they have for the event.
What are your roles at New Voices New Rooms?
Eileen: Linda-Marie and I are working (virtually) shoulder-to-shoulder to create the programming, fill the exhibit hall, and dream up fun events for all who wish to be part of this great bookselling community.
Linda-Marie: We want to create programming that’s compelling and meaningful for everyone involved: booksellers, authors, publishers, and vendors. We intend to curate each event carefully to make some virtual magic. Just you wait and
see :)
What are some of your goals for this event?
Eileen: I want this virtual event to reach the booksellers and publishers who felt an in-person meeting was either hard to attend because of time or money constraints, or who didn't know about this community of booksellers and publishers.
A community that champions and cheers each other, and lends a helping hand and sage advice so everyone succeeds.
Linda-Marie: To that end, we are crafting events that offer booksellers things they expect and need from a tradeshow and things they might not have thought of or expect from a virtual show: A fun and productive experience that inspires.
Insider info about books and gifts that they can use to handsell with great success. Education they can take action on immediately. Connections with publishers and vendors that enhance their businesses. Opportunities to engage with each other and
network. Meaningful communication is a high priority for New Voices New Rooms.
What have been some of the challenges to creating this event?
Linda-Marie: Running a virtual trade show is new to SIBA and NAIBA, though we’ve both been running online events for years. We’re learning new things every day, and challenging ourselves to consider every angle of our programming from
an attendee’s perspective. How can we make this easy, safe, responsive, engaging, and worthwhile? We have a great team in place that’s tech-savvy, very experienced with running a trade show, and focused on doing this expertly.
Eileen: The technical side of hosting a virtual event has been a challenge. It is not as simple as sending out a zoom invite and sitting in front of your screen at the appointed time. It is complicated, time consuming, and intricate,
and we are fortunate to have the skills great staff from SIBA and NAIBA to guide us, research options, and create a platform that is user focused and friendly.
What are you most excited about?
Eileen: Through this virtual conference, the doors are going to open wide to so many more booksellers and publishers, and these new connections, friendships, and business relationships is so exciting for me.
Linda-Marie: One of the upsides to a virtual show is that geographic barriers are less important, and we will be able offer presentations from writers who would probably not be able to come to an in person event. So we’ll see more presenters
from other countries, or who are usually in such high demand their schedule is very limited. And perhaps people who normally wouldn’t be attending a show. I’d love to see more editors at the shows. And because virtual means you get these little windows
into people’s living rooms, offices, and lives, you get to “meet” writers in their own environment, so to speak. Imagine talking to a cookbook author in their own kitchen! (I really like to cook).
What do you hope booksellers will take away from New Voices New Rooms?
Eileen: These new voices in new rooms will give us all more ideas, contacts, and a stronger sense of belonging in our community.
Linda-Marie: Community is vital! It’s always been a goal of these shows to give our booksellers skills to help them make their businesses successful, and access to new books and products that they will want to sell. Those goals haven’t
changed, but this year I think there is an added one: to bring our bookstores through the pandemic and begin feeling excited about the future. It seems like a long way away right now – everything is so volatile and uncertain. But we also need books
and literature more than ever. That hasn’t changed, it has become more important. And I think our bookstores know it and want to be there for their communities.
Do you see New Voices New Rooms as a model for future events?
Linda-Marie: I do. It has been really rewarding working with Eileen and Kit at NAIBA and seeing their perspective on things, and I think it is a natural partnership. We seem to give each other lots and lots of great ideas! So we intentionally
built New Voices New Rooms with the potential for future programs in mind. The “infrastructure” of the event is stable and ready to be used for more things if we decide we want to.
Eileen: I think we are all learning and appreciating new ways of doing business and getting together. As we plan and imagine the future, virtual events for bookstores and the associations will be part of our formats. New Voices New Rooms
could very well live on. We shall take the good and move forward from there to a better place.
