For a special issue later this month about Indies First/Small Business Saturday (November 29), Shelf Awareness is seeking information from booksellers about plans for the day. Tell us about your related displays, events, promotions, passport programs, collaborations with other independent businesses, and more. Please send information to extra@shelf-awareness.com by the end of this week. Thank you!

In the 10 days since the collapse of the deal by which Readerlink Distribution Service was to buy the business and "substantially all the assets" of Baker & Taylor, concern about B&T's financial state and disrupted service has spread in the book world. The company is said to have substantial debts to publishers and has notified customers that they would not receive orders for weeks and possibly longer. Reportedly, in preparation for the deal B&T cancelled all open purchase orders, planning to issue new ones under Readerlink, leading to current low inventory.

In a letter about the original deal, Readerlink CEO Dennis E. Abboud observed that "the last several months have been a challenging period for Baker & Taylor. The company has faced headwinds, including the pressures of operating independently, emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, and overcoming the debilitating impacts and financial losses resulting from cyberattacks in 2022." The library world has also suffered from budgetary pressures at all levels of government, as well as waves of book bannings and anti-librarian laws and campaigns.

In response to the unsettled situation at B&T, Ingram Content Group has reported increased demand for its library services. Carolyn Morris, v-p of Ingram Library Services, told Shelf Awareness that Ingram has seen "significant growth" over the last couple of years and has opened a thousand new accounts this year alone. Morris said she believes that, generally, libraries are seeking "a broader selection of books and faster delivery than a decade ago." With its four warehouses and millions of titles in inventory, Ingram is appealing to more libraries that, for example, are seeking titles suddenly popular on BookTok.

She noted, too, that "for decades" Ingram, which has 30 librarians on staff, has provided shelf-ready service for big-city library systems, including Chicago and Denver, and has a lot of experience with cataloging and collection development as well as supplying backlist and titles "beyond the mainstream."

Amy Williams, v-p marketing for Ingram, added, "We consider the library community a big part of the Ingram family, and we want to make sure libraries continue to thrive even in these times of market disruption."

Poet, essayist, and gardener Ross Gay has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Voice of the Heartland Award, sponsored by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. The award honors "individuals who exemplify the values and spirit of independent bookselling, and whose work resonates deeply with readers and communities across the region." Gay will receive the award during the Heartland Fall Forum Book Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, October 14.

GLIBA and MIBA said, "Gay's writing, infused with joy, attentiveness, and profound humanity, has had a transformative impact on readers and literary communities alike. His books--including The Book of Delights, Inciting Joy, and the National Book Critics Circle Award winning Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude--invite readers to engage with the world through generosity and wonder. Rooted in the Midwest, Gay's work consistently reflects the landscapes, voices, and daily practices of our region while also speaking to universal truths that connect us all.

"In addition to his celebrated poetry and essays, Gay has been a tireless advocate for the arts and education. As a professor at Indiana University, a founding member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, and a collaborator on numerous community based projects, he has fostered spaces where creativity and shared humanity flourish. His words and actions remind us of literature's power not just to move hearts, but to build more compassionate and connected communities."

Lake Bound Bookstore will open this coming Friday, October 10, at 2867 Route 43 in Averill Park, N.Y. The Albany Times Union reported that the new bookshop is owned and operated by Amanda Goyer and Chris Goyer, who also own the Sand Lake Merchant, located next door, which sells artisan products and services. 

"Our goal is to create a place where people can gather, discover new stories, and connect in meaningful ways," Amanda Goyer said. "For us, it's not just about selling books--it's about building a home for creativity, community and lifelong memories."

Lake Bound Bookstore will sell a curated selection of books and plans to serve as a "multifunctional hub" for the community, hosting local author talks, book signings, local artists, family-friendly workshops, and more, the Times Union noted.

Although they had no plans to eventually open a bookstore when they launched the Sand Lake Merchant in 2023, Amanda Goyer told the Times Union last month that they gradually came around to the idea, believing that selling books would complement the Sand Lake Merchant's mission and the life the Goyers, who are raising two young children in Averill Park, have attempted to build. 

"The vision has always been to create a space for the community," Amanda Goyer said. "People are just craving to be in spaces together, whether they know the other people or not. People really want that experience." The bookstore will also feature a podcast studio and an upstairs co-working space.

San Marco Books, Jacksonville, Fla., was the winner of the 2024 prize.

As Banned Books Week gets underway, a reminder to booksellers that the American Booksellers Association is holding the Banned Books Display Instagram Contest. The bookstore with the best display will win $300, and two runners-up will each receive $100. (The ABA suggests the winnings be divided among staff who helped create the display or used for a staff party.)

Displays should feature books that have been banned and be clearly labeled "Banned Books Week" or "Banned Books." Judging criteria includes visual presentation, creativity and originality, Banned Books Week messaging. Bonus points for humor, use of color(s), education and advocacy regarding banned books.

