GLBT Titles: Not Just for Glbts Anymore

Home , Herman Wouk, Larry Doyle (writer), Max Brooks, Sea queens, Simon Rich, Used bookstore

August 21, 2008 number of booksellers -- both indie and corporate -- have noted TABLE OF CONTENTS: their plans regarding the book. As far as indie booksellers go, each • Expediency Vs an Open Marketplace of Ideas will make a decision regarding Obama's Challenge on their own, based on their particular business realities. In such matters, I would ...... 1 never presume to speak for them, or to suggest a course of action. • NAIBA Fall Conference Features Education, But there are issues of real importance here that I do want to Authors & Food ...... 1 discuss, issues that transcend the headlines of a single day. What I • Midwest Connections: MBA's 28th Annual find most troubling about Chelsea Green's decision to exclude all Trade Show Returns to St. Paul ...... 2 channels of distribution save one -- for what might be the prime • Important Announcement: BookWeb Users sales period of a very topical book -- is that they have chosen expediency at the expense of supporting those values that underpin Will Soon Need to Reset Passwords ...... 3 a free society that depends on open market access. • The Indie Community Needs You! ...... 4 One of my core beliefs as a bookseller is that a free society depends • Kids' Indie Next List Now Featured on on a diverse marketplace of ideas, and that closed markets, IndieBound.org ...... 4 exclusive agreements, and tactics designed to achieve a short-term • A Three-City Tour: Independent Booksellers victory at the expense of core values are both short-sighted and Prepare for Political Conventions ...... 4 counter productive. The issue of exclusivity works to the detriment • GLBT Titles: Not Just For GLBTs Anymore ..... 6 of independent businesses; open markets encourage the free flow of ideas. Ironically, Chelsea Green's actions come in a campaign • What's It All About? R.J. Julia's Great Books season where the clarion call by the candidate who is the subject of Program Tries to Find Out ...... 7 their book has been for meaningful change -- especially to change • BTW News Briefs ...... 8 politics from an enterprise monopolized by a privileged few • The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller List ...... 8 making decisions behind closed doors to one in which a diverse society participates in an open process. • Emerging Leaders Get a Taste of IndieBound ...... 9 Using existing technology and an extensive network of booksellers -- again both indie and corporate -- I am convinced that Chelsea • IndieBound On Tour ...... 9 Green could have achieved its sales goals, reaching readers and selling many copies of their timely book. In 2008, there are many MARKETPLACE print-on-demand options, there are many indie and corporate online booksellers, and there is every reason to believe that the excitement • Classifieds ...... 10 and enthusiasm of thousands of booksellers nationwide handselling • Other Advertising ...... 10 Obama's Challenge from the opening of the Democratic Convention would have resulted in the most impressive book launch possible. Expediency Vs an Open Marketplace of Obviously, that's not what Chelsea Green decided to do this time. As they continue to receive feedback about this decision and Ideas proceed toward the launch of Obama's Challenge , I hope they August 21, 2008 -- An open letter from ABA President Gayle recognize their own challenge: To trust in the most unique treasure Shanks on Chelsea Green's decision to limit the distribution of our country offers -- the value of a free and open society. Obama's Challenge Sincerely, Gayle Shanks Dear Book Industry Colleagues: ABA President For booksellers, this week there's a new headline issue in the Changing Hands Bookstore 1 presidential race. The news is not about health care, inflation, or Tempe, Arizona foreign policy, but it raises important issues none the less -- issues about fair play, the free flow of information, and a vibrant NAIBA Fall Conference Features marketplace of ideas. Education, Authors & Food The story in question is publishing house Chelsea Green's decision August 21, 2008 -- 2 The New Atlantic Independent Booksellers to restrict the sale of its upcoming title Obama's Challenge: 3 America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Association (NAIBA) will hold its Fall Conference from Presidency for its initial weeks of availability to Amazon.com. Saturday, September 20, through Monday, September 22, at the Since the news was first reported in Publishers Weekly last week, a Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The conference, a "unique annual gathering to help booksellers market books," will

© 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 1 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK August 21, 2008 feature a plethora of educational sessions, the annual Movable Feast Luncheon, the Children's Breakfast, the Awards Banquet, and ABA's E-commerce Solution is undergoing a major overhaul, Saturday's Early Bird Supper & Magic Show. American planned for a fall 2008 release. The site is migrating to the Booksellers Association education programming at this year's event open-source platform Drupal, which will provide users with new includes "Connecting to Your Customers and Community With and improved administrative tools, better performance and IndieBound," "Bookstore Self Audit: A Critical Look at Your Own reliability, and a shorter path to new features and functionality. Operations," and "ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users' Group." Participants in the users group will have an opportunity to meet Some of the changes at this year's conference include a new with and provide feedback to ABA's e-commerce staff. breakfast on Sunday morning, sponsored by Penguin Group Booksellers who are not currently E-Commerce participants are "featuring some great children's writers -- T.A. Barron, Jay Asher, also invited to attend. Loren Long, and Cameron Tuttle," Eileen Dengler, NAIBA Among NAIBA's offerings on Sunday are "Sunrise With Susan - executive director, told BTW via e-mail. Gentle Yoga," with Susan Weis of breathe books in Baltimore, Also new, NAIBA is bringing its Book Buddies program to the Maryland, who will lead attendees through gentle yoga and conference on Saturday, September 20, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. breathing exercises; the "NAIBA Morning Show," with John Book Buddies are a group of booksellers who visit bookstores Mutter of Shelf Awareness interviewing Jonathon Welch of Talking during the year and provide ideas and answer questions from a Leaves Books in Buffalo, New York, and Erika Davis of Creekside bookstore that requested the visit, Dengler reported. "This year Books & Caf, in Skaneateles, New York; the "Tween Literature: we'll have them available at the conference for drop-in [bookseller] Too Much Too Soon" panel discussion regarding literature visits -- kind of like Lucy in Peanuts : [the] 'Book Buddies Are In' marketed to middle schoolers; and the Opening Reception. will answer any question booksellers have." Monday's programming kicks off with the Breakfast, which Dengler stressed that "it goes without saying" that ABA's includes NAIBA's Annual Meeting and publisher Pick of the Lists, IndieBound session is a "must-attend for all booksellers. This is and then the exhibit floor is open from 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. such an important business action item that everyone can utilize Features on the floor include a Children's Author/Illustrator Show and personalize. I'd like to see the enthusiasm we felt during our & Tell, Author Autographing, and Discover New Authors Tables. smaller introductory meetings be shared with all the booksellers at ABA will also have a booth on the NAIBA exhibit floor, where the conference." booksellers can meet with staff and learn about IndieBound and the ABA's programming, sponsored by Ingram Book Group/Ingram association's many other services and products. Information will Publisher Services, will be presented by ABA Chief Program also be available about the Winter Institute 4 (Wi4), to be held in Officer Len Vlahos; Senior Director, Publisher Initiatives Mark Salt Lake City, Utah, from Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, Nichols; and Education Coordinator Lisa Winn. ABA education February 1. sessions include: Booksellers can enter a raffle for a free trip to Wi4 (airfare and up Sunday, September 21 to a two-night hotel stay for one person) by dropping a business • Bookstore Self Audit: A Critical Look at Your Own card off at the ABA booth on the show floor. They can also enter Operations, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. the raffle a second time by updating their store profile 4 via Learn how to evaluate your store from the perspective of your BookWeb.org. One winner will be chosen at random at the end of customers. The focus will be on your business' ambiance, October from all entries received at the nine regional shows and via convenience, financial health, inventory selection, marketing, profile updates. and customer services and how to use the audit to identify where Registration materials, including ticket information and a full to focus your resources to make your bookstore more schedule of events, are available on the NAIBA website 5 . customer-friendly. Questions about NAIBA programming should be addressed to [email protected] 6 . • Connecting to Your Customers and Community With IndieBound, 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. Questions and requests for information about ABA's participation There is a clear sentiment in favor of localism that is at NAIBA's trade show may be directed to ABA's Lisa Winn at revolutionizing consumer behavior. People are renewing their [email protected] 7 . -- David Grogan 8 ties to friends, neighbors, and institutions in their cities and towns, choosing Main Street over malls, and embracing localism Midwest Connections: MBA's 28th and sustainability movements of all types. This presents an extraordinary opportunity for independent booksellers and other Annual Trade Show Returns to St. Paul independent retailers. IndieBound taps into this growing August 21, 2008 -- 9 The Midwest Booksellers Association 10 movement, creating new and interesting ways for independent (MBA) will hold its 28th Annual Trade Show from Thursday, booksellers and other independent businesses to better September 25, through Saturday, September 27, at the Roy Wilkins communicate their core strengths -- independence, passion, Auditorium at RiverCentre, and at nearby venues in downtown St. community -- to their customers. Share what you have done in Paul, Minnesota. The show offers a full day of education on your store with IndieBound promotional material, ways that you Thursday and lots of author events throughout the weekend, have connected with other independent businesses in your including the MBA Choice Awards. American Booksellers community, and hear about creative ways your colleagues have Association education programming at this year's event includes used IndieBound. "Connecting to Your Customers and Community With IndieBound," "Booksellers at the Tipping Point: Leveraging Monday, September 22 Localism and Independence to Promote Your Store," "Local First • ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users Group, 11:00 a.m. - noon Initiatives," and "ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users' Group."

