"It wasn't belt tightening--it was a chop off your foot to save your leg kind of thing," said John Cavalier, co-owner of Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs & Lafayette, La., during a panel on navigating economic downturns at New Voices New Rooms in Baltimore, Md., last week. 

Cavalier served as moderator for the discussion, which also featured Julia Fleischaker, owner of Greedy Reads in Baltimore, and Emanuel Figueroa, co-owner of Snug Books in Baltimore. They discussed strategies for staying afloat after natural disasters, during slow times of the year, and when the economy takes a turn.

John Cavalier, Julia Fleischaker and Emanuel Figeuroa

In 2016, Cavalier explained, Denham Springs was hit with a "horrible flood" that left everything "out of business and out of commission." Almost immediately, Cavalier House Books "went on hold with everybody," canceling everything on order and informing suppliers that the store was about to return "a whole lot of sh-t." 

What really "saved us," Cavalier continued, was that the store already had a set up for doing school book fairs. They were able to pivot very quickly and "take the bookstore on the road," with the bricks-and-mortar location becoming a temporary warehouse. They were also not shy about using their "sob story of the flood" to work their way into as many neighboring communities as possible. 

Fleischaker, who opened the first Greedy Reads store in 2018, said "preparing for an economic downturn" is "how I run the business in general." She said she is "very conservative" with her ordering and the store's display stacks are smaller than those of most stores. That approach of smaller orders and frequent reorders has helped her "handle things as they come up," and she advised booksellers to not be afraid of returns. At the same time, orders of tote bags and other merch are usually the first things to get cut when needed. Fleischaker added that putting booksellers on salary is a very good way to make expenses "much more predictable every pay period," and getting BookManager was a large investment that was well worth it. 

The second Greedy Reads store opened only three months before Covid-19 shutdowns began, Fleischaker said, and at first it "seemed like a disaster." However, soon after the lockdown started Fleischaker began offering curated book bags, which she would deliver by car. Through those book bags, Greedy Reads was able to sell down the entire stock of the new store without reordering. The second store turned out to be an "incredible boon" that helped Greedy Reads stay afloat, Fleischaker remarked. The store has continued to offer those book bags, and other additional revenue streams have included renting out the space for events such as album listening parties.

Snug Books has two locations in Baltimore, and Figueroa has used sales data to identify trends "that we expect to see yearly." That includes an annual "danger zone" lasting from about Juneteenth until after Labor Day. During that time, the staff is reminded that "special orders may take a while," and they are unlikely to see many Bookazine boxes. To help boost sales during that very slow period, Figueroa runs a Christmas in July sale, where anything not sold is returned. He will also use that data to see how "price conscious people are being," and might decide to make next month's book club pick a paperback rather than a hardcover, for example.

The data is consistent enough, he pointed out, that if by October "sales are not where we want," the store will start scaling back proactively to save money. If a cash crunch occurs, Figueroa will delay some payments and start talking to the store's landlord. He emphasized the importance of having good relationships with credit reps and bankers and knowing how much "they're willing to float me on a day-to-day basis." Figueroa noted that while it can be easy to be "afraid of change" sometimes, doing things like switching credit card processors, bank accounts, or payroll processors can make a big difference. Switching bank accounts in 2025, he said, helped save the store a "significant amount of money."

Touching on banks, Cavalier advised that they are "terrible creatures" and booksellers should "make them fight each other." Whenever he is refinancing or getting a line of credit, he always gets "comps from other banks," and will strategically change banks or switch if "anyone makes me mad." Fleischaker offered a counterpoint, saying "I like it when they [banks] forget I exist."

When the discussion turned to each store's relationship with debt, Fleischaker said she tries to minimize it whenever possible and does not like it. Figueroa said he made use of a $25,000 grant from one of Baltimore's community development financial institutions to open Snug Books' Inner Harbor location, and he suggested booksellers look into similar institutions in their own communities. 

Cavalier, meanwhile, said he and his wife purchased their Denham Springs building in 2023 and are interested in using debt "very aggressively" to buy their Lafayette building. He called commercial real estate the "ultimate savings account" and said he viewed it as "future-proofing the business." In Denham Springs, they no longer have to worry about rent or a landlord, and after redevelopment and refinancing, their current note is less than their past rent. "I'm very interested in doing that again," he said. --Alex Mutter

Following its debut earlier this summer, the Mooving Bookstore has been making appearances around Newcastle, Wyo., the News Letter Journal reported.