Watch the Q&A session between with Susan Shoger and Ashley Vogelmeier about the 2020 SIBA Holiday Catalog. The catalog will be an important tool for stores in the upcoming uncertain holiday season.
SIBA promotes six new books every month to readers, the customers of our member stores, in our Lady Banks Bookshelf promotion. These titles appear at the top of our weekly Lady Banks Commonplace Book newsletter, which has a circulation of over 60k. We also feature them above the fold on the homepage of Authors 'Round the South and as the cover image of the ARTS facebook page, with buy links promoted to our 15,000 Facebook friends. Plus, we boost these titles on our Facebook page for thousands more views. A different member store is featured with the titles every week. We give SIBA member stores a heads up on each month's featured titles, to encourage in-store and online displays.
For publishers looking to promote their new titles out to readers across the South, Lady Banks Bookshelf is our greatest value because of high visibility and engagement across multiple platforms. Contact us for more information or to get your titles on "The Shelf" in coming months.
Publisher: Uproar Books Pub date: Sept. 29, 2020 Price: $16.95 Format: Trade Paperback ISBN: 9781949671087 Available from Ingram
Enjoy sci-fi thrillers with a political edge? Get a free copy of THE WAY OUT by Armond Boudreaux in paperback or ebook today!
Fast-paced and thought-provoking, THE WAY OUT is set in Atlanta, Georgia, and the mountains of North Carolina fifty years in the future.
Called a medical miracle, the artificial womb ensures the perfect health and flawless development of every unborn child. Natural pregnancy is now unnecessary risk—and quickly criminalized as a danger to both mother and fetus.
As a reporter, Jessica Brantley makes new enemies on a daily basis covering both sides of the controversial new law. Her search for the truth behind this world-changing technology leads to an unimaginable discovery—the existence of children with terrifying
telepathic powers.
This truth is no secret to former U.S. Marine Valerie Hara. Her illegally born eleven-year-old son can’t help but hear the thoughts of everyone around him. Soon, these two fearless women will be branded as terrorists, hunted by the military, demonized
by the media—and drawn into a desperate fight for the freedom of the human race.
Author Armond Boudreaux of Statesboro, Ga., is now scheduling in-person and virtual events at bookstores throughout the Southeastern U.S.—please contact us to be part of his tour!
For a free review copy, email Rick Lewis at rick@uproarbooks.com. Please specify paperback or ebook.
Matchbook Marketing has partnered with Franklin Web Printing to produce an 8 page print newsletter promoting Black authors
across all genres. Matchbook donated curation and design, and Franklin Web donated staff time and the use of its presses. As a result, this 8-page issue is available for just the cost of the paper it is printed on and shipping. This
translates to $29.50 for the minimum order of 250 copies.
The newsletter features jackets and publisher blurbs of 59 books, plus lists of additional titles in each section. To keep costs low, this special edition has singular branding and will not reflect each store. Nevertheless, Matchbook expects
the issue to increase sales for indie bookstores who distribute it.
Viewpoint Books in Columbus, IN has generously purchased 750 copies to donate to stores who can't afford these at present. So the first three stores to let Matchbook know they could use this help will get 250 copies totally free of charge.
The deadline to order copies of the edition is Sunday, August 9. Copies should arrive in store by August 21. A full list of titles and their blurbs are available on the order site: https://welovebooksellers.com/black-voices-special-edition/
The Hub City Writers Project is hiring for the position of Bookstore Manager of its award-winning Hub City Bookshop. This is a great opportunity to play a central role in the operations of this downtown community nonprofit bookstore, which has twice been named one of the “South’s Best Bookstores” by Southern Living magazine and was named Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance “Bookstore of the Year” in 2019.
The Hub City Writers Project is a dynamic literary arts organization whose mission is to “Cultivate readers and nurture writers.” In addition to the bookshop, the organization boasts an awarding-winning independent press, and conducts educational programming for writers and community outreach to readers to drive its mission.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Bookstore Manager manages the operation of the Hub City Bookshop; and supervises, trains, and evaluates bookstore staff and volunteers. The Bookstore Manager performs assigned duties under the administrative direction of the Executive Director of Hub City Writers Project.