"The MBA Trade Show returns to our usual home in St. Paul this Participants in the users group will have an opportunity to meet year, and we have outstanding programming to offer our with and provide feedback to ABA's e-commerce staff. booksellers," said MBA Executive Director Susan Walker. "Our Booksellers who are not currently E-Commerce participants are schedule provides a day of education sessions, rep picks and also invited to attend. bookseller picks, author events, Midwest Connections updates, and more -- all leading up to our Trade Show Exhibit and giving Thursday's day of education closes with the 4th Annual Midwest booksellers and exhibitors many reasons to do business together. Booksellers' Choice Awards Reception (at 317 on Rice Park, next door to RiverCentre). "Nine of our Midwest Booksellers' Choice Award winners will join us, including bestelling authors Nancy Horan, Mildred Kalish, Leif Friday begins with the Booksellers Roundtables & Bookseller Pick Enger, and Lesley Kagen. Other highlights of the show include six of the Lists (breakfast is available if a meal ticket is preordered). hours of publisher Pick of the Lists presentations, an Above the Following the bookseller roundtables, reps offer their picks for the Treeline user group, displays featuring our MBA Catalog and fall. At noon is the "Authors Lunch: Moveable Feast" with more Midwest Connections Picks books, and close to 100 terrific than 30 adult books and children's books authors, including Tony authors. In this year when all of us are looking for the best value Bender ( If Every Month Were June , Fulcrum); Julie Kramer ( for our dollars, the 28th Annual MBA Trade Show is going to Stalking Susan , Doubleday/Random House); and Anne Ylvisaker ( deliver!" Little Klein , Candlewick Press). The day continues with MBA's General Membership Meeting, the Cocktail Reception and Formal ABA's programming, sponsored by Ingram Book Group/Ingram Autographing Sessions, and the Book & Author Dinner. Publisher Services, will be presented by ABA COO Oren Teicher, Director of Member Services Jill Perlstein, and Project Manager On Saturday, the trade show floor will be open from 10:00 a.m. - Patti Neske. All education sessions take place on Thursday, 6:00 p.m. The Children's Book & Author Breakfast kicks off the September 25, from 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at RiverCentre meeting last day of the show with guest authors John Green ( Paper Towns , rooms 10 - 12. ABA education sessions include: Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group); Polly Horvath ( My One • Booksellers at the Tipping Point: Leveraging Localism and Hundred Adventures , Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House); Independence to Promote Your Store, noon - 1:15 p.m. and more. Saturday evening, a cocktail hour from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 The concepts of localism, independence, and sustainability are p.m. is the last planned event of the day, but booksellers and gaining traction with consumers. In this session you'll hear how vendors are encouraged to continue the conversation following the the retail market has evolved to allow these phenomena to take show. root and grow, and you'll learn how to leverage and exploit these ABA will have a booth on the MBA trade show floor, where powerful tools to more effectively market and promote your booksellers can meet with staff and learn about IndieBound and the store. association's many other services and products. Information will also be available about the Winter Institute 4 (Wi4), to be held in • Connecting to Your Customers and Community With 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Thursday, January 29, through IndieBound, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 1. There is a clear sentiment in favor of localism that is revolutionizing consumer behavior. People are renewing their Booksellers can enter a raffle for a free trip to Wi4 (airfare and up ties to friends, neighbors, and institutions in their cities and to a two-night hotel stay for one person) by dropping a business towns, choosing Main Street over malls, and embracing localism card off at the ABA booth on the show floor. They can also enter 11 and sustainability movements of all types. This presents an the raffle a second time by updating their store profile via extraordinary opportunity for independent booksellers and other BookWeb.org. One winner will be chosen at random at the end of independent retailers. IndieBound taps into this growing October from all entries received at the nine regional shows and via movement, creating new and interesting ways for independent profile updates. booksellers and other independent businesses to better Registration materials, including ticket information and a full communicate their core strengths -- independence, passion, schedule of events with times and locations, is available on the community -- to their customers. Share what you have done in MBA website, www.midwestbooksellers.org 12 . Questions about your store with IndieBound promotional material, ways that you MBA programming should be addressed to have connected with other independent businesses in your [email protected] 13 . community, and hear about creative ways your colleagues have used IndieBound. Questions and requests for information about ABA's participation at MBA's trade show may be directed to Lisa Winn at 14 15 • Local First Initiatives, 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. [email protected] . -- Karen Schechner Booksellers who have been actively involved in a local business alliance in their communities will report on current trends in the Important Announcement: BookWeb Shop Local movement. Hear how you can grow your store's Users Will Soon Need to Reset visibility and sales by leveraging your most precious commodity: Your independence! Passwords August 21, 2008 -- ABA is now finalizing an upgrade to its new • ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users Group, 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 database system. Once the new system goes live, users with p.m. BookWeb login names will have to reset their passwords. ABA's E-commerce Solution is undergoing a major overhaul, However, BookWeb login names will not be changed. planned for a fall 2008 release. The site is migrating to the open-source platform Drupal, which will provide users with new It is expected that the upgrade will be complete sometime next and improved administrative tools, better performance and week. Current registered users should be on the lookout for an reliability, and a shorter path to new features and functionality. e-mail announcement confirming that the new system is live, with

