The onset of spring means extra hours of daylight which means more time to read! Southern independent booksellers have collected a reading list that will keep those extra hours filled: the 2019 Spring Okra Picks – a collection of the best forthcoming Southern books of the season. Every book on the list has these things in common: they are Southern in nature, they release sometime between April and June, and they have a following among Southern indie booksellers, who can’t wait to introduce them to new readers.
Stay up a little bit later and read. Put a pile of Okra Picks by your bed.
Mothers and Strangers: Essays on Motherhood from the New South by Samia Serageldin (editor) University of North Carolina Press | Paperback | 9781469651675 | 04/1/2019 | $22.00
I Miss You When I Blink: Essays by Mary Laura Philpott Atria Books | Hardcover | 9781982102807 | 04/02/2019 | $26.00
The Gulf by Belle Boggs Graywolf Press | Paperback | 9781555978341 | 04/02/2019 | $16.00
What's our presenters said about SIBA in the Springtime
"SIBA in the Springtime was my first Southern indie booksellers experience, and it couldn't have been better! There's nothing like face to face interactions with booksellers and authors I have long admired to make me want to keep writing. Thank you, Wanda and team, for hosting such an inspirational event!"
-Jolina Petersheim, bestselling author of How the Light Gets In
“The SIBA Eureka panels are an innovative and useful way to bring booksellers together in the same room to exchange best practices and hear new ideas. We’re always looking for ways to create meaningful connections with independent booksellers, and the SIBA in the Springtime meeting was definitely that.” -Michael Reynolds I Editor in Chief, Europa Editions
“I enjoyed the camaraderie, meeting the book store owners (and learning about their challenges) and meeting other authors. It was a whirlwind trip for me and I went home smiling.”
-Deb Spera, author of Call Your Daughter Home
“Loved EUREKAsiba. Dynamic indie booksellers, illuminating authors, innovative leaders of the book-world all coming together around ideas, music, meals, book-crafts, and -- of course -- books. Smart people thinking hard about how to connect books with readers and how to spread the love for indie bookstores near and far. What could be better?” -Elizabeth F. Emens, author of Life Admin: How I Learned to Do Less, Do Better, and Live More
“SIBA in the Springtime is valuable for writers, too! I loved having the chance to talk about NEVER HAVE I EVER, catch up with old friends, and make some new ones. I know from experience what motivated, passionate handsellers can do for a novel’s trajectory---and it was so encouraging to meet so many folks who had opened new indies or who are about to!” -Joshilyn Jackson, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of Never Have I Ever
“Talk about creating spaces for connection! From the bus tour to the presentations to the author dinners and reception, EUREKAsiba was an amazing opportunity to hear new ideas, learn about great books, and make new friends. I can't wait to do it again.” -Erica C. Witsell, author of Give
“We love EUREKAsiba! This is an event that packs a big punch while only requiring a short time away from the bookstore--a day packed full of insightful and diverse presentations that run the gamut from hands-on to philosophical, inspiring to informative, from booksellers, authors, and publishers from around the South and beyond! SIBA in the Springtime leaves us feeling refreshed, supported, and reconnected, ready to return to the bookstore armed with new information, new and renewed friendships, and fresh excitement for our work.” -Josh Niesse & Megan Bell, Owners of Underground Books
Everything was organized, and I felt very well attended to. Details like the gift of the writing journal were lovely. Everyone was incredibly friendly, and I appreciated the attention to timing, such as keeping talk times on track and announcing the amount of down time between talks. I loved how SIBA in the Springtime operated on both a large and small scale. That is, the TED-style talks onstage were stimulating, and offstage, the intimate environment led to warm and engrossing conversations that often carried over until the next day.