Central duties may include:
Handling customer service issues both in the store and online. Set “plan of day” and organize the floor and back room staff priorities. Oversee merchandising and cleanliness of the bookshop inside and see that equipment is in good repair. Conduct routine inventory assessment and resolve any discrepancies
Personnel management. Interview and hire new staff along with senior staff and board liaison. Handle disciplinary issues and time off requests along with senior staff and board liaison
Create the weekly work schedules and coordinate time off requests. Find coverage for staff and volunteers who call in sick or work when last-minute shortage cannot be filled
Review and revise procedures and policies alongside senior staff and board liaison
Plan and manage the maintenance of bookstore accounting records and processes and familiarity for POS systems, preferably Booklog, and Quickbooks
Work with bookshop events coordinator/social media director to host and plan events
Assist in planning organization-specific events including Independent Bookstore Day, Donor Appreciation Party, Delicious Reads, and other occasional special events
Work with Hub City Press staff to promote its titles through bookstore channels
Participate in weekly staff meeting; bring issues to the attention of the ED on a timely basis
Perform related duties as required or assigned
Desired skills and qualifications:
A high level of organization, especially when managing calendars, high volumes of email, and time sensitive tasks. A high level of written and verbal communication skills, as well as ability to prioritize and manage your time. Ability to collaborate with others and problemsolve, all while maintaining a positive communications style
Ability to empathize and have difficult conversations
Ability to maintain a levelheaded response to stress
Fluency in Microsoft Office. Familiarity with basic accounting principles preferred
Availability and willingness to work a mix of days, nights, and weekends
13 years of retail management experience, 3 years or more of independent bookstore experience, or equivalent, relevant experience in the overall world of publishing
Knowledge of Local First issues and ability to talk about and advocate for independent bookstores is preferred
Access to a car is necessary
Salary is comparable to other nonprofit organizations of similar size and commensurate with experience. This is a fulltime position.
How to apply:
Interested candidates must apply by sending a complete packet of cover letter and resume with current contacts for three references to anne@hubcity.org with the words “Bookstore Manager” in the subject line. Cover letters, which must be no longer than two pages, should detail your qualifications for the position. Concise cover letters and resumes are encouraged. Be sure to send your materials to us as clearly labeled file attachments in Word or Adobe (.pdf) formats. No telephone inquiries. All questions and complete applications with current contact information for yourself should be addressed to anne@hubcity.org. We will not consider incomplete submissions.
Timing:
The Hub City Writers Project will continue to accept applications until July 27,2020. We anticipate hiring for this position by August 3, 2020.
We're excited to present the August Schedule for Reader Meet Writer, our virtual author event program. Reader Meet Writer events are co-hosted by up to 65 participating
SIBA-member stores. Wiley Cash, our Conroy Legacy Award recipient and the author of The Last Ballad,A Land More Kind than Home, and This Dark Road to Mercy is our host.
August Schedule:
Odie Lindsey, author of Some Go Home, in conversation with Chanelle Benz
Thursday, Aug 6 at 7 PM EDT
Some Go Home is a searing debut novel following three generations fractured by murder in fictional Pitchlynn, Mississippi that complicates notions of race, class, history, and identity.
Odie Lindsey is also the author of We Come to Our Senses: Stories. He received an NEA-funded fellowship for veterans, holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is writer-in-residence at Vanderbilt University in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Chanelle Benz has published work at Guernica, Granta.com,The New York Times, Electric Literature, The American Reader, Fence, and is the recipient of an O. Henry Prize.