The mobile bookstore is built out of a trailer and carries roughly 400-500 general-interest titles, with the selection often varying for each appearance. Its first stop was Pinnacle Bank in Newcastle on June 11, and it has set up shop at markets, coffee shops, medical centers, and other locales. 

Owner Bailey Whitney, who has a background as a special-education teacher, said the inaugural appearance went very well, and the community's enthusiasm has continued at subsequent stops. "It has been very affirming that way," she said.

A lifelong reader, Whitney thought of opening a mobile bookstore after seeing one on TikTok. She floated the idea by her parents and family members, who proved immediately supportive. She created an LLC and renovated the trailer with the help of her father, and her mother, husband, and daughter all helped her get the Mooving Bookstore up and running.

Looking ahead, Whitney will continue to make appearances around Newcastle and may go further afield in northeast Wyoming.

Higher Ground, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's media company, has teamed with Audible to launch A Great Book with Barack Obama, a new original podcast hosted by the former U.S. president, who sits down with six luminaries to discuss the books that have profoundly shaped his worldview and our society. The six-episode series debuts on Audible September 24. Guests will be announced at a later date. 

The book selections include The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin; Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison; All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy; Gilead by Marilynne Robinson; All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren; and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré.

"Great books have always helped me figure out who I am and what I believe," said Obama. "The six books featured in this series have stayed with me throughout my life, and each one has something to teach us about the human experience. For this podcast, I invited some friends to explore why they resonate, how they can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other, and why literature matters now more than ever. I hope listeners will be inspired to discover or rediscover books that change the way they see themselves and the world."

Dan Fierman, head of audio at Higher Ground, commented: "President Obama has always been a champion of reading, and this series captures his genuine passion for literature in a way that is personal and accessible. These authentic conversations explore how books can challenge us, comfort us, and change us. The chemistry between President Obama and each guest creates truly special moments that remind us why storytelling matters. We're proud to collaborate with Audible on a project that honors both the intimacy of audio and the power of great books."

HarperCollins Christian Publishing has launched Harper Catholic, an imprint serving Catholic readers, authors, booksellers, parishes, and institutions. Harper Catholic will be led by Kristi McDonald, who joins HCCP as associate publisher of the new imprint.

Kristi McDonald

Harper Catholic will publish "accessible, faithful, relevant, and intellectually substantial books for Catholic readers across generations and stages of spiritual life, including works in spirituality, theology, prayer, devotional reading, biography, culture, and practical Christian living," the publisher said. The imprint is now considering proposals from authors and literary agents and will announce its first acquisitions and publishing plans in the coming months.

"Catholic Bible Press, with its rapid growth and success over the past six years, has demonstrated the strength of HCCP's commitment to serving Catholic readers with excellence, care, and purpose," said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. "With Harper Catholic, we are extending that mission into a broader publishing program, building on a strong foundation while creating new opportunities to serve the Church and reach readers around the world."

McDonald has more than 15 years of experience in Catholic publishing, acquisitions, editorial development, and author relationship management. Most recently, she served as content editor at Hallow. Previously, she spent 14 years at Ave Maria Press, advancing through a series of editorial and acquisitions roles before serving as executive editor of trade. 

Cathy Sill, an award-winning educator, celebrated author of children's science books, and devoted naturalist, died June 22. She was 73. Born in Asheville, N.C., Sill earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from BA Western Carolina University and devoted 30 years to elementary education. Her excellence was recognized nationally when she was honored by the National Science Teacher Association and the Junior Library Guild. 

For more than five decades, Sill "quietly built a legacy that reached far beyond the classroom," her obituary noted. "As an elementary school teacher, she inspired countless young minds with patience, curiosity, and kindness. As an author of 30 acclaimed nonfiction picture books, she introduced children across the world to birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, fish, and countless other creatures, presenting the natural world with uncommon clarity, scientific accuracy, and reverence."