© 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 3 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK August 21, 2008 instructions on how to reset their password. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Dawson at [email protected] 16 . A Three-City Tour: Independent Booksellers Prepare for Political The Indie Community Needs You! Conventions August 21, 2008 -- This week, the American Booksellers August 20, 2008 -- Over the next few weeks, the eyes of the nation Association is a launching a short-term test of the new "Indie will turn first to Denver and then to Minnesota's Twin Cities for the Community" on IndieBound.org and, over the next 10 days, the Democratic National Convention and Republican National association needs booksellers to test it out and provide feedback. Convention, respectively. As the population swells in each of the The mission of the Indie Community is to aid customers in their cities -- when delegates, media, and politicos come for some search for unique, independently owned businesses. By connecting socializing, caucusing, and, yes, to see their candidate receive the indie-conscious people with local businesses, ABA looks to boost official nomination of their party -- opportunities abound for local local economies nationwide. indie booksellers. Here is a look at what some Denver and Twin To ensure that the Indie Community site is as diverse and rich as Cities bookstores are doing for the upcoming conventions. possible, ABA is asking booksellers to create their own Indie 17 Community account on IndieBound.org, to explore the site, add The Democratic National Convention their store and other favorites, and provide comments -- and ask Denver, Colorado their fellow independent retailers to join too. "The Indie Community area of IndieBound.org is based on the In just four days, the population of Denver will temporarily swell ideas of 'share' and 'find.' Share information about indie retailers, by about 50,000: The 45th Democratic National Convention is and connect to bookstores and the other favorite businesses of coming to town, and it will bring with it, according to the DNC like-minded people. It also gives users the chance to connect to website 21 , some 5,000 delegates, 15,000 media types, and 30,000 each other based on interests and locations. The area is still employees, politicians, and assorted other visitors. evolving, but, by setting up their profiles now, our members will Traffic jams are sure to ensue, but for indie bookstores, business have the opportunity to play a role in the site's development," said opportunities abound: window displays, reading lists, and events Meg Smith,ABA chief marketing officer. are sure to be enticing to weary conventioneers, curious tourists, At the Indie Community, users who have created accounts on and enterprising journalists alike. IndieBound.org can do a number of things: With that in mind, the Tattered Cover Book 22 Store staff have been • Post comments on retail stores, whether it be a review of each busy planning to make the most of the Lower Downtown store's store, a personal experience there, some recommendations -- prime location. "We're doing quite a bit," said Matt Miller, general anything that can help other people learn more about that store; manager. "Our LoDo store is right in the middle of activities -- • Edit existing stores to add more information -- store hours, we're just a few blocks from where the convention will be held." pictures of the store, etc.; • Add interest tags both to their own accounts and to stores ... tags Visitors to the city's Pepsi Center would do well to walk over to the like "southern literature" or "vegan" help connect users and bookstore during the convention. They can purchase souvenirs, stores, and help everyone discover new things; including nonbook items like the official Democratic National • Become fans of stores they know and love -- so that other people Convention T-shirt and mug, politically themed gifts, and other can find stores through their user profile; convention-related items. • Add new stores -- great indie retailers they're familiar with; and A variety of displays will make shopping easier for those who want • Add other users as friends, and leave notes for other users. a book-souvenir: Right and Left Books, Books by Journalists, and General Political Books will be featured. In addition, users can earn "user points," which are a way of measuring how active a user is in the Indie Community. Also, Miller said, "In conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Land Library, we're doing a display of a Reading List for the For more information on the Indie Community, please contact President-Elect." He explained, "The list is by a handful of Western ABA Web Content Coordinator Matt Supko via e-mail at 18 writers whom we asked: 'What Western books would you urge on [email protected] . the next inhabitant of the White House? What do they need to know about our region, and where can they find information, Kids' Indie Next List Now Featured on inspiration, and guidance?'" Several authors offered suggestions, IndieBound.org including George Sibley, Barry Lopez, Rick Bass, and Laura Pritchett. August 21, 2008 -- The Fall '08 Kids' Next List is now featured on 19 Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the IndieBound.org in a fun, interactive format that makes it easy for author of Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters consumers to purchase these insightful indie recommendations. (Doubleday), kicked things off at the LoDo store on August 20, and The list was developed with the input of indie booksellers Tattered Cover's Colfax Avenue location will host Eleanor Clift ( nationwide, and it features their selections of notable titles for Two Weeks of Life: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Politics , Basic young children and teens, both the top-10 titles and an additional Books) and Jessamyn Conrad ( What You Should Know About 50 titles in age-appropriate categories, ranging from ages four Politics ... But Don't: A Nonpartisan Guide to the Issues , Arcade) through eight to titles for teen readers. during the convention. The Colfax store also will host a seminar Also, the Fall Children's Indie Next List will be arriving in stores about the Convention's history. soon in the quarterly Children's White Box. Additional copies of A few doors down from the LoDo store, online history may well be the list may be requested via e-mail to [email protected] 20 . made at The Big Tent 23 , a two-story tent that will house 500

