"I think when you're writing challenging work, you can easily be misunderstood. So I'm so grateful for Indies Introduce and for the Children's Institute experience, because before you're starting to see ARC readers putting up reviews, you're getting this clear validation that all of your hard work--people do see it. People do appreciate it. To be a debut where your first big author event is on a scale like that, where you have an audience of just hundreds of people, that was really overwhelming, but so, so validating. Those moments where that fear still rises up, you get a bad review or whatever, you remind yourself: no piece of art is for everybody, and the people who need this book--thanks to these incredible booksellers who are working so hard to get it in the hands of readers--they're going to find it."

The Magic of Books Bookstore, Seymour, Ind., which opened in 2020, has new owners. The Tribune reported that local authors Ashley Greathouse and Madison Jacobs have purchased the store from Jenna Martinez, who will remain closely connected with the business as a silent partner.

In June, Martinez had announced, "with a heavy heart," that she would be closing the bookstore August 1. Jacobs, a regular at the 1852 Café--which was connected to the bookstore but has since closed--had met Martinez there, the Tribune noted, adding that "while Jacobs was writing, she found guidance through Martinez, helping Jacobs as her beta reader."

When Greathouse heard about the bookstore closing for good, she panicked. "This has been a safe haven--not just for me, but for the community," she recalled.  

Jacobs said she wanted to help not only the community, but Martinez as well: "I really wanted to help Jenna not lose her dream, but also expand on it." Greathouse added: "It's an exciting chapter for her (Martinez) and for us." 

The new owners are aiming to create a "literary lounge," and in the children's section they are planning to add mushroom stools and a small TV playing educational and literary-based programming.

Since taking ownership, Jacobs said they have been pleasantly surprised by how many people came in daily and thank them for keeping the business running, noting: "If they love it this much now, wait until you see what we do.... We would absolutely love to hear from the community. As much as this is our vision, we want the community to have so much say--we want this to be their place."

Lerner Publishing Group has acquired Sundance Newbridge Publishing from Globe Pequot Publishing.

Based in Marlborough, Mass., Sundance Newbridge publishes supplemental literacy products and solutions for children grades PreK-8. With the acquisition, Lerner will add more than 3,600 titles to its catalog, and going forward, Sundance Newbridge will operate as a division within Lerner. All 14 employees of Sundance Newbridge will be retained, and Paul Konowitch, president of Sundance Newbridge, will retire.

For now, Globe Pequot will continue to handle warehousing and fulfillment of Sundance Newbridge products. In early 2025, those duties will move to Lerner's warehouse in Mankato, Minn.

"I am delighted that Adam Lerner and his team at Lerner Publishing Group have acquired Sundance Newbridge Publishing with its wonderful portfolio of supplemental literacy products, aligned to the curriculums in the PreK-8 school market," said Konowitch. "I believe it will be a great opportunity for Lerner and Sundance to work together to better serve both the students and teachers in our market. I am pleased that the entire Sundance team will be retained by Lerner."

Adam Lerner, publisher and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group, said: "Sundance Newbridge is known for their expertise in the classroom channel. We are excited to combine Lerner’s award-winning books with the more than 50 years of experience that Sundance Newbridge has matching the perfect instructional materials to the exact needs of a school."

British author Elaine Everest, who was inspired by stories of the war years in her hometown of Erith, Kent, to write her bestselling Woolworths Girls series, died August 16. She was 70. The Bookseller reported that after The Woolworths Girls, Everest wrote 15 more historical sagas set around World War II. A Christmas Wish at Woolworths, the 11th title in the Woolworths Girls series, will be released in paperback this fall. 

Before becoming a novelist, Everest was a journalist, writing for women's magazines and newspapers. She was also a qualified creative writing tutor, and ran the Write Place creative writing school in Hextable, Kent.  

"I have had the pleasure of representing Elaine's novels for well over a decade," said her agent, Caroline Sheldon. "Elaine herself had a Saturday job in Woolworths and in her writing she brought alive the adventures and gossip of a group of young girls working in the iconic store. Her writing was full of vigor and energy alongside the period detail and nostalgia that her readers loved. She will be much missed by all who knew her and the many who loved her books."

Lucy Hale, managing director of Pan Macmillan, commented: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Elaine Everest, whose heartwarming tales of love, resilience and community spirit have captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of readers. Not only was Elaine a supremely talented storyteller; she was also an incredibly hard-working author who loved connecting with her readers, and who we all loved working with."