Kim Powers, author of Rules for Being Dead, in conversation with Louis Bayard
Tuesday, August 11 at 5 PM EDT
An unlikely love child of Mark Childress' Crazy in Alabama and Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, Rules for Being Dead pays homage to the movies of the 1960s and vividly conjures the machinations of small-town Texas with a wicked
sense of humor and an unexpected tenderness.
Kim Powers is a two-time Emmy winner and author of the novels Dig Two Graves and Capote in Kansas, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir The History of Swimming, a Barnes & Noble Discover Book and Lambda Literary Award
finalist for Best Memoir of the Year.
In the words of the New York Times, Louis Bayard "reinvigorates historical fiction," rendering the past "as if he'd witnessed it firsthand." His acclaimed historical novels include national bestseller Courting Mr. Lincoln and the highly praised young-adult novel, Lucky Strikes.
Sarah M. Broom, author of The Yellow House, in conversation with Imani Perry
Thursday, Aug 13, 7 PM EDT
The Yellow House is a brilliant, haunting, and unforgettable memoir from a stunning new talent about the inexorable pull of home and family, set in a shotgun house in New Orleans East. It is also the winner of the 2019 National Book Award in
Nonfiction.
Sarah Broom has also published her work in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Oxford American, and O, The Oprah Magazine, among others.
Imani Perry is the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and the author of six books, including the award-winning Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry.
Adam Rutherford, author of How to Argue With a Racist Tuesday, Aug 18, 3PM EDT
How to Argue With a Racist shows us how being a responsible and enlightened citizen on the matter of race today requires us to know what modern genetics actually can and can't tell us about human difference. Racial categories still vexing our
societies do not align with observable genetic differences—and those differences are, in fact, so minute that they serve as evidence of our commonality.
Adam Rutherford is a geneticist, science writer, and broadcaster. He is also the author of The Book of Humans and A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in nonfiction.
Justin A. Reynolds, author of Early Departures
Thursday, Aug 20 7 PM EDT
Early Departures is a smart, funny, and powerful stand-alone YA contemporary novel, with a speculative twist in which Jamal's best friend is brought back to life after a freak accident...but they only have a short time together before he will
die again.
Justin A. Reynolds's debut novel, Opposite of Always, was an Indies Introduce selection and a School Library Journal Best Book, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. He lives in northeast Ohio with his family. You can find him
at www.justinareynolds.com.
Heather Bell Adams, author of The Good Luck Stone
Thursday, Aug 27 7 PM EDT
The Good Luck Stone moves between the verdant jungles of the war-torn Philippines and the glitter of modern-day Savannah, Georgia, as friendships new and old are tested, and characters discover you can only outrun your secrets for so long.
Heather Bell Adams is also the author of the novel Maranatha Road, winner of the gold medal for the Southeast region in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and named to Deep South Magazine's Fall/Winter Reading List. She is also a
nationally-recognized scholar on the works of Ron Rash.
The Children's Editors from Simon & Schuster will present their fall lists to SIBA booksellers on Wed, July 29 at 3 PM EDT. This is such a great opportunity for your buyers and event coordinators to see which titles S & S want indie booksellers to know about; it's also a perfect time to begin or deepen your relationships with the editors behind the books! Other benefits that come with attending our event.
increased visibility of your store with Simon & Schuster
insider track to the titles getting the most promotion this fall
insider info to up your handselling game with customers
insight into the passion these editors have for the books they've helped birth
witnessing editors handsell their titles and improving your own techniques
Caitlyn Dlouhy likes to say she grew up in a tree…because it was in the massive willow in her parents' backyard where she did most of her reading, hiking up the limbs with books tied to a rope to haul up once she reached just the right branch. From that perch in a teeny tiny coastal town, she could see the whole world… through the lens of books. Her publishing choices have always reflected that – from middle grade and teen fiction to picture books, as well as a smattering of graphic novels, nonfiction, and poetry. Caitlyn's drawn most toward voices unusual and unexpected. Her books have topped New York Times bestseller lists (as well as lists of the most banned books in America) and have received great acclaim: a Newbery Medal and Honors, a National Book Award and Finalists, Printz honors, Coretta Scott King Awards and honors, a Pura Bel Pre Award, and more. She has the great pleasure of working with such incredible, award-winning authors and illustrators as Laurie Halse Anderson, Ashley Bryan, Doreen Cronin, Sharon Draper, William Joyce, Cynthia Kadohata, Betsy Lewin, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Jason Reynolds, just to name a few.