© 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 4 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK August 21, 2008 bloggers and journalists from around the country. Miller said Read, author of Doorstep Democracy: Face-to-Face Politics in the Tattered Cover will do activities with The Big Tent, in addition to Heartland (University of Minnesota Press) and Mark Ireland, who selling books at off-site venues and renting out event space to wrote Wellstone: The Conscience of the Senate , which is published media groups and a private party. by North Star Press, a small press in St. Cloud, Minnesota. At StoryVille Books, also in Denver, there's a lot less space -- but Common Good also will be selling books at two outside events owner Lynne Benedict has nonetheless put her small meeting-area during convention week: "One is for AM 950, the Air America to good use. She said, "We're not following the convention, per se, station here ... and we'll be selling a number of Laura Bush's but every Wednesday night we host a class on the history of the children's books for a gentleman at CivicFest 28 ." Constitution and the history of law ... where things started, and how "We're hoping to have our usual customers," she added. "We're not things are going." in a huge retail area, and while we're close to the convention center, Benedict said she'd been looking for speakers, or seminars, to draw we're up a big hill. It's an historically significant area, though, and people into her used bookstore, and this class has served that walking-tour maps will be distributed at the convention." purpose: The number of attendees has grown from three to 30 Zumberge said, "It's a quirky spot -- we do think some people will people each week. "It's a little crowded, but it's exciting." find us, but we're not sure if we'll get more conventioneers or One member of the weekly class will be going to Minnesota in protestors. We're curious to see what happens." September. "He's going to be a delegate at the Republican National At Micawber's Books 29 , also in St. Paul, there aren't great Convention, and he'll be going to the Ron Paul Rally for the 24 expectations for an influx of conventioneers. Co-owner Hans Republic convention, too. He'll be coming back with stories!" Weyandt said of the 2,000-square-foot bookstore in a neighborhood Benedict said. retail district, "We're not close enough, really, to attract a lot of At the University of Denver Bookstore 25 , political-themed displays attention from the convention ... we're just doing the normal will be placed in strategic spots on the 10,000-square-foot sales things." floor. Pamela Porter, coursepack and general book buyer, said there However, "There's been a lot more political stuff out this August will be an Obama-themed book display at the information desk, than there is normally -- we have a lot more political and current and political-humor books -- including titles by Jon Stewart and events books displayed than we usually do." Bill Maher, plus Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) (Grand Central Publishing) -- will be in the reading area. A The Citizen Solution: How You Can Make a Difference by Harry C. front display will contain some humor books as well as children's Boyte, published by Minnesota Historical Society Press, has been book on elections, the Constitution, and the like. selling well at the store, as has "all different kinds of Obama stuff -- certainly his two books, but also a lot of books about him," "We also have a point-of-purchase display of Vincent Bugliosi's Weyandt said. Leading the pack: Obamanomics: How Bottom-Up The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder (Vanguard Press) Economic Prosperity Will Replace Trickle-Down Economics by because he'll be speaking at the Convention next week," she said. John R. Talbot (Seven STories Press). As for who might be coming in to buy those books, Porter said, Weyandt said the store might've prepared differently had the "People who are working at the Convention [are] staying at the Democratic Convention been coming to town. "We definitely try to university dorms.... We expect 1,000 extra people on campus, but represent lots of different points of view, but what our customer don't know what to expect for foot traffic." base is looking for normally is left-of-center. There are going to be Public transportation may well bring shoppers, though: "We're people coming to town for protesting, though -- we may get some fairly close to the convention, and it is very convenient to get of them." downtown. I expect many people staying on campus will take the Jay Peterson, manager of Minneapolis' Magers & Quinn light rail, which stops at the campus and downtown." Booksellers 30 , said the stick-with-what's-working approach is in place for convention-time. The Republican National Convention St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota The bookstore is located in the Uptown neighborhood -- a vibrant area with restaurants, a movie theater, and coffee shops. It thrives on selling literary fiction, and typically gets a lot of visitors -- This year represents the second time Minnesota has hosted the 26 residents and tourists alike. "It's one of the few places in Republican National Convention -- the first time, in 1892, when Minneapolis, outside of downtown and the malls, that have good the convention was in Minneapolis. This time around, in its 39th foot traffic," Peterson said. year, it will take place at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center from September 1 - September 4, and it is expected to bring an estimated He said he expects "we'll get both convention-goers and protesters 45,000 visitors to town. here. The hotels are booked for a pretty wide swath of the metropolitan area, and people definitely will be passing through The historic Cathedral Hill area of St. Paul, just a few blocks from [during the convention]." the convention center, is home to Common Good Books 27 . Sue Zumberge, manager of the bookstore, said that, about a month ago, Nonetheless, the bookstore staff met to discuss the RNC's arrival, she asked owner Garrison Keillor what kind of face he wanted to and "We decided, outside of events, to stick with our regular M.O. put on the store for the Republican National Convention. "He said, in terms of titles we stock and so forth ... maybe increase quantities 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Anything special in the windows, or a bit knowing there'll be an extra 40,000 people in town." any displays of a certain nature?'" Zumberge noted Keillor's Win McCormack ( You Don't Know Me: A Citizen's Guide to response was, "'It's back-to-school week, isn't it?'" Republican Family Values , Tin House Books) and Eleanor Clift "That said," Zumberge added, "we are doing events throughout that will be visiting, both, Peterson explained, "will happen to be in week for people who contacted us." The lineup includes James town covering the event for journalistic purposes, and will visit