Katie Loughnane, publishing director of Pan Fiction, added: "It has been a privilege to work with Elaine, who is undoubtedly one of Britain's best-loved saga writers. I have always been inspired by the women in her stories, who never fail to find laughter, forge friendships and--above all--demonstrate resilience and hope during times of uncertainty. Elaine will be sorely missed by the whole team at Pan Macmillan, as well as those in our wider community: authors, bloggers, booksellers and, of course, her legions of dedicated readers."

This past week, Shelf Awareness sent our monthly pre-order e-blast to nearly 920,000 of the country's best book readers. The e-blast went to 919,262 customers of 258 participating independent bookstores.

The mailing features 11 upcoming titles selected by Shelf Awareness editors and a sponsored title. Customers can buy these books via "pre-order" buttons that lead directly to the purchase page for the title on each sending store's website. A key feature is that bookstore partners can easily change title selections to best reflect the tastes of their customers and can customize the mailing with links, images and promotional copy of their own.

The pre-order e-blasts are sent the last Wednesday of each month; the next will go out on Wednesday, September 25. Stores interested in learning more can visit our program registration page or contact our partner program team via e-mail.

For a sample of the August pre-order e-blast, see this one from Ink Drinkers Anonymous, Muncie, Ind.

The titles highlighted in the pre-order e-blast were:

Grey Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates (One World)
Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown)
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich (Harper)
Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey (Doubleday)
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden (Poisoned Pen/Sourcebooks)
Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer (MCD)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (Crown)
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (Mariner)
Dork Diaries 16: Tales from a Not-So-Bratty Little Sister by Rachel Renee Russell (Aladdin)
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...: A Love Story by Jason Reynolds (Atheneum)

Reese Witherspoon and Margaret Renkl

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl (Spiegel & Grau) is the September pick for Reese's Book Club, the club's 100th pick. The club called The Comfort of Crows "a luminous book that traces the passing of seasons, both personal and natural. With 52 original color artworks by the author's brother, Billy Renkl, The Comfort of Crows is a lovely and deeply moving book from a cherished observer of the natural world."

Reese Witherspoon wrote, "As my high school English teacher (!!), Margaret had a profound impact on my life, making it incredibly special to have her as our 100th author."

"Hi everyone. Meet Buster!" Split Rock Books, Cold Spring, N.Y., posted on Facebook. "He is a five year old former stray we adopted from @pawscrossedny. He'll be spending time in staff only spaces as he gets acclimated, but you'll catch him out on the floor as he gets the lay of the land. Please let him approach you in his own time--he's a very sweet boy so chances of getting a headbutt are high once he's comfortable! You can help us keep him safe by making sure you close the door after you come in. No one could ever replace Georgie in our hearts, but we are really glad to be giving this adorable boy a new home at the bookstore."

"Never. Stop. Reading." Sound bookish advice from Athena Books, Old Greenwich, Conn., which shared a photo of the shop's recent sidewalk chalkboard message: "Summer may be almost over, but your reading list can go on forever."

Round and Round the Year We Go by Carter Higgins (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House).

Today:
Fresh Air: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, author of Lovely One: A Memoir (Random House, $35, 9780593729908).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Mary Bonnet, author of Selling Sunshine: Surviving Teenage Motherhood, Thriving in Luxury Real Estate, and Finally Finding My Voice (Harper Influence, $30, 9780063327801).

The View: Katie Ledecky, author of Just Add Water: My Swimming Life (Simon & Schuster, $28.99, 9781668060209).

Live with Kelly and Mark: Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling, authors of A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen (Hyperion Avenue, $35, 9781368104043).

Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte have joined the cast of Die, My Love, based on the 2017 novel by Ariana Harwicz. Deadline reported that the film, directed by Lynne Ramsay, "reunites Spacek and Nolte following their work together on Affliction, the 1997 crime drama written and directed by Paul Schrader." The cast also includes Jennifer Lawerence, Robert Pattinson, and LaKeith Stanfield.
 
Ramsay is directing from her script written with Enda Walsh. Producers on the project include Justine Ciarrocchi and Lawerence on behalf of Excellent Cadaver, as well as Martin Scorsese and Andrea Calderwood. 