Bookstore Instagram accounts have until October 11, the end of Banned Books Week, to share one post (photo/reel/photo carousel), tag @AmericanBooksellers and @ABFEFreeExpression and use #BannedBooksDisplayContest and #BannedBooksWeek in the caption to be entered to win.

For more information, click here.

British poet Brian Patten, who "came to prominence as one of the Liverpool poets who published The Mersey Sound poetry anthology in 1967, alongside Adrian Henri and Roger McGough," died September 29, the Bookseller reported. He was 79. 

Brian Patten

His books include Vanishing Trick, Grave Gossip, Storm Damage, Armada, Grinning Jack, Love Poems, and The Story Giant. He also published Monster Slayer: A Beowulf Tale with HarperCollins's dyslexia specialist imprint, Barrington Stoke, in 2020.

Jane Johnson, his longtime editor at HarperCollins, commented: "I first worked with Brian Patten at George Allen & Unwin Publishers in 1985, on his gorgeous collection Love Poems. As a junior editor I was very much in awe of him but he soon put a stop to that, plying me with jokes and wine and poetry both scabrous and sublime at the Chelsea Arts Club till I was dizzy.... Brian was a force of nature, so full of light and life that he was impossible to contain. He could be a challenging writer to publish, a quicksilver spirit that slipped through your hands, impossible to pin down, one day elated with a new piece, the next hating everything about it.... Brian Patten leaves the world alight with his words."

Gill Coleridge of the RCW literary agency said: "Representing Brian was never dull--he was without doubt one of the kindest and amusing and original of his gloriously talented generation.... He had a razor sharp mind and a real talent for fabulous poetry and children's books. Gargling with Jelly and Juggling with Gerbils are just two of his wonderful collections of children's verse. And his superb children's novel Mr. Moon's Last Case and then The Story Giant (with Chris Riddell) are books to be treasured by any young reader."

"The sheer number of his love poems, and their popularity at readings, encouraged the publication of ample collected editions," the Guardian noted. "Part of their appeal lies in their apparent intimacy and authenticity in treating the subject of love in a modern world; but they in fact belong to an older tradition, which saw love as energizing and revitalizing and at the same time the creator of confusion and chaos."

From "And Nothing Is Ever As You Want It to Be":

How easy it would be
If love could be brought home like a lost kitten
Or gathered in like strawberries,
How lovely it would be;
But nothing is ever as perfect as you want it to be.

Suzanne Warye (l.), host of the popular podcast The Sober Mom Life, did a sold-out event at the Book Stall, Winnetka, Ill., to promote her book The Sober Shift (HarperOne). Her conversation partner was Katy Rexing, a meditation teacher, writer, retreat host, and podcast creator.

"Akashic Books announces publication of Adam Mansbach's sequel to his bestselling Go the F**K to Sleep with Go the F**K to College."

The sequel goes on sale May 5, 2026.

(Thanks to Holly Watson at Holly Watson PR!)

Cameron Moore has been promoted to associate national account manager, libraries & educators for Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree. His previous title was sales assistant, libraries & educators.

Tell Me I Belong: A Journey Across Faiths and Generations by David Weill (Union Square & Co.)

Today:
Good Morning America: Mitch Albom, author of Twice: A Novel (Harper, $26.99, 9780062406682).

Also on GMA: Arnold Myint, author of Family Thai: Bringing the Flavors of Thailand Home (Abrams, $40, 9781419776380).

Fresh Air: Ada Limón, author of Startlement: New and Selected Poems (Milkweed Editions, $28, 9781639550517).

Tamron Hall: Samin Nosrat, author of Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love (Random House, $45, 9781984857781). 

Late Show with Stephen Colbert repeat: Priscilla Presley, co-author of Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis (Grand Central, $32, 9780306836480). 

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Allen Iverson, author of Misunderstood: A Memoir (Gallery/13A, $30, 9781476784397). He will also appear on Today.

Also on Today: Hetty McKinnon, author of Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor (Knopf, $40, 9780593804193).

Late Show with Stephen Colbert repeat: Jake Tapper, author of Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War (Atria, $30, 9781668079447).

Netflix has rounded out the cast for The Age of Innocence, a limited series based on Edith Wharton's classic novel, Deadline reported. Joining the project as series regulars are Fiona Glascott (Julia, Brooklyn, Fantastic Beasts), Belinda Bromilow (The Great, The Roses), and Emma Shipp (Rivals, What It Feels Like for a Girl).

New supporting cast members include Hayley Mills, Ryan Morgan, Will Tudor, John Light, Steven Pacey, Kel Matsena, Lucia Balordi, Elly Roberts, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Anna Madeley, and Michael Cochrane. They join the previously announced cast: Camila Morrone as Ellen Olenska, Kristine Froseth as May Welland, Ben Radcliffe as Newland Archer, and Margot Martindale as Mrs. Manson-Mingott, May and Ellen's grandmother.