-Andrea Bobotis, author of The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt
Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett,
Monday, April 1, 2019
Updated: Wednesday, February 27, 2019
B3! Webinar: How to develop, grow, and run a successful podcast
Join us on Wednesday, May 8 at 2PM to listen to three presenters of book-centered podcasts. Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf and host of From the Front Porch, Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books and host of The Literary Life, and author Anne Bogel (AKA Modern Mrs. Darcy), host of What Should I Read Next? have developed very popular podcasts with a national audience. Booksellers looking to grow their store brands, reach more customers in their communities and beyond, and maybe even sell more books, will learn much listening to these experts share their best tips. Please RSVP lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend.
Meet our presenters:
Annie Jones began living her Kathleen Kelly-dream in 2013, when she took over operations of The Bookshelf in downtown Thomasville, Georgia. Annie adores leading story time for local little ones and acting as the shop's very own Nancy Drew, determined to find just the right book for just the right person. Annie also co-hosts From the Front Porch, The Bookshelf's popular weekly podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. From the Front Porch hit its one millionth download in February 2019, and together, Annie and her co-host Chris have produced over 200 episodes. In 2016, Annie was featured as one of Southern Living magazine's 50 innovators changing the South, and in 2017, The Bookshelf was recognized as Small Business of the Year by the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce.
Anne Bogel is the creator of the very popular blog Modern Mrs. Darcy. Her book lists and reading guides have established her as a tastemaker among readers, authors, and publishers. Books are the foundation of her site, which has been affectionately dubbed “a lifestyle blog for nerds.” She’s the author of I’d Rather be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life and Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything. Her weekly podcast, What Should I Read Next? is devoted to book talk, reading recommendations, and literary matchmaking. She’s based in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mitchell Kaplan founded Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida in 1982 and has since opened numerous locations including stores in Key West and the Cayman Islands. Books & Books was named Bookstore of the Year in 2015 by Publishers’ Weekly. Mitchell is a co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, the former President of the American Booksellers Association (ABA) and served on the Board of ABFFE, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. In 2011, Mitchell received the National Book Foundation’s prestigious “Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community” His podcast The Literary Life features candid conversations with Mitchell and his guests.
SIBA Discovery Show, HOME of the Binc Ice Cream Party!
Binc's Share the Good Fundraising Campaign launched April 2, and we're looking for 50 booklovers from across the country to join our community of sustaining donors. Will you help us reach our goal?
SIBA has been challenged to beat all the other regional associations by enlisting the highest number of sustaining donors during this April campaign. If we win, Binc will host an ice cream party at the Discovery Show. While that is fun, it is more rewarding to know that any amount of money you donate each month adds up to life-saving help to a bookseller.
The drive is live. Visit this link and send your support to booksellers.
Submitted this week on Edelweiss+ using the "send to SIBA" option. Thanks to Avid Bookshop, Bookmiser, Fiction Addiction, Flyleaf Books, Fountain Bookstore, Lincolns Loft, M. Judson, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, McIntyre's Books, New Dominion Bookshop, Octavia Books, Page & Palette, Page 158 Books, Square Books, and Sunrise Books.
9781501196867 Things My Son Needs to Know about the World 5/7/2019
"One thing that Backman understands is human nature. He has got it down!" -- Stephanie, Page & Palette, Mobile, AL
9781250195524Middlegame 5/7/2019
"Weird in all the right ways. There's alchemy and time travel and psychopaths and child geniuses. There's a little bit of something for everyone " -- Jennifer, Bookmiser, Rosewell, GA
978162779043Furious Hours 5/7/2019
"Equal parts biography, history, and reporting, Furious Hours is the rare nonfiction book that actually reads like fiction" -- Sarah, New Dominion Bookshop, Charlottesville, VA
9780062393449The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown 5/21/2019
"Poetic, moving, and beautifully strange." -- Tyler, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
9781250192028Vintage 1954 6/18/2019
"Grab a good glass of wine and a comfy chair and immerse yourself in the quirky creativity that is Antoine Laurain." -- Addison, Square Books, Oxford, MS
9781328849854Costalegre 7/16/2019
"Captivating and heart-breaking, a story of a young woman just beginning to learn who she is and what she wants from the world." -- Lisa, M. Judson, Greenville, SC
It’s that time again to pick the bookseller leaders that will move SIBA forward. SIBA’s Board Members are a hard‐working bunch. Serving on the SIBA Board is both rewarding and enlightening. Consider someone today for a board position. Self‐nominations are encouraged. Anyone can nominate.