Her longtime publisher, Peachtree Publishing, noted that she developed her interest in writing nonfiction nature books for young children after encountering a shortage of accurate, age-appropriate resources suitable for her kindergarten classroom. Her lifelong love of nature and animals, motivated her to create simple, informative texts that align with young learners' comprehension levels while fostering an appreciation for the natural world. 

Since the publication of their first picture book, About Birds (1991), Sill and her husband, illustrator and frequent collaborator John Sill, created books that have sold more than a million copies in the U.S. and have been licensed worldwide. Their About... and About Habitats series with Peachtree have garnered praise from educators and won a variety of awards, including Bank Street Best Books, CCBC Choices, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12, and Orbis Pictus Recommended. 

Of her work as a nonfiction author, Cathryn Sill once said: "I have always enjoyed reading nonfiction, so it seems natural to write about the things that interest me. When visiting schools I tell students that if they have a choice, they should write about the things they love and enjoy. It is easier and a lot more fun." 

As the list of books in the About... and About Habitats series grew over time, she reflected on our impact as humans on the environment and how she, and books like hers, might help make a difference with young children: "I feel strongly that the younger generations are a definite hope for the future protection of the environment. The earlier they can develop an appreciation for the world around them, the better they can prepare to help preserve it. We are hopeful that these books will instill a love for this fragile planet that is our home and give young readers incentive to be good stewards." 

Vicky Holifield, her editor at Peachtree for nearly three decades, said, "Cathy Sill was a children's editor's dream author: More than simply an experienced preschool teacher, she had a special knack for conveying complex content to a very young audience. Not only was she always a joy to work with, but she was also dedicated to her mission as a writer: encouraging children's curiosity about the natural world and instilling in them an appreciation for all living things." 

Margaret Quinlin, former president and publisher at Peachtree, noted: "Cathy and John Sill are inseparable from Peachtree's story from the early 1990s onward. We are very proud of their books, which have sold worldwide for decades, and we consider them dear friends. Their wonderful, creative partnership will live on at Peachtree through their work." 

Tales and Tails Book Cafe, Fredericksburg, Va., hosted a book signing with Lisa Gardner for her new thriller, You'll Be Sorry (Grand Central Publishing). The event also featured adorable and adoptable puppies from Old Dominion Humane Society. The store reported 165 hardcovers sold and 11 puppies adopted at the event. Pictured: Gardner (left) with store owner Christine Bowman.

"Dive into a fantastic book." That was the appropriate seaside summer reading advice on the sidewalk chalkboard in front of Downtown Books in Manteo, N.C. 

Britt Mitchell has joined the Macmillan Children's Publishing Group as associate director of middle grade & graphic novel marketing. Previously she was on the marketing & publicity team at Chronicle.

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Cara Rafferty is joining Hachette Book Group as associate national account manager position on the online sales team and will be responsible for selling HBG client publishers to Amazon. She was most recently frontlist buyer for children's books, ages 0-7, at Barnes & Noble.

See It to Be It: Eleven Champions Leading Women's Sports Today by Billie Jean King with Liz Robbins (Astra Books for Young Readers), a video in which the legendary Billie Jean King talks about why she wrote this book.

Today:
Here & Now: Chang-rae Lee, author of A Tender Age (Riverhead, $30, 9798217048441).

Tomorrow:
Late Night with Seth Meyers repeat: Lena Dunham, author of Famesick: A Memoir (Random House, $32, 9780593129326).

Run-A-Muck, the recently launched, creator-led media company from Pamela Drucker Mann, Ilene Chaiken, and Jennifer Beals, is developing a film adaptation of Stag Dance by Torrey Peters, Deadline reported. The search for a writer and director is currently underway. Stag Dance is the title novella from Stag Dance: A Quartet, a collection that was named a finalist for the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

The story "is set in an isolated illegal logging camp, where a winter dance ignites a volatile chain of obsession, jealousy, desire, and betrayal. At its center is Babe Bunyan, a towering, enigmatic axman whose search for identity and belonging drives the story toward an explosive conclusion," Deadline noted.