Reka Simonsen, Editorial Director, Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reka Simonsen loves to work on books all across the age range, though she has a real soft spot for middle grade novels, especially those that can turn kids into lifelong readers. She looks for believable, engaging characters whose voices she can't forget, and stories with that special blend of humor and heart. She has been lucky enough to work with amazing authors and illustrators, including Margarita Engle, Carole Boston Weatherford, Evan Turk, Brian Pinkney, Frank Morrison, Jamie Sumner, Melanie Crowder, Sean Qualls, and Lloyd Alexander, among others. Books she has edited have received a Newbery Honor, a Geisel Honor, a Sibert Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor, Pura Belpré Awards and Honors, and more. Before joining Atheneum, she worked at assorted publishers and bookstores including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, and Books of Wonder.
Denene Millner is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and director of the Denene Millner Books imprint. She has written thirty books for adults, teens, and children, among themAround the Way Girl, a memoir with actress Taraji P. Henson, and Early Sunday Morning, a children's picture book. She is also the founder of MyBrownBaby.com, a critically acclaimed blog that examines the intersection of parenting and race, and the host of Speakeasy with Denene, a podcast produced by Georgia Public Broadcasting. She's always loved children's books—the illustrations, the color, the whimsy, the beauty of the stories—and is particularly drawn to books that celebrate the everyday beauty and experience of African American children. Her imprint, Denene Millner Books, is a love letter to children of color who deserve to see their beauty and humanity in the most remarkable form of entertainment on the planet: books. Denene lives in Atlanta with her two daughters and their adorable Goldendoodle, Teddy.
Sarah McCabe, Editor, Margaret K. McElderry Books
Editor Sarah McCabe joined Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in October 2014. Before that, she worked at Springer International Publishing and did freelance projects with Open Road Integrated Media and Full Fathom Five. She received her bachelor's degrees in English and journalism at the University of Kansas and her Master of Science in Publishing at New York University. Sarah is drawn to lush, inventive fantasies; accessible, character-driven science fiction (especially if it's set in space!); emotionally complex heroes and sympathetic villains; detailed worldbuilding; reimagined classics and fairytales; stories exploring the nature of humanity and morality; as well as anything with a time travel, alternate history, or parallel universe hook. Her editorial projects include Lisa Maxwell's New York Times bestselling The Last Magician trilogy, Emily Suvada's This Mortal Coil trilogy, and the upcoming Fall 2020 Indies Introduce selection, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn.
Paula Wiseman, VP & Publisher, Paula Wiseman Books
Before joining Simon & Schuster in 2002, Paula Wiseman began her publishing career at Dial Books for Young Readers, now a division of Viking Penguin. She later became Vice President and Editor-in-Chief at Philomel Books, a division of GP Putnam, as well as Vice President and Editorial Director of Silver Whistle Books, a division of Harcourt Inc. In 2003, she launched her own imprint for Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, with the publication of Clorinda by Robert Kinerk and illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Paula Wiseman Books has since gone on to publish over seventy award-winning and bestselling titles across formats—from picture books, to novelty books, to novels. Her imprint focuses on stories and art that are childlike, timeless, innovative, and centered in emotion. Paula has worked with some of the most beloved talents working in children's books today, including Matthew Van Fleet, Patricia Polacco, Kadir Nelson, Raúl Colón, and Rosemary Wells.