Board members do not get paid for service but all expenses incurred are covered by the organization. The position requires attendance at 3 board meetings annually (See Policy 13A: Board meeting agendas) plus a Carver training session and adequate preparation for all meetings is also required. The board seeks persons from the core membership taking into account the following: relevant Policy Governance skills (including the ability to work within group decisions, to use conceptual categories of Ends and Means, to judge performance only against previously stated expectations), relevant industry skills and knowledge, geography, and store size.
SIBA’s current Board members will assess interest among potential candidates. A slate will be determined from the potential candidates by the Board of Directors and presented for vote by the membership before the Fall Discovery Show.
This form must be complete for the nominee to be considered.
Bookseller Brian Lampkin's EUREKAsiba Talk "The Strange Kindness of Booksellers" addressed the issue of "burnout" in a most provocative way and I'm now sold on the notion that what burnout really is, is moral injury. The video Brian shared is addressing the concerns of the medical profession and in real ways, the stakes certainly are higher in the medical profession than in bookselling, but the stresses of being on the "frontline" are in many ways, quite similar.
Brian shared the video: "It's Not Burnout, It's Moral Injury" in between sharing examples from his own book selling life that he correlated to what we were hearing in the video. I found myself making correlations of my own from my own life and felt empowered to see moral injury in place of burnout. Watch the video for yourself. Share it if the message resonates.
SIBA promotes six new books every month to consumers 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 on the cover image of the ARTS Facebook page with buy links promoted to our 15,000 Facebook friends. A different member store is featured with the titles every week.
Since SIBA redesigned Lady Banks Bookshelf last year, this promotion experienced a 23% increase in audience reach(from 17K to 22.5K), and a 16% jump in engagement (from 585 to 700) in on social media, and a 10% rise in impressions, 14% rise in click throughs via email. SIBA attributes the success to a more strongly focused target audience, more active engagement with member bookstores, and a fresh, more visually appealing presence that also appeals to the reader's sense of adventure and individuality.
By promoting through Lady Banks, publishers are making an investment in SIBA member bookstores’ attention and market. SIBA works with them to select titles your customers are looking for, and then we drive those customers to your stores. It’s very worth your while to bring Lady Banks Bookshelf titles in before the month begins, and put up a display.
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Monday, March 25, 2019
Updated: Tuesday, March 12, 2019
SIBA and participating publishers are giving away the galleys and other materials below to southern indie booksellers on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you are interested simply email the publisher to request a copy. Supplies are limited, so act quickly!
N.B. These are review copies only, and not for resale.
Eat. Sleep. Read. Southern.
Home for Erring and Outcast Girls
Julie Kibler
ISBN: 9780451499332
Crown
Hardcover
$27
July 30, 2019
An emotionally raw and resonant story of love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship, following the lives of two young women connected by a home for “fallen girls,” and inspired by historical events.
In turn-of-the-20th century Texas, the Berachah Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls is an unprecedented beacon of hope for young women consigned to the dangerous poverty of the streets by birth, circumstance, or personal tragedy. Built in 1903 on the dusty outskirts of Arlington, a remote dot between Dallas and Fort Worth’s red-light districts, the progressive home bucks public opinion by offering faith, training, and rehabilitation to prostitutes, addicts, unwed mothers, and “ruined” girls without forcibly separating mothers from children. When Lizzie Bates and Mattie McBride meet there—one sick and abused, but desperately clinging to her young daughter, the other jilted by the beau who fathered her ailing son—they form a friendship that will see them through unbearable loss, heartbreak, difficult choices, and ultimately, diverging paths.