© 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 5 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK August 21, 2008 while they're here." Biography, yet having titles available in the GLBT section," Otherwise, he said, "I get the sense some of the people here will be Noteman explained. "That may mean cross sectioning or moving a exhausted by the end of the day and might want to pick up a book book to find the audience. Fall on Your Knees [Touchstone] by of poems, or a novel for the ride home." Ann-Marie MacDonald once sold well in our GLBT section, but once selected by Oprah for her book club, the sales moved to His recommendation for a temporary escape? "I would suggest Out Fiction General." Stealing Horses [by Per Petterson, Picador]. It's set in the hinterlands of Norway -- if you really want to get away from Women & Children First also looks to avoid cross-sectioning when politics, take a ride out to the real Norway with this guy." -- Linda possible. But wherever the book does land, Bubon noted that if its M. Castellitto 31 location isn't immediately deduced by a customer, "staff is always right there to help." GLBT Titles: Not Just For GLBTs Whatever issues arise with location, shelving, and visibility, booksellers had no problems with coming up with a strong Anymore inventory list. Raves for GLBT books runneth over in just about August 20, 2008 -- With the success of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home every category -- YA, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. and just about every David Sedaris title, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, At Boston's Calamus Bookstore 35 , owner John Mitzel compared and Transgender lit has long since moved from off- to center-stage fiction author James McCourt's work to "rich Belgian chocolate." at general bookstores. With so many choices for GLBT books, the Others that made the cut were Frank O'Hara, Steven Saylor, and tricky part for a bookseller is creating optimal GLBT section Scott Heim. visibility, shelving titles that can span two, three, or more genres, and winnowing a rich field of contenders for shelf space. Of course, David Sedaris was universally loved by booksellers, including Blake Hardy at Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse 36 in 32 At Women & Children First in Chicago, Illinois, their GLBT Atlanta. But he also gave equal billing to "anything by Sarah section (titled GLBTQ), while extensive, was not easily spotted Waters, Michael Thomas Ford, William Mann, or E. Lynn Harris." from the front of the store. Co-owner Linda Bubon said that when For poetry, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey was Chicago hosted the Gay Games in '06, tourists milled around the a crowd pleaser, and Hardy's top trans title was Jeffrey Eugenides' front of the store to buy queer-themed buttons and pins, missing the Middlesex (Picador) . entire GLBT section. "They never made it to the part of the store where all the GLBTQ stuff was," said Bubon. "I thought, 'Oh man, Eichman at Tattered weighed in with his full all-star list. "For YA we need better signage.'" Now they have a big rainbow arrow readers, nothing beats Alex Sanchez' Rainbow series [Simon pointing to the section, which includes Lesbian Mystery, Lesbian Pulse]," he said. "I would have devoured these novels (but kept Fiction, Gay Fiction, Queer Nonfiction, and Transgender. them hidden on my bookshelf) as a teenager. Band Fags [Kensington] by Frank Polito is a recently published book that 33 At Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, the issue was takes place in the '80s." Eichman declared it "great for guys about finding a spot in the store where people felt comfortable, said my age [he's in his thirties] who would enjoy reading an alternate Publicist Holly Nelson. "We decided on the Art section. That way take on high school ... one where the gay boy doesn't get beat up." it still has privacy, but it's not relegated to a 'dark corner.' At first, we also pondered where to put erotica." GLBT titles are shelved by fiction and nonfiction, alphabetically by author, and erotica is on As for recent fiction, Changing Tides (Kensington) by Michael the lower shelf of the section. Nelson also noted that "we have to Thomas Ford won Eichman's and other Tattered booksellers' votes. keep in mind that our GLBT customers are always up-to-date with More Tattered fiction picks included As Is (Cleis), by James Lear, their reading list," which puts the inventory focus on classic and Ethan Mordden's Buddies series (St. Martin's Griffin), and new releases. Schooled in Murder (St. Martin's Minotaur), by Mark Richard When Denver's Tattered Cover Book Store 34 moved its GLBT Zubro. For nonfiction, Kevin Sessums' Mississippi Sissy (St. section (at the Colfax store) from a "tucked away" position to one Martin's) is a powerhouse memoir. more visible, sales increased significantly, said bookseller Joe Eichman noted that Lear was king of erotic fiction. Lear's Hot Eichman. And though he initially considered a separate GLBT Valley got a nod ("Who knew the Civil War could be so sexy?"), as section to somewhat ghettoize those titles, he's since reversed that did The Back Passage ("a hot Edwardian murder mystery"). opinion. "Here in Denver we no longer have a gay or lesbian 37 bookstore. The section is great for folks who want to come in and Nikki Lind at Vroman's in Pasadena, a fan of the genre, listed her browse and don't want to ask for assistance, and they don't have to choices for erotica as the Best Lesbian Erotica and Best Gay wander all over the store." Erotica series (Cleis). "They put them out every year and they always have the best stories," she said. One universal challenge for GLBT section buyers, and many other sections for that matter, is where to put titles that can easily find a Taking stock of the GLBT landscape, Mitzel at Calamus saw a home in several different areas of the store. "Where to shelve is decline in "quality A-list fiction by gay men." Writers like Allen sometimes trial and error," said Tattered Cover's Buyer, Margaret Hollinghurst or Andrew Holleran he thought weren't being bought Noteman. "Ellen Hart's Night Vision [St. Martin's Griffin] didn't or published with the same frequency as only six or seven years sell in Mystery, but it does in Lesbian Fiction...." They'll ago. cross-shelve some titles -- Rita May Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle is in At Tattered Cover, Noteman said that literature overall is becoming Fiction General and in Lesbian Fiction for example -- but staff tries more of a melting pot. "Over the years more and more titles and/or to minimize that practice. authors are not seen as exclusively 'gay' or 'lesbian' and are read by "There is always that balance between finding the widest audience a wider audience. There also seem to be more genres represented in for the book, which may mean shelving a title in General Fiction or GLBT fiction -- everything from action/intrigue to vampires."

Nelson also saw that expansion of queer lit into other genres. "Most David• Deitcher, Dear Friends : American Photographs of Men Together, GLBT titles are fun, more humorous, and are getting to be more 1840 - 1918 (HNA Books) transgender-aware. Also, we've noticed that more and more GLBT Michael• Curtis Ford, The Fall of Rome: A Novel of a World Lost (Thomas Dunne Books) titles are making their way into teens and children's books too." Michael• Thomas Ford, all titles including Changing Tides; Last Summer; Vroman's Lind believed publishing still had some catching up to and Looking For It (Kensington) Nancy• Garden, Annie on My Mind (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, BYR) do, now that California allows gay marriage. "I'm still waiting for Scott• Heim, We Disappear : A Novel (Harper Perennial) all the GLBT wedding books to come out," she said. "I would love Leslie• Jordan, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (Simon Spotlight to have some GLBT wedding guides or decorating titles in my Entertainment) section." Matt• Kailey, Just Add Hormones: An Insider's Guide to the Transsexual Experience (Beacon Press) On the flip side, Mitzel observed that in Massachusetts, interest in James• Lear, all titles including The Back Passage and Hot Valley: A Novel wedding titles spiked slightly in '04 (when the state first allowed (Cleis) gay marriage), but has since fallen off, despite the recent repeal of William• Mann, Where The Boys Are (Kensington) Armistead• Maupin, Michael Tolliver Lives : A Novel (HarperCollins) the law that limited gay marriage to Massachusetts' residents. "If Ethan• Mordden, Buddies series (St. Martin's Griffin) people want to get married, they'll just do it," he said. "They don't Lauren Myracle, Kissing Kate (Puffin) need a book." Maybe it's an East Coast/West Coast thing. Julie• Anne Peters, Keeping You a Secret and Luna (both Little Brown Young Readers) Bubon fretted over the rising cost of some of the GLBT titles from Frank• Anthony Polito, Band Fags! (Kensington) university presses, but she was happy about increasing trends Alex• Sanchez, Rainbow Boys and Rainbow High (both Simon Pulse) toward openness and acceptance. "People are defining themselves David• Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames (Little Brown) more broadly, or not at all. It means that GLBT fiction has Kevin• Sessums, Mississippi Sissy (St. Martin's) tremendous crossover appeal. There's a lot less stigmatization. Aiden• Shaw, My Undoing : Love in the Thick of Sex, Drugs, Pornography, and Prostitution (Running Press) Bookstores aren't just selling GLBT titles to gays and lesbians 38 Jeanette• Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Grove Press) anymore." -- Karen Schechner Mark• Richard Zubro, Schooled in Murder (St. Martin's Minotaur)

John Mitzel of Calamus Bookstore 43 in Boston: Scott• Heim, We Disappear : A Novel (Harper Perennial) James• McCourt, all titles Booksellers' LGBT title Recommendations Frank• O'Hara, Selected Poems (Knopf) Steven• Saylor, all titles