Sisters in Crime announced the winners of the 2024 Davitt Awards, recognizing the best crime and mystery books by Australian women:

Adult novel: When One of Us Hurts by Monica Vuu
YA novel: Eleanor Jones Is Not a Murderer by Amy Doak
Children's novel: The Wolves of Greycoat Hall by Lucinda Gifford
Nonfiction: The Schoolgirl, Her Teacher, and His Wife by Rebecca Hazel
Debut crime: The Half Brother by Christine Keighery
Readers' Choice: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

Ruth Wykes, the jury coordinator, said that judging the Davitts offers "a front-row seat to the wonderful entertainment that is Australian women's crime stories. This year, we traveled the world through the pages of 153 books.... We met some rather colorful characters; some who made us laugh out loud, others who left us in tears. And we had moments where we were secretly rooting for the bad guy. This year's themes seemed darker than last year.... But this is perhaps a realistic reflection of the impact of Covid and those life-changing lockdowns we experienced in 2020. Our worlds changed, and so did the worlds of our storytellers."

photo: Leah Mahan

John McMurtrie served as the books editor of the San Francisco Chronicle for a decade and was an independent book editor, senior editor at Zyzzyva, an editor for McSweeney's, and a contributing editor of the quarterly literary travel magazine Stranger’s Guide. He's currently nonfiction editor at Kirkus. McMurtrie is the general editor of Literary Journeys: Mapping Fictional Travels across the World of Literature (Princeton University Press, September 10, 2024), a beautifully illustrated guide to important journeys in world literature, with contributions from Robert McCrum, Susan Shillinglaw, Maya Jaggi, Robert Holden, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Alan Taylor, Michael Bourne, Sarah Mesle, and dozens more.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

One resplendent book can take you around the world through a look at more than 75 works of fiction. The book? It's called Literary Journeys.

On your nightstand now:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (reading it to my teenage daughter; it's more than 1,200 pages long, so we should be done by 2034); Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (passed on to me by said daughter, who no doubt hopes to get it back by 2034); Every Man for Himself and God Against All by Werner Herzog (which I will attempt not to read aloud in a breathy, Herzogian voice); A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (started reading it to my teenage son, who's now finishing it on his own, the little thief); Gotham Unbound: The Ecological History of Greater New York by Ted Steinberg (geeking out on urban esoterica, including ideal dinner party conversation topics such as colonial-era waste disposal); and Mudlark: In Search of London's Past Along the River Thames by Lara Maiklem (making me want to buy boots and a plane ticket to England).

Favorite book when you were a child:

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In my childhood brain, little had as much magical allure as the wardrobe through which four young siblings travel in these stories. And I can still conjure the taste of my own version of Turkish Delight; I didn't know that the stuff actually existed until years later, and its flavor was far more disappointing than what my mind had imagined.

Your top five authors:

James Baldwin (a fierce intellect guided by compassion), Julian Barnes (a humanist with a wry worldview), Tony Horwitz (a questing observer who brought the past to life with great humor), Vladimir Nabokov (a supremely nimble wit), Lauren Redniss (a singular talent, equally gifted as a writer and artist).

Book you've faked reading:

Any Harry Potter book. Easier than admitting the truth and having fellow parents at bygone kiddie parties look at me aghast, shocked that I was not a member of the J.K. Rowling cognoscenti.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Black Russian by Vladimir Alexandrov. An underappreciated biography of Frederick Bruce Thomas, a son of former Mississippi slaves who, after many travels, strikes it rich in Moscow as a nightclub impresario, renaming himself Fyodor Fyodorovich Tomas. A stirring and ultimately tragic story that lays bare the pernicious reach of institutional racism. 

Book you've bought for the cover:

Japan: The Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu. A handsome Phaidon title that's bound in what's made to look like bamboo.

Book you hid from your parents:

Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller. I enjoyed the novel enough that I could hide it only so long, eventually reading it out in the open. Upon seeing the book, my father registered his mild disapproval, which saddened me. I doubt he had read the novel, but I'm sure the fact that it been banned in the U.S. until 1964--having been deemed "obscene"--swayed his opinion. Such is the malevolent power of book bans.  

Book that changed your life:

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. Along with Kurt Vonnegut's novels, Heller's masterpiece awakened my teenage mind to looking at life through an absurdist lens. So many hilarious scenes--as well as Snowden's harrowing death--are fresh in my mind, more than 40 years after I devoured the novel. I still own the copy that I read at my grandparents' crumbling house in Normandy over the course of a summer. When I think of the novel, I hear the doleful ring of their town's church bells.