A century later, Cate Sutton, a reclusive university librarian, uncovers the hidden histories of the two troubled women as she stumbles upon the cemetery on the home’s former grounds and begins to comb through its archives in her library. Pulled by an indescribable connection, what Cate discovers about their stories leads her to confront her own heartbreaking past, and to reclaim the life she thought she’d let go forever. With great pathos and powerful emotional resonance, Home for Erring and Outcast Girls explores the dark roads that lead us to ruin, and the paths we take to return to ourselves.
The 2019 Survey Binc will be open from March 25th through April 6th.
Bookseller feedback is being sought for the 2019 Binc Survey. Bookseller input is important to the organization and will help the Binc Foundation better serve booksellers across the nation. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete.
Participants have the option to be entered to win a $200 gift card to the bookstore of their choice or one of four (4) $50 American Express Gift Cards, To be entered, they must submit their email address. Binc will not contact people for any other reason other than to let them know if they've won (unless you give your permission to be added to our mailing list). Binc will never share information with an outside organization.
Submitted this week on Edelweiss+ using the "send to SIBA" option. Thanks to Avid Bookshop, Bookmarks, Bookmiser, Books & Books, Copperfish Books, Fiction Addiction, Flyleaf Books, McIntyre's Books, Page 158 Books, Quail Ridge Books, Spellbound Bookshop, Story on the Square, The Bookshop, Underground Books, and Wonderland Bookshop.
9781616207588 A People's History of Heaven 3/19/2019
"Beautifully written, affecting characters, and wonderful sense of place. One of my favorites of the year so far."
9780062662835With the Fire on High 5/7/2019
"Sprinkled with magical realism and brimming with heart"
978162779043Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune 6/11/2019
"a feel-good story--and a feel-hungry story, too! "
9781984892218Orange World and Other Stories 5/14/2019
"Russell proves that no one can write south Florida quite like her. Hand this to anyone who enjoyed Lauren Groff's FLORIDA last year."
9781250192028The First Mistake 6/11/2019
"This one will keep you up all night trying to figure out what is really going on."
9781328849854Chumps to Champs 5/7/2019
"Bill Pennington's book did what I had previously believed to be impossible - made me care about the Yankees."
Inspirational Books Publishing Hosts Order Campaign in Support of Binc
"We can be beacons of light" --Aimee Cabo Nikolov
In order to introduce the new edition their lead title, Love is the Answer, God is the Cure by Aimee Cabo Nikolov, to independent bookstores, Inspiriational Books Publishing seeks to support booksellers via the Book Industry Charitable Foundation in addition to inspiring readers with this powerful memoir.
For every copy of Aimee Cabo Nikolov's book sold until 5/30/2019 Inspirational Books Publishing will donate $5 to Binc, the safety net for booksellers.
Nikolov's memoir offers an important message of hope and resilience for reader, recounting how the author overcame great adversity to ultimately live a fulfilling life.
Love Is the Answer, God Is the Cure is available from wholesalers at regular discount:
Disaster Relief Program No Longer a Pilot, Now a Regular Program Offering for Bookstores from Binc
Ann Arbor, MI – March 18, 2019 – The Binc Foundation announces their bookstore disaster relief program, which was piloted in 2017 and 2018, is now a regular program and is no longer being tested as a pilot. The Binc Foundation board made up of passionate book people, including publishers, booksellers, and Borders’ Alumni, voted at their February board meeting to make Binc’s bookstore disaster relief a program offering going forward.
The goal of the bookstore disaster relief program is to provide assistance to bookstores so they can return to normal operations as quickly as possible following a natural disaster. Binc can now help bookstores pay essential expenses if they have sustained a financial hardship due to disaster. Rent, utilities, certain repairs, and storage of non-damaged furnishings, while repairs are completed, can all be considered for assistance.
In 2017—through the generosity of Binc’s donors—Binc was able to assist six bookstores in disaster recovery from hurricane, wildfire, and flood. In 2018 Binc assisted five bookstores with recovery assistance for hurricanes, wildfires, and flood. Binc has given over $76,000 in disaster recovery assistance to bookstores since 2017.