Blake Hardy of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse 39 in Atlanta: Andre• Aciman, Call Me By Your Name (Picador) Jeffrey• Eugenides, Middlesex (Picador) BTW thanks all of the booksellers who offered their GLBT title Michael• Thomas Ford, all titles recommendations. Leslie• Jordan, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) E.• Lynn Harris, all titles What's It All About? R.J. Julia's Great William• Mann, Where The Boys Are (Kensington) David• Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames (Little Brown) Books Program Tries to Find Out Natasha• Trethewey, all titles 44 45 Sarah• Waters, all titles August 20, 2008 -- A funny thing happened when R.J. Julia in Madison, Connecticut, announced its new, ongoing Great Books Seminar Program -- a monthly seminar designed to provide people Holly Nelson of Changing Hands Bookstore 40 in Tempe, Arizona: with the opportunity to study and discuss the great works of James• Baldwin, Giovanni's Room (Delta) literature, philosophy, and history. Very quickly, post-college Alison• Bechdel, Fun Home (Mariner) adults were showing up in droves to register to study the classics Kate• Bornstein, Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, with Yale professors -- just for the fun of it -- in the intimate setting Freaks & Other Outlaws (Seven Stories) of their neighborhood bookstore. "A hundred people tried to sign Leslie• Feinberg, Stone Butch Blues (Firebrand) Radclyffe• Hall, The Well of Loneliness (Anchor) up for the [first] class," said store owner Roxanne Coady. "I've Tony• Kushner, Angels in America (Nick Hern) never seen this kind of demand." Zachary• Lazar, Sway (Little Brown) Robert• Leleux, Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy (St. Martin's) Fittingly, it was a book that inspired Coady to launch the Great Marcus• Pfister, Rainbow Fish (North-South) Books Seminar Program in March 2008. "A friend of ours, [Yale Michelle• Tea, The Chelsea Whistle (Seal Press) Professor] Tony Kronman wrote a book called Education's End, Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of Life 46 [Yale University Press]," said Coady. The book Nikki Lind of Vroman's Bookstore 41 in Pasadena, California: discusses how the most important question one can ask in life -- Best• Lesbian Erotica and Best Gay Erotica series (Cleis) What is living for? -- has been removed from university classrooms Alison• Bechdel, Fun Home (Mariner) and calls for its return in humanities studies. Lillian• Faderman, all titles Michelle• Tea, all titles This focus on the meaning of life recently returned to at least one university, with Yale University's Directed Studies Program. Prof. Kronman is on the faculty of the Directed Studies program, which Joe Eichman, Emily Hanna, Zia Klamm, Margaret Noteman, and Rodney focuses on this essential question through the study of 12 classics Shuff of Tattered Cover Book Store 42 in Denver: of Western literature, from Homer's Odyssey to St. Augustine's Andre• Aciman, Call Me By Your Name (Picador) Confessions . "I read [Kronman's book] early on ... and I thought

© 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 7 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK August 21, 2008 it's not just college kids who are interested in [studying] the during our bicentennial in 2000, of our Living Legend Award." meaning of life [through literature], it's adults, too," said Coady. Wouk has published 12 widely acclaimed novels as well as plays Each month, in two-hour seminars, the program is focusing on one and nonfiction. Many do not know that he also wrote comedy, early of the 12 books from the Yale Directed Studies syllabus with a in his career, for Fred Allen's radio show from 1936 to 1941. Little, Yale Professor (there were no classes in July or August). The cost Brown is Wouk's publisher. Wouk is donating his literary diaries, of each session is $50, which includes the price of the book, coffee, remaining manuscripts, and correspondence to the Library, where and refreshments, and there is a limit of 20 people per seminar. they will be made available in the Manuscript Division Reading Customers can sign up for individual classes or for all 12 seminars. Room, after processing. The Library already holds the manuscripts R.J. Julia provides attendees with a study guide prior to each of five Wouk novels, including The Winds of War and War and seminar. Remembrance . Thus far, the store has held four classes, with rousing success. The program kicked off with The Odyssey , with seminar leader Prof. Finalists for the 2008 Thurber Prize for American Humor Jane Levin. This was followed by sessions on The Orestia , with Announced Prof. Justin Zaremby; the Apology of Socrates , with Prof. Thurber House announced the three finalists for the 2008 Thurber Kronman; and Nicomachean Ethics (Books I and X) , also with Prize for American Humor. The award is an annual prize and will Kronman. be presented at a ceremony at New York's Algonquin Hotel, once Beginning September 18, the Great Books program will study St. home to Thurber, on October 6. Robert Kaplow, a judge for this Augustine's Confessions . In the following months, the sessions year's Prize, a former finalist for his novel Me and Orson Welles , will tackle Dante's Inferno ; Machiavelli's The Prince ; will serve as the evening's emcee. Shakespeare's King Lear ; Descartes' Meditations ; Madame The finalists are: Bovary by Flaubert; Nietzsche's The Genealogy of Morals ; First • Larry Doyle for I Love You, Beth Cooper (Harper Perennial) and Second Discourses by Rousseau; and Hannah Arendt's The • Patricia Marx for Him Her Him Again The End of Him Human Condition . Already, the classes studying St. Augustine, (Scribner) Dante, and Shakespeare are filled. • Simon Rich for Ant Farm (Random House) "I've attended most of the seminars," Coady said, who noted that these nights have been "some of the most satisfying for me as a The 2008 Thurber Prize for American Humor will be conferred bookseller. [Professors] Levin and Kronman both said how upon the author and publisher of the outstanding book of humor incredibly life-affirming it is to see adults participate for the pure writing published in the United States between January 1, 2007 and pleasure of learning. I think this is a great opportunity for all December 31, 2007. Initiated in 1996, thirty-five years after the independents. Being in a bookstore [for a class] is very exciting -- death of Thurber, the award recognizes the art of humor writing. there are a lot of people who want this opportunity." The award includes a $5,000 prize and a commemorative crystal plaque. Because of the success of the Great Books Seminar Program, R.J. Julia is planning a similar program, organized by Meghan Ownbey, the store's events and marketing assistant, that will cover the work Jonathan Galassi Named 2008 Winner of Maxwell E. Perkins of Virginia Woolf. "This will be a shorter, more focused program -- Award a four-part series that will take place during the daytime," Ownbey On August 20, the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction announced told BTW . Professor Hedda Kopf of Quinnipiac University will be 47 FSG President Jonathan Galassi as the winner of its 2008 Maxwell teaching the sessions. -- David Grogan E. Perkins Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Fiction. The award recognizes an editor, publisher, or agent who, BTW News Briefs over the course of his or her career, has discovered, nurtured, and championed writers of fiction in the U.S. It will be presented on August 20, 2008 -- December 1 at the Mercantile Library in New York City. Herman Wouk Earns Lifetime Achievement Award From Galassi joined FSG as vice president and executive editor in 1986, Library of Congress and he was named president in 2002. Authors he has worked with include Andre Aciman, Frank Bidart, Michael Cunningham, Jeffrey Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will present Pulitzer Eugenides, Jonathan Franzen, Ian Frazier, Thomas L. Friedman, Prize-winning writer Herman Wouk with the first Library of Louise Glück, Nadine Gordimer, David Grossman, Shirley Congress Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Writing of Hazzard, and Tom Wolfe. His authors have won the Pulitzer Prize, Fiction. The award recognizes Wouk's extraordinary contributions the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, to American letters and his dedication to, as he has said, "the and other honors. enduring power of the novel." The award will be presented on Wednesday, September 10, at 5:00 p.m. in the Thomas Jefferson Building, Coolidge Auditorium, in Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. The program The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller will include readings by Wouk and other distinguished guests. List "Herman Wouk's work epitomizes the historical novel and its August 20, 2008 -- For the eight week period ending August 19, ability to transcend its time and place to achieve universality in 2008, and based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide. character and themes," Billington said. "Herman is a longtime supporter of the Library who has honored us with his presence on 1. The Host many occasions, and he was among the first group of recipients, Stephenie Meyer, Little Brown, $25.99, 9780316068048