Favorite line from a book:

Three simple words in Anthony Doerr's rightfully acclaimed novel All the Light We Cannot See: "Es-tu là?"--"Are you there?" The words are spoken by Werner when he and Marie-Laure hear each other, at last, in person. He is a German soldier, and she is a French girl, and they have formed a bond that exists beyond their nationalities. Books very rarely make me cry, but this line got me when I read it 10 years ago.

Five books you'll never part with:

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck (my late mother's 1963 edition); The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X (my 1983 high school copy); Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (my late father's 1961 paperback); Le Petit Larousse encyclopedic dictionary (a pre-Internet, dinner table bible of my youth); The New Biographical Dictionary of Film by David Thomson (a smart, opinionated, and indispensable door stopper for any film lover).

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Will this Soviet satire be as sly and wondrous as I recall it from 35 years ago (when the Soviet Union existed)?

Book you're afraid to read again for fear that it'd be a letdown:

Dune by Frank Herbert. As a child, I was taken in by the sandworms and magical spice and political intrigue--the earnest gloom and doom of it all. Perhaps best left undisturbed, frozen as a memory from long ago.

Emily Lloyd-Jones returns to the beloved world of The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods in The Wild Huntress, an enrapturing, action-filled standalone fantasy.

The immortal King Arawn of Annwvyn and the mortal King Pwyll of Dyfed celebrate their kingdoms' friendship every five years, on the last day of autumn, with the Wild Hunt, a "revel of blood and magic and madness." No one knows exactly what the participants hunt, but rumors say "monsters, legends, even mortals." The victor of the Hunt receives a boon: any wish that magic or power can grant.

Gwydion of Gwynedd is a 19-year-old trickster and diviner of trees and plants. He wants the Hunt's boon to prevent his tyrannical brother from ascending Gwynedd's throne. But Gwydion's no hunter, and he'll need a champion. Eighteen-year-old Branwen is a huntress who uses a magicked eye to hunt monsters that mortals can't see. The boon could cure her mother's devastating "memory sickness," so she agrees to be Gwydion's champion. Pryderi, the 18-year-old son of King Pwyll, was kidnapped as a baby by an afanc (an ancient monster with a scaled hide) and taught the way of monsters. He wants to win the Hunt to prove to the king (and himself) that he's more human than creature. The trio form an alliance and battle a conscious forest, dangerous otherfolk, and assassins on their quest for victory.

Emily Lloyd-Jones majestically marries magic and monsters against a backdrop of standout visuals and enticing action. Her fanciful, captivating setting is the stage for apt discussions of fate versus choice and how this relates to power and class. The three allies run the gamut of class distinctions--a commoner whose life is a "constant shuffling of resources" works with a noble who never has to ask the price of things. The Hunt, however, puts them on equal footing, as the boon affords them a way to change their futures. Jones extends that parity to the way she presents her compelling story: all three characters' voices are given equal space in alternating perspectives, and each are accompanied by snappy, droll dialogue and descriptions that tickle the senses ("The morning air was sweet in his chest--sun-burnished grasses, the tartness of blackberries, and a last whisper of autumn"). A sprinkle of romance helps balance the more intense fight scenes, and discussions of dementia are handled sensitively. An exceptional story of magic and fortune. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader

Shelf Talker: A huntress, a trickster, and a prince become allies determined to win a magical boon in a royal hunt in this enrapturing, action-filled standalone fantasy set in the same world as The Bone Houses.

The bestselling Libro.fm audiobooks at independent bookstores during August:

Fiction
1. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Penguin Random House Audio)
2. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Macmillan Audio)
3. James by Percival Everett (Penguin Random House Audio)
4. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (Macmillan Audio)
6. The Women by Kristin Hannah (Macmillan Audio)
7. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Simon & Schuster Audio)
8. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (Recorded Books)
9. All Fours by Miranda July (Penguin Random House Audio)
10. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (Simon & Schuster Audio)

Nonfiction
1. Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler (Simon & Schuster Audio)
2. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Tantor Media)
3. The Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi (Simon & Schuster Audio)
4. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings (Macmillan Audio)
6. The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris (Penguin Random House Audio)
7. Ministry of Truth by Steve Benen (HarperAudio)
8. Loud by Drew Afualo (Macmillan Audio)
9. Shameless by Brian Tyler Cohen (HarperAudio)
10. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (Simon & Schuster Audio)