As the frequency of natural disasters increase (since 1970, the number of disasters worldwide has more than quadrupled to around 400 a year)[1], the Binc board decided it was time to add this vital program to its assistance options. “We believe that the number of bookstores needing this assistance is only going to increase in the coming years. Our bookstore disaster recovery assistance has proven to help booksellers and their communities move forward after a natural disaster, so by changing the bookstore disaster recovery assistance from a pilot to a regular program, we are preparing for the future,” said Binc Executive Director, Pam French.
Binc board member and owner of Bank Square Books/Savoy Bookshop & Café Annie Philbrick said, “When Bank Square Books was flooded by tropical storm Sandy we received a phone call from Kit who told us she was with Binc and wanted to help. We had no idea what this organization could help with, but we quickly learned that they are an amazing team of hard workers. Over the past eight years, Binc has helped many of our employees with major life and medical issues as well. Without Binc, we would not have gotten back on our feet as fast as we did after Sandy.”
Driving to SIBA in the Springtime, I was just coming up on the outskirts of Augusta, Georgia, when the battery warning light came on in the car. Being one of those people who stresses out at nearly any indicator light, I pulled into the first mechanic I could find that was open on a Sunday afternoon. The mechanic determined that the alternator needed to be replaced. But, not having the part on hand, he sent me to the closest auto parts store to pick one up and said he'd be able to put it in if I got back before he closed.
I made it, barely:
AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE #1:
Me: I broke down on the highway. I need to get to Atlanta tonight. I need an alternator for my 2001 Dodge Caravan. 4.2 liters, 2 wheel drive
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG SALES CLERK: Let me check! Are you an AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE VERY SPECIAL CUSTOMER?
Me: No.
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: What's your phone number
Me: (gives number)
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: I'll make you a member. (pause for much data entry) Oh. We don't have that part in stock. Let me check our warehouse...ok, I can have it for you tomorrow.
Me: No, I'm on the road now. I need it today. Do you have it in another location close by?
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: Let me check. (pause for much clicking of search buttons). Yes! This part is available in our location across town! I can have it delivered for you tomorrow.
Me: No, I need it now. Can they hold it for me and I'll go pick it up there?
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: OH SURE! I'll mark it as "hold" for you! What's your phone number?
ME: (gives number) Can you call them and make absolutely sure it is there on the shelf?
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: YES! Let me do that. (ten minute phone call to other location). Yes, it is there on the shelf. I am having them hold it for you and marking it as on hold in our system. (clicks more buttons) Did you want to go ahead and pay for it now so you can just pick it up from them?
ME: Sure. I can do that. (fishes out American Express card)
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK: (hands me very long receipt 20% of which is transaction and 80% of which is a limited warranty and liability disclaimer) Here you go. THANK YOU for becoming an AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE VERY SPECIAL CUSTOMER! Have a great day!
AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE #2:
Me: Hi. The VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLERK at AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE #1 called a few minutes ago and had you hold an alternator for me.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: Do you have an AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE VERY SPECIAL CUSTOMER account?
Me: I guess I do.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: What is your phone number?
Me: (gives number) And here is my receipt for the alternator.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: What? (stares at receipt) They aren't supposed to do that. It messes up the inventory.
Me: the VERY ENTHUSIAST CLERK didn't say anything about that. My car broke down on the highway and I need to get to Atlanta tonight. The mechanic closes in two hours, so I need to get this to him so he can install it.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: (staring at his computer) I'm not sure what to do. This is supposed to go on the truck to deliver to you tomorrow.
Me: I need it today. They said I could pick it up. Here's my receipt (waves receipt at GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME)
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: Let me get the manager.
(GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME, manager, and two other store clerks huddle behind the counter for five minutes. GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME returns and calls central office. But, as it is a Sunday afternoon, no one is available to help him)
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: No one told me we were doing this. I have make sure our inventory is correct.