2. 1984 Gregory Maguire, Regan Books, $16, 9780060747220 George Orwell, Signet, $9.99, 9780451524935

3. Ender's Game Emerging Leaders Get a Taste of Orson Scott Card, Tor, $6.99, 9780812550702 IndieBound 4. Fahrenheit 451 August 20, 2008 -- The "under-fortyish" community of booksellers Ray Bradbury, Ballantine, $6.99, 9780345342966 and publishers got another taste of IndieBound this week at an event organized by Emerging Leaders NYC. 5. The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger, Harvest, $14, 9780156029438 Booksellers from New York-area bookstores, including McNally Jackson, Book Culture, Logos Bookstore, Moravian Bookshop, and 6. Wicked the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, met at Flatbush Farm, an Gregory Maguire, Regan Books, $16, 9780060987107 independent and locally-focused restaurant in Brooklyn. Several ABA staff members joined the Emerging Leaders to share the latest 7. Cat's Cradle Kurt Vonnegut, Delta, $14, 9780385333481 IndieBound news. "The ELNO [Emerging Leaders Night Out] team picked a 8. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War wonderful spacious venue," said Book Culture marketing manager Max Brooks, Three Rivers, $14.95, 9780307346612 Kelly Amabile. "I was introduced to several NYC booksellers and publishing folks that I had not met before, [and] got to see a demo 9. The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss, Daw, $7.99, 9780756404741 of IndieBound's online community." Although the community section of IndieBound.org will not be 10. Soon I Will Be Invincible launched until September, IndieBound Outreach Liaison Paige Poe Austin Grossman, Vintage, $14.95, 9780307279866 and ABA Web Content Coordinator Matt Supko offered the booksellers, editors, and publicists a sneak peak. 11. The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien, Ballantine, $7.99, 9780345339683 Moravian Bookshop assistant buyer Stephanie Anderson, who traveled to the event from her store in Pennsylvania, was impressed 12. Sandworms of Dune by the comfortable atmosphere. "Everybody I met was so Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Tor, $7.99, 9780765351494 approachable and interesting to talk with," she said. Although she had a two-hour bus ride ahead of her, Anderson said the chance to 13. Good Omens Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, HarperTorch, $7.99, 9780060853983 meet so many young people in the book industry made the trip worth it. "I also really liked that it wasn't just booksellers, but also 48 14. Dune people from publishers," she said. -- Sarah Rettger Frank Herbert, Ace, $7.99, 9780441172719 IndieBound On Tour 15. Speaker for the Dead Orson Scott Card, Tor, $7.99, 9780812550757 August 20, 2008 -- Since July, American Booksellers Association staff have been visiting locations around the country to answer 16. The Dark River questions, share ideas, and help position bookstores to take John Twelve Hawks, Vintage, $7.99, 9780307389237 advantage of IndieBound 49 and all that it has to offer. One such ABA staff member is IndieBound Outreach Liaison Paige Poe, who 17. Cry Wolf Patricia Briggs, Ace, $7.99, 9780441016150 has traveled from Cleveland, Ohio, to Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- and points in-between -- to spread the word to 18. The Lost World booksellers about the IndieBound Movement. Here, she provides us Arthur Conan Doyle, Penguin, $10, 9780141033778 with a look at her travels over the summer. By Paige Poe, IndieBound Outreach Liaison 19. A Game of Thrones George R.R. Martin, Spectra, $7.99, 9780553573404 As part of ABA's ongoing IndieBound tour, I've had the opportunity to host several sessions with great groups of 20. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy booksellers. At each session, I displayed for the booksellers all that Douglas Adams, Del Rey, $7.99, 9780345391803 IndieBound has to offer, showed them the ins and outs of IndieBound.org, and discussed how they can use the materials, with 21. The Orc King R.A. Salvatore, Wizards of the Coast, $7.99, 9780786950461 examples of what other booksellers are already doing. It was fun and enlightening to meet enthusiastic booksellers and to hear their 22. A Clash of Kings ideas on the movement's progress. There were so many good ideas, George R.R. Martin, Spectra, $7.99, 9780553579901 and we hope to incorporate many of them in the coming months. In fact, we just created a palm card with room on the back for 23. The Once and Future King bookseller recommendations, based on a bookseller's suggestion. T.H. White, Ace, $7.99, 9780441627400 Check it out in the Bookseller DIY 50 .

24. A Clockwork Orange The first trip was to Cleveland, Ohio, for the first of three Anthony Burgess, Norton, $13.95, 9780393312836 IndieBound sessions held in conjunction with the Great Lake Booksellers Association (GLBA) and their executive director, Jim 25. Son of a Witch Dana. The initial session was hosted by Sacred Path Books & Art 51