Allyn Johnston, VP & Publisher, Beach Lane Books
Allyn Johnston has been working in children's publishing in her native California for twenty-four years. Founded in 2008, Allyn's Beach Lane Books imprint publishes books for all ages and across all genres with a primary focus on lyrical, emotionally engaging, highly visual picture books for young children. She has worked with some of the industry's most celebrated authors and illustrators, including Mem Fox, Lois Ehlert, Marla Frazee, Cynthia Rylant, Jeanette Winter, Arthur Howard, Jan Thomas, Mark Teague, Angela DiTerlizzi, Elana K. Arnold, and more. Among her editorial projects are such award-winning,New York Timesbestselling favorites as Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury; and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee and All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee, both of which received a Caldecott Honor.
Siobhan Ciminera, Editorial Director, Simon Spotlight
Siobhan Ciminera is the Editorial Director of Simon Spotlight, an imprint devoted to media tie-in's, licensed properties, and brands. She has worked on projects featuring such popular characters as Daniel Tiger, PJ Masks, and the Peanuts gang, adapting their stories to an array of innovative formats—from board books and storybooks, to unique novelty and pop-up books. She's also worked extensively on Simon & Schuster's Ready-to-Read program, a line specifically dedicated to emerging readers, overseeing the introduction of new series and genres within the Ready-to-Read line—from bestselling nonfiction series likeReady to Read: You Should Meet…; to conversions of celebrated backlist classics like Cynthia Rylant's Henry & Mudge, Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin's Click, Clack, and works by Eric Carle; to original stories from beloved, award-winning authors like Jane Yolen and Marilyn Singer.
Jeffrey Salane, Editorial Director, Little Simon
Jeffrey Salane is the Editorial Director of Little Simon, an imprint devoted to the youngest readers with a focus on board books, novelty books, picture books, and chapter books. His projects have included some of Simon & Shuster's most beloved, bestselling chapter book series—from Heidi Heckelbeck,Sophie Mouse, and The Critter Club, to Captain Awesome, Galaxy Zack, and Desmond Cole, Ghost Patrol. He's also overseen the introduction of the imprint's fresh, fun, and innovative board book series, including the Twinkle, Twinkle series, the New Books for Newborns board books, and the stunning Once Upon a World and Celebrate the World series. Jeffrey has worked with a number of celebrated, bestselling authors, including Rod Campbell, Karen Katz, Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, and Sandra Boynton.
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Jamie Rogers Southern is the Interim Executive Director at Bookmarks as of October 1st. Bookmarks is a literary nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It began as the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, and an Authors in Schools program reaching 7000+ students of all ages annually, and several other book and author events throughout the year. In 2017 the organization completed a successful capital campaign and opened a bookstore and permanent event space in downtown Winston-Salem. Before Bookmarks Jamie worked at Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL, and for the American Booksellers Association. She is married to Ed Southern, Executive Director of the North Carolina Writers Network. She's also a University of Alabama football fan. Roll Tide!
The eight regional bookseller associations are working together this fall to present a special trade show season Opening Keynote event with the Reverend Al Sharpton. Independent booksellers are invited to join us as Rev. Sharpton presents his important, timely book RISE UP: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads (Hanover Square Press; 9/29/20), on Tuesday, September 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm ET.
SIBA's Reader Meet Writer Author Series branches out into children’s programming in October with two author-illustrator hosts, Constance Lombardo and Vanessa Brantley-Newton. They will rotate duties and bring up the energy for kids and adult viewers. Constance is the author/illustrator of the middle grade Mr. Puffball series (HarperCollins) and the picture book Everybody Says Meow (HarperCollins). She currently lives in Asheville, NC with G. G. the cat and Louie the old beagle. Vanessa is the author of 5 children's books and has illustrated over 50. Diversity is at the core of her work as she longs for all children to see themselves beautifully illustrated in picture books. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and daughter and has a cat named Stripes. 