Me: But the alternator is here? They called and someone checked and said it was.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: Yes. But I can't give it out without you signing for it, or our inventory will be off.
Me: I'll sign for it.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: (calls manager over). I don't know how to do this so our stock levels aren't wrong.
MANAGER: (to grumpy clerk) Check the current inventory. (to me) I'm sorry. It will be a few more minutes. If we don't have you sign for this, then you could keep coming back with the same receipt to claim more alternators.
Me: I don't live here. I just need to get my car fixed so I can get back on the road. (briefly contemplates the viability of a career in alternator fraud but gives it up as a bad idea).
MANAGER: Let me go find the alternator.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: I need to take a picture of your receipt.
Me: Sure. (I hand him the receipt)
MANAGER: (returning with the alternator and setting it down on the counter) I really shouldn't be giving this to you, but I'm going to. VERY ENTHUSIAST CLERK at AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE #1 did this completely wrong. It isn't our fault. Our hands are tied here.
Me: But you have a picture of my receipt. I need this alternator. I now have an hour and a half to get it installed so I can get back on the road.
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: (to MANAGER) So is this policy now? No one ever told me about it.
MANAGER: Let me just print something out for you to sign. (clicks buttons for a few minutes). Here you go.
Me: (signs without reading). Okay, can I have my alternator now?
MANAGER: Yes, here you go.
Me: (clutches box. it's heavy). Do you need anything else from me? (I am ready to submit a DNA sample if it will mean I can take my alternator)
GRUMPY CLERK WHO WANTS TO GO HOME: No, you can go. THANK YOU for being an AUTOPARTS CHAIN STORE VERY SPECIAL CUSTOMER! Have a great day!
Me: Thank you. (hustles out of the store before they can change their mind.
This story has a happy ending, in that I did get back on the road and managed to reach Atlanta before midnight. Halfway through trying to convince the auto parts store to let me have the alternator I had paid for, I found myself wishing I had the guts to video the whole thing on my phone, it seemed so absurd. It also seemed like a cautionary tale on all the things NOT to do when attempting to provide good customer service, which is why I couldn't resist posting the account of it.
What did they do wrong? What would you have done differently?
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Monday, March 18, 2019
Updated: Tuesday, March 12, 2019
SIBA and participating publishers are giving away the galleys and other materials below to southern indie booksellers on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you are interested simply email the publisher to request a copy. Supplies are limited, so act quickly!
N.B. These are review copies only, and not for resale.
Eat. Sleep. Read. Southern.
The Travelers
Regina Porter
ISBN: 9780525576198
Hogarth
Hardcover
$27
June 18, 2019
The adventures of two families unfold and intertwine—across continents and generations, spanning the 1950s through Obama’s first year as president—in The Travelers, an absorbing tale of family, history, and the persistence of love.
Meet James Samuel Vincent, an affluent Manhattan attorney who shirks his modest Irish American background but hews to his father’s meandering ways. James muddles through a topsy-turvy relationship with his son, Rufus, which is further complicated when Rufus marries Claudia Christie.
Claudia’s mother— Agnes Miller Christie—is a beautiful African American woman who survives a chance encounter on a Georgia road that propels her into a new life in the Bronx. Soon after, her husband, Eddie Christie, is called to duty on an air craft carrier in Vietnam, where Tom Stoppard’s play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” becomes Eddie’s life anchor, as he grapples with mounting racial tensions on the ship and counts the days until he will see Agnes again.
These unforgettable characters’ lives intersect with a cast of lovers and friends—the unapologetic black lesbian who finds her groove in 1970s Berlin; a moving man stranded in Portsmouth, New Hampshire during a Thanksgiving storm; two half-brothers who meet as adults in a crayon factory; and a Coney Island waitress whose Prince Charming is too good to be true.
With piercing humor, exacting dialogue, and a beautiful sense of place, Regina Porter’s debut is both an intimate family portrait and a sweeping exploration of what it means to be American today.