. The bookstore is part of Trinity Commons, connecting the store to Bookstore in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, I stopped along the the beautiful Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Sacred Path proudly way to visit stores that attended the session at Regulator, displayed IndieBound posters and cards throughout their store, McIntyre's Books in Pittsboro, and Quail Ridge Books & Music in along with works from local artists and authors. It was wonderful to Raleigh, to thank them for coming to Durham, check out their see the idea of IndieBound coming to life in their efforts to support IndieBound displays, and, of course, buy more books. localism. And the lunch from Cafe Ah-Roma, also a Trinity At my last session at Page After Page, I met booksellers from the business, was fantastic (delicious hummus sandwiches....). Check 52 Outer Banks and many of the independent business owners in out their profile at IndieBound.org! Elizabeth City, who showed a great interest in using IndieBound. The second session took place at Zanzibar Restaurant in Ann Susan Hinkle of Page After Page is making great strides in Arbor, Michigan, where we gathered for lunch and discussion. This organizing her community businesses -- so, thanks to her for was the perfect setting for an IndieBound session, right on State promoting the session. It was very interesting to hear so many Street in downtown Ann Arbor, surrounded by indie businesses. As different non-bookstore perspectives on IndieBound and what a great addition to the IndieBound talk, we heard from Ingrid Ault localism means to them. The next day, on my way back home, I of Ann Arbor's Think Local First association, which is making stopped off in Norfolk, Virginia, to visit Prince Books. They have great progress in promoting the region's already thriving local IndieBound posters and displays everywhere you turn. I even got culture. Later, Karl Pohrt gave us the grand tour of his beautiful an IndieBound shopping bag when I bought (even more) books! bookstore, Shaman Drum Bookshop. Visiting all these great Thanks to GLBA's Jim Dana, MBA's Susan Walker, NAIBA's bookstores is amazing, but my suitcase gets so heavy with new Eileen Dengler, GABBS's Valerie May, Tom Campbell of the purchases. Regulator Bookshop, Susan Hinkle of Page After Page Bookstore, And afterwards, it was onward to Aurora, Illinois, to meet at and all the booksellers, business owners, and anyone else who Anderson's Book Fair Warehouse, where I was joined by ABA came to our sessions! CEO Avin Mark Domnitz. Anderson's employee Larry Law gave us a presentation of the amazing customized IndieBound material the store has produced, and inspired lots of project ideas for the other booksellers in attendance. Each of these meetings was followed by screening of Paperback Dreams 53 , a documentary film about the contributions, historical significance, and struggles of Cody's Books in Berkeley and Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, California. These viewings generated some enlightening discussions on the future of bookstores and their place in the Classifieds cultural fabric of a community. BOOKSTORE FOR SALE Avin and I drove on to Madison, Wisconsin, for a session to be Bookstore For Sale. Nicely appointed, small, well-stocked, held in conjunction with the Midwest Booksellers Association and independent, 5-year-old bookstore business, which is easily several Wisconsin booksellers at the Wisconsin Historical Society, handled by one person, is for sale. Building owner will extend lease and it was another great session. Jill Nelson and Candy Pearson of for new owner. Located in Sausalito, CA. Can be seen at Apple Blossom Books in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, came to the meeting www.habitatbooks.com 63 . Serious inquiries only. in shirts from the IndieBound's Prinfection shop 54 --and reported they'd been selling tons in their store, as well. Avin and I took time out to tour his old stomping grounds at the University of Wisconsin FOR SALE and visit the great University Bookstore. Bookstore Fixtures: 23 Storebest large adjustable angled wall After a weekend break, I made it to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a units, Slatwall Storage Cube & Step Display, Tables, session held in conjunction with the New Atlantic Independent Vertical/Horizontal File Cabinets, Cannon G3 Copier, Brothers Booksellers Association at Carnegie Mellon University for a Fax, IBID Hardware, Misc Fixtures & Equipment, Slatwall Wall nighttime discussion over some delicious vegetarian spring rolls. Units/hardware, Book Carts, Desks, POS & other Counters, Card Pittsburgh-area booksellers were eager to discuss using IndieBound Racks, GOOD CONDITION. BEST OFFERS. pbplusbx@aolcom to reach out to other local businesses. Later, NAIBA Executive 64 or (718) 796-3119. Director Eileen Dengler and I had an exclusive tour of the Books & Bytes Bookstore & Internet Cafe in Quincy, FL under-construction Penguin Bookshop 55 in Sewickley, (www.BooksAndBytes.biz 65 ) is liquidating. We have ~5,000 new Pennsylvania, guided by Penguin's director Karen Fadzen and & used HC & PB books (priced @ $25K), 2 Anthology stations, manager Maryanne Eichorn. The new Penguin Bookshop is being and 6 customer computers. Buy all for $30K OBO. Contact Mike built to LEED Certification environmental standards, and is set to Frank at (850) 597-2046 or [email protected] 66 for more open September 6. Check out their blog 56 to see the building information. process. On August 2, I hosted a session for booksellers and publishers at the Great American Bargain Book Show in Atlanta, Georgia, which All Regular ABA Member Bookstores in good standing may took place before the show, so thanks to everyone who woke up have up to four 2-week Classified Ad insertions per year in Bookselling This Week at no charge (50-word limit). For more early to attend. Later I had a chance to visit Atlanta's great Outwrite 67 Books, and my suitcase became even heavier with new books. information on booking a classified ad, click here . Then, it was on to North Carolina for two events. First was at the Regulator Bookshop in Durham, with a large crowd of North Other Advertising Carolina booksellers. The next day, on my drive to Page After Page An imaginative fable of friendship and gratitude

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Links in this document: 1. See http://www.changinghands.com/ 2. See http://www.naiba.com/trade_show.asp 3. See http://www.naiba.com/trade_show.asp 4. See http://www.bookweb.org/aba/account/update.do 5. See http://www.newatlanticbooks.com/trade_show.asp 6. See mailto:[email protected] 7. See mailto:[email protected] 8. See mailto:[email protected] 9. See http://www.midwestbooksellers.org 10. See http://www.midwestbooksellers.org 11. See http://www.bookweb.org/aba/account/update.do 12. See http://www.midwestbooksellers.org 13. See mailto:[email protected] 14. See mailto:[email protected] 15. See mailto:[email protected] 16. See mailto:[email protected] 17. See http://www.indiebound.org/user/register 18. See mailto:[email protected] 19. See http://www.indiebound.org/kids-indie-next-list 20. See mailto:[email protected] 21. See http://www.demconvention.com/ 22. See http://www.tatteredcover.com/ 23. See http://www.bigtentdenver.org/ 24. See http://www.rallyfortherepublic.com/ 25. See http://www.dubookstore.com/denver/ 26. See http://www.gopconvention2008.com/default.aspx 27. See http://www.commongoodbooks.com/ 28. See http://www.civicfest.org/ 29. See http://www.micawbers.com/ 30. See http://www.magersandquinn.com/ 31. See mailto:[email protected] 32. See http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/ 33. See http://www.changinghands.com/ 34. See http://www.tatteredcover.com/ 35. See http://www.calamusbooks.com/ 36. See http://www.outwritebooks.com/

37. See http://www.vromansbookstore.com/ 38. See mailto:[email protected] 39. See http://www.outwritebooks.com/ 40. See http://www.changinghands.com/ 41. See http://www.vromansbookstore.com/ 42. See http://www.tatteredcover.com/ 43. See http://www.calamusbooks.com/ 44. See http://www.rjjulia.com/ 45. See http://www.rjjulia.com/ 46. See http://www.indiebound.org/aff/bookweb1?product=9780300122886 47. See mailto:[email protected] 48. See mailto:[email protected] 49. See http://www.bookweb.org/indiebound/ 50. See http://www.bookweb.org/identitymanager/diy/index.jsp 51. See http://news.bookweb.org/news/6190.html 52. See http://www.indiebound.org/stores/sacred-path-books-art 53. See http://news.bookweb.org/news/6221.html 54. See http://www.printfection.com/IndieBound 55. See http://news.bookweb.org/news/5962.html 56. See http://penguinbookshop.typepad.com/ 57. See http://www.bookweb.org/indiebound/nextlist/view.html 58. See http://www.habitatbooks.com 59. See mailto:pbplusbx@aolcom 60. See http://www.BooksAndBytes.biz 61. See mailto:[email protected] 62. See http://www.bookweb.org/about/ads/booksellers.html 63. See http://www.habitatbooks.com 64. See mailto:pbplusbx@aolcom 65. See http://www.BooksAndBytes.biz 66. See mailto:[email protected] 67. See http://www.bookweb.org/about/ads/booksellers.html 68. See http://www.emeraldbookcompany.com/authors/rifken/ 69. See http://www.limelightbookcompany.com/authors/vidhyadharan 70. See http://www.charlesbridge.com