We are so excited to bring you this programming! Please email 
Thursday, Sep 3 at 7PM EDT: Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad is Untrue will be in conversation with host Wiley Cash. Nayeri is the publisher of Odd Dot, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, where he oversees a team of designers, editors, and inventors creating joyful books for curious minds. In his middle-grade novel, Nayeri shares the fictionalized story of his family’s flight from Iran in the middle of the night to a refugee camp in Italy, and eventually to a school in Oklahoma, where he is met with curiosity and suspicion. Kirkus Review calls Everything Sad is Untrue a “A modern epic... with beauty amid the pain, as well as laughter.” 
Tuesday, Sep 8 at 3PM EDT: Anna North, author of Outlawed, will be in conversation with Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood. North's novel dusts off the myth of the old west and reignites the promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. It’s been described as “The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West.”Febos' book of essays examines the narratives women are told about what it means to be a girl and the realities of growing up female in a world that prioritizes the feelings, perceptions, and power of men at girls' expense. Carmen Maria Machado praises Girlhood, "These essays are moss and iron-hard and beautiful-and struck through with Febos' signature brilliance and power and grace. An essential, heartbreaking project.” 
Thursday, Sep 10 at 7PM EDT: Carl Hoffman, author of Liar’s Circus: The Strange and Terrifying Journey into the Upside-Down World of Trump’s MAGA Rallies will be in conversation with host Wiley Cash. A former contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler, Hoffman has traveled to 80 countries on assignment; he has written about cannibals in New Guinea, Mumbai’s railways (the deadliest in the world), and the indigenous tribes of Borneo. Now he trains his unique eye on his own country. Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail meets Strangers in Their Own Land in this work of daring and immersive contemporary anthropology. Hoffman, who has written about the most dangerous and remote corners of the world, journeys deep inside Donald Trump’s rallies, seeking to understand the strange and powerful tribe that forms the president’s base. 
Tuesday, Sep 15 at 3PM EDT: Simon Stephenson will discuss his debut novel, Set My Heart to Five. For fans of Fredrik Backman and Gail Honeyman, Set My Heart to Five is a delightfully entertaining, deceptively poignant debut novel about a human-like bot named Jared. Jared works as a dentist in small town Michigan and is engineered with human DNA to look and act like a real person. One day at a screening of a classic movie, Jared feels a strange sensation around his eyes. Everyone knows that bots can’t feel emotions, but as the theater lights come on, Jared could swear he’s crying. Confused, he decides to watch more old movies to figure out what’s happening. And so Jared’s adventure begins in “this profound exploration of what makes us human, and a love letter to outsiders everywhere.” 
Thursday, Sep 17 at 7PM: Margaret Kimberley will discuss her book, Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, a concise, authoritative exploration of America's relationship with race and black Americans through the lens of the presidents who are elected to represent and govern all of its people. Cornel West, author of Race Matters praises, "Margaret Kimberley gives us an intellectual gem of prophetic fire about all the U.S. presidents and their deep roots in the vicious legacy of white supremacy and predatory capitalism. Such truths seem more than most Americans can bear, though we ignore her words at our own peril!" Margaret Kimberley is a New York-based writer and activist for peace and justice issues. Perfect timing for this discussion as we head into election season.
Tuesday, Sep 29 at 5PM: Connor Towne O’Neill will discuss his book, Down Along with that Devil’s Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy.
Journalist Connor Towne O’Neill takes a deep dive into American history, exposing the still-raging battles over monuments dedicated to one of the most notorious Confederate generals, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Through the lens of these conflicts, O’Neill examines the legacy of white supremacy in America, in a sobering and fascinating work sure to resonate with readers of Tony Horwitz, Timothy B. Tyson, and Robin DiAngelo. Publishers Weekly praises, “O’Neill writes with grace and genuine curiosity, allowing people on all sides of the issue to speak for themselves. This inquiry into the legacy of American slavery is equally distressing and illuminating.” As communities across the South grapple with these issues, O’Neill’s book could not be more timely. 
Name: VaLinda Miller 