On Wednesday, April 10 at 2PM EST, SIBA is hosting “Summer Reading for Kids” as part of our Publisher Picks: Best Bets for SIBA Booksellers series. In this bi-monthly series, publishers, editors, marketing directors, and reps present their favorite frontlist titles via Zoom to booksellers. Besides forging important connections with publishers and their reps, attending booksellers will discover new titles to add to their store shelves and earn 10 B3! points. The following industry folks will present on 4/10: Becky Monds, the Editorial Director for the fiction department at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, John D’Esposito, an Inside Sales Representative with IPG, Nadia Almahdi, the marketing manager at Little Bee Books, and Catherine Onder, Senior Vice President and Publisher of the Books for Young Readers group with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
More information on our presenters:
Becky Monds is the Editorial Director for the fiction department at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. After working as an events coordinator and marketing manager at an independent bookstore in Nashville, she joined Thomas Nelson in 2007 as an editor in Fiction. She loves spending time with her husband and twin preschoolers, knitting, waterskiing, and, of course, reading great fiction.
John D’Esposito joined the IPG team in November 2018 as an Inside Sales Representative – a role created to strengthen the company’s relationship with booksellers in the Southeast. A New York native, he has worked in publishing for the past 8 years, most recently in foreign rights at both HarperCollins and Trident Media Group. His favorite authors include Donna Tartt, Lauren Groff, Ned Vizzini, and Karen Russell.
Nadia Almahdi is the marketing manager at Little Bee Books. After working at Scholastic and Book of the Month, she joined the Little Bee team in December 2017, overseeing marketing for children’s books across the Little Bee, BuzzPop, and Yellow Jacket imprints. She loves getting to work on different book formats and helping to instill the love of reading in kids of all ages. In her free time, she enjoys baking, travel, and reading.
Catherine Onder is Senior Vice President and Publisher of the Books for Young Readers group. In addition to overseeing HMH’s children’s publishing, she edits such authors as Erin Bow, Ally Carter, and Traci Chee.
Submitted this week on Edelweiss+ using the "send to SIBA" option. Thanks to Avid Bookshop, Bookmarks, Bookmiser, Fiction Addiction, Fountain Bookstore, M. Judson, bookseller, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Page & Palette, Page 158 Books, Parnassus Books, Sassafras on Sutton, The Country Bookshop, The Little Bookshope, The Story on the Square, Union Ave Books, and Wonderland Bookshop.
9780062747808 Other Words for Home 5/28/2019
"This book is brimming with heart and bravery and should be required reading for everyone."
9781982106980Ask Again, Yes 5/28/2019
"this novel is one I expect to see on everyone's summer reading list."
9781627790437The British Are Coming 5/14/2019
"Some of the best writing on the Revolutionary War I've ever read."
9780062862822The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna 5/7/2019
"A fascinating debut that's also the rarest of things: a sprawling epic of family and love that feels innately and genuinely personal."
9781721364558The Blink of an Eye 5/14/2019
"Read this and you will appreciate all the good things you have. Loved it!"
9781400069996Save Me the Plums 4/2/2019
"Generous with her stories and recipes this is a great mother's day gift to yourself and those you love."
The Independent Booksellers Consortium is a small, membership organization formed of independent booksellers from across the country.
As the sole paid staff member, the Executive Director is responsible for all administrative facets of the corporation’s day-to-day functioning as well as ongoing service to its members. The Executive Director reports to the President of the Board on a weekly basis and is responsible to the Board of Directors made up of bookstore members. The position is 30 hours per week.
Responsibilities and Duties Include:
Organize, plan and execute logistics for two member meetings and additional smaller meetings throughout the year to share best practices and further industry learning.
Manage all financial, legal and administrative aspects of the Corporation.
Facilitate communication among members.
Manage and facilitate all committee work to ensure progress towards organizational goals.
Regularly report to a board of directors and respond to the goals/needs of the board.