Emma Frost (The White Queen, The White Princess) wrote the adaptation and will serve as executive producer and showrunner on the Chernin Entertainment production. The series was greenlit earlier this year and has been prepping for production in Europe, starting this fall.

An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole, which will be published by Poisoned Pen Press on December 30, was the winner of the BuzzBooks contest at the 2025 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Tradeshow, September 28-30, in Spokane, Wash.

Punch cards were distributed to booksellers and librarians who visited participating exhibitors on the show floor for quick pitches, a total of five contestants across a variety of genres. Booth visits were verified with a stamp from the attending reps. Full cards awarded players a vote for their pick for strongest handsell and a chance at one of three randomly selected cash prizes.

The win for An Arcane Inheritance, "a modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist," was announced to a packed house at the Signature Dish author dinner, where the participant prizes were also handed out.

Winners of the participant prizes were Crystal Whitcomb-Johnson, Jerrol's, Ellensburg, Wash.; Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, Yakima, Wash.; and Hanna Fischer, Rediscovered Books, Boise, Idaho.

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The shortlist has been selected for the £10,000 (about $13,450) Goldsmiths Prize, which honors "fiction judged to be at the cutting-edge of contemporary literature," and is sponsored by Goldsmiths University and the New Statesman. The winner will be announced November 5.

The shortlist:
We Pretty Pieces of Flesh by Colwill Brown
The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward
Helm by Sarah Hall
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester
Nova Scotia House by Charlie Porter
We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose

My Fair Frauds, the third historical novel jointly written by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (The Starlets), is a highly entertaining Gilded Age caper combining greed, ambition, and an unlikely friendship between two savvy women.

Forced out of her Kansas home by the ruthless city bankers who conned her father, Coraline "Cora" O'Malley is working for peanuts as a stage magician's assistant (and sometime thief), determined to save up enough money to buy back her family's farm. During a Manhattan show, Cora meets Alice Archer, who is posing as the Grand Duchess Marie Charlotte Gabriella of Würrtemberg, a small German kingdom rich in emerald mines and beset by political unrest. Alice is working a long con on the five wealthy families who cheated her father in a shady railroad deal, planning to swindle them out of their wealth in turn. Cora's presence gives Alice an inspiration: the young woman will pose as the duchess's cousin, newly arrived in New York, and help lure in her targets. Along with Alice's faithful maid, Béatrice, and her taciturn cook, Dagmar, the women plot a scam that will take them from the gritty streets of the Lower East Side to Manhattan's most opulent drawing rooms.

Kelly and Thorne send their protagonists racing around the city, traveling by foot, carriage, and hansom cab, as they dance and deceive their way through balls, operas, and teas. Though Cora proves a quick study in deportment, dancing, and other skills, she's frustrated that Alice sees her as more pawn than partner in their scam. Alice, meanwhile, is determined to retain control over her grand plan, but finds it's lonely at the top--especially when Ward McAllister, society tastemaker and Alice's accomplice, begins angling for a larger share of the take. Other complications ensue, in the form of a mark who becomes enamored with Cora and a persistent (and handsome) young journalist who seems dangerously close to ferreting out the truth. Alice and Cora will each find their mettle and their consciences tested as they speed toward the climax of their scheme. The authors delve into each woman's motivations--Alice's deep-seated need for revenge and Cora's longing for her vanished home--as well as the ways both women are determined to subvert the limits placed on women by 1880s society.

Witty, fast-paced, and packed with historical details of the smart set in Gilded Age Manhattan, My Fair Frauds is a well-plotted adventure and a satisfying twist on a classic sting narrative. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

Shelf Talker: Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne's third joint historical novel follows two con women scheming to take down five robber barons in Gilded Age New York.

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

Fiction
1. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (Harper Voyager)
2. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Penguin Random House Audio)
3. A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (Penguin Random House Audio)
4. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (Macmillan Audio)
6. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Penguin Random House Audio)
7. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Simon & Schuster Audio)
8. The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (Hachette Audio)
9. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (Penguin Random House Audio)
10. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Penguin Random House Audio)

Nonfiction
1. 107 Days by Kamala Harris (Simon & Schuster Audio)
2. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin Random House Audio)
3. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Penguin Random House Audio)
4. Awake by Jen Hatmaker (Simon & Schuster Audio)
5. Coming Up Short by Robert B. Reich (Penguin Random House Audio)
6. Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang (Simon & Schuster Audio)
7. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Penguin Random House Audio)
8. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Tantor Media)
9. Sister Wife by Christine Brown Woolley (Simon & Schuster Audio)
10. Strong Ground by Brené Brown (Penguin Random House Audio)