"Any novel that has the word 'Pulitzer' attached risks a staid adaptation--so I'm delighted that Run-A-Muck came with an opposite take: a blood-pumping, pulpy, thriller vision for the book--it reinvents the story in a way that makes me desperate to see what happens, truly magic considering how much time I've already spent with these characters," Peters said.

Chaiken, Run-A-Muck's co-founder and CCO, said, "Torrey has created a world that feels both mythic and deeply human, both intimate and epic, anchored by one of the most unforgettable characters I've ever encountered in fiction. Run-a-Muck is thrilled to be bringing this incredible story to the screen."

The Giller Foundation has received a C$4 million (about $2.9 million), multi-year gift from the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation in honor of the late Hilary Weston, building on a previous C$1 million (about $717,310) contribution from the Weston family, Quill & Quire reported. Last summer, the C$100,000 (about $71,730) Giller Prize's financial future looked uncertain after it ended its 20-year partnership with lead sponsor Scotiabank in early 2025. The prize continued to operate through the fall, with Souvankham Thammavongsa being named the winner. 

In announcing the gift, the Giller Foundation said: "The investment will help broaden the prize's reach and impact by increasing support for Canadian authors, expanding a national book tour featuring shortlisted authors, and enhancing digital engagement and book club programming."

Elana Rabinovitch, executive director of the Giller Foundation, said that the foundation is "deeply grateful" for the donation, which "will help ensure that Canadian writers and their stories continue to shape and strengthen our national identity."

Alannah Weston commented: "As both an author and a champion of the literary arts, our mother understood the power of storytelling to expand our thinking and help us make sense of the world around us. This gift reflects her enduring commitment to literature and Canadian voices, and to ensuring they are supported, celebrated and widely shared for years to come."

The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation also supports literary prizes through the Writers' Trust of Canada, which administers two annual awards for nonfiction named for the Westons: the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction and the Hilary Weston International Award.

As enjoyable as it may be to chant "RO!" with thousands of helmet-clad Norwegian football supporters at the World Cup, this image is an indication of just how much the term "Viking" has been circumscribed in the public imagination to a monolithic caricature of horned marauders. Neil Price's The Sea-King and the Sorceress, which follows his equally remarkable Children of Ash and Elm, is a formidable corrective, in light of many new discoveries, that reinterprets the "Viking Age" of the mid-eighth century to the mid-11th.

With the precision of an archeologist and the narrative dexterity of a novelist, Price invites readers into a world that is more nuanced and rigorous than popular portrayals allow. Price balances the grand sweep of history with intimate, granular details that make the past feel close. Whether describing the construction of a longship or the intricate, often opaque rituals of Norse shamanism, Price writes with a clarity that renders the strange familiar without stripping it of its necessary complexity.

The thoroughness of Price's approach is impressive. The Sea-King and the Sorceress operates over a vast canvas, integrating findings from recent excavations and linguistic analysis, and incorporating Icelandic sagas. Price is meticulous about his sources, careful to distinguish between the lived reality of the period and the later, idealized mythmaking of the medieval writers who sought to define their ancestors. By foregrounding the agency of women, the subtleties of trade networks, and the psychological weight of Viking belief systems, he shows a chaotic era known for raiding to be a structured, highly sophisticated society. He traces the social imperatives that drove the Vikings to transform from agrarian communities into an intimidating maritime force.

The heart of this work lies in its refusal to accept simplistic binaries. Price challenges the standard "Viking" identity, demonstrating that the term itself was often a job description rather than an ethnic signifier. He uses the "sorceress" (völva) and the "sea-king" (sækonungr) as dual lenses to explore the power dynamics--including the holding of enslaved people--gender fluidities, and spiritual anxieties that defined the era. He investigates a people who were outward looking and intellectually restless in a culture that was as concerned with the afterlife and the metaphysical as it was with territorial expansion and profit.

The Sea-King and the Sorceress is a rare achievement, a work that serves as both a primary resource for students of history and a gripping read for the general audience. This is not just a book about Viking raiders and their contemporaries but an essential consideration of how human beings live, die, and are remembered across the vast, icy stretches of time. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.

Shelf Talker: The Sea-King and the Sorceress provides a corrective, essential understanding of the Viking Age, serving as both a primary resource for history students and a gripping read for a general audience.