As directed, on occasion, communicate IBC interests to industry partners.
Develop and maintain member programs and vendor relationships.
Other duties as needs of members and the industry change.
Qualifications Include:
Ability to work independently from a home-based office including managing your own payroll.
Strong organizational skills including attention to detail and project management skills.
Strong communication skills including working with a diverse set of individuals.
Proficient in basic budgeting: creating a budget in excel, generating budget vs. actual reports, and managing to a budget with the Board Treasurer. Proficiency in basic Quickbooks (or like programs) preferred.
Knowledge of bookselling, retailing and publishing industries preferred.
Experience planning meetings required.
Ability to travel at least three times a year for multiple days.
It’s last call to join us for our annual SIBA in the Springtime/EUREKAsiba gathering in Atlanta next week, Mon (3/18)-Wed (3/20). Registration ends tomorrow (Friday) at noon.
Don't miss this great opportunity to visit indie bookstores in the Atlanta area, enjoy dinner with writers and booksellers, learn about pre-orders and ABACUS from the ABA, and take in a full day of EUREKAsiba talks on a wide variety of topics.
EUREKAsiba’s second year includes talks guaranteed to open your eyes to new ways of approaching your business and personal life. Brian Lampkin, co-owner of Scuppernong Books, will discuss how kindness informs their business practices. Megan Bell and Josh Niesse, co-owners of Underground Books and Hills & Hamlets Bookshop will share how they’ve turned staff downtime and damaged books into handmade and high margin sidelines. Doug Robinson, owner of Eagle Eye Books will offer step-by-step how his bookstore uses the SIBA holiday catalog to great success. Michael Reynolds will explore a theme many booksellers know so well: The Small Business Habit of Wearing Twenty Hats. Need more inspiration on organizing your time? Author Elizabeth Emens presents “Life Admin, How I Learned to Do Less, Do Better, and Live.” Mark Pearson of Libro.fm will talk to us about using tech without losing our humanity. And, to offer encouragement, Author Dana Chamblee will inspire us with her talk about doing it all wrong so we can get it right. We’ll also hear from bookseller and publisher Steve McCondichie on bookselling in the 21st century, and from Shari Smith, founder of Working Title Farm and Trio, on how partnering words and music can sell more books. Looking to expand your genre selection? Author Jolina Petersheim will discuss how indie booksellers can expand their customer base and sales by reaching out to the Christian market. For the many bookseller and customer fans of memoir, Author Erica Witsell will present her take on “Fiction, Memoir, and Authenticity.”
April Indie Playlist promotion sponsored by three indie publishers with special terms AND a $500 display contest prize!
Seven Stories Press is teaming up with Catapult and Europa (Grove will be joining them in June!) to offer their collection specials for April, June, and October.
The April Indie Playlist features prize-winning titles and quick-reads, runs March 28-April 29, and includes special terms for independent bookstores. The publishers are also sponsoring a $500 prize ($250 to the individual bookseller and $250 to the bookstore) for the best display featuring books from one of the playlists. The display contest is open to all bookstores nationally and must include some of the featured titles, but may include other books as well. Submit a photograph of the display to NAIBAeileen@gmail.com by May 6th, 2019. A panel of judges from NAIBA and 7 Stories will select from the submissions and award the prize based on inventiveness and selling effectiveness. Good Luck!
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The onset of spring means extra hours of daylight which means more time to read! Southern independent booksellers have collected a reading list that will keep those extra hours filled: the 2019 Spring Okra Picks – a collection of the best forthcoming Southern books of the season. Every book on the list has these things in common: they are Southern in nature, they release sometime between April and June, and they have a following among Southern indie booksellers, who can’t wait to introduce them to new readers. 
In order to introduce the new edition their lead title, Love is the Answer, God is the Cure by Aimee Cabo Nikolov, to independent bookstores, Inspiriational Books Publishing seeks to support booksellers via the Book Industry Charitable Foundation in addition to inspiring readers with this powerful memoir. 
