Impossible Moon Bookshop, a Black woman-owned general independent bookstore and community space, will host its grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration this coming Saturday, January 24, at 585 N. Central Ave. in Hapeville, Ga. Owner Breanna J. McDaniel is an Atlanta native and award-winning author of the children's picture books Hands Up!, Impossible Moon, and Go Forth and Tell, a biography of librarian Augusta Baker.

"Since we are Impossible MOON it made sense to give the grand opening a whole weekend of phases to share out that WE ARE HERE!" McDaniel posted on social media, noting: "@hapevillemainstreet will start us off with a ribbon cutting to open the shop at 10:30 am, then we have fun and festivities for the rest of the day with crafts and story sharing with a awesome authors galore!... In the evening, @nicstone is going to lead us out with an *ADULTS ONLY* Risqué Reading. Everything is family friendly ALL day but we're ending the evening with grown folks only....  

"I know that time is precious and you have lots of places you could be next week, but I hope you'll come out to enjoy time with incredible authors buy books to get signed and enjoy, and just vibe in our cozy little bookshop that has a big heart."

The bookstore's website notes: "Our guiding principles are intergenerational connection and building an environment of belonging! For the Southside of Atlanta, we want to support programming that can give young folks a place to go on the weekends and our seasoned citizens somewhere to connect during the week. We're hoping to tap in to support our community's most vulnerable members and to emphasize and celebrate their humanity."

A romance-focused bookstore called the Scarlet Page Romance Bookshop has opened in Killeen, Tex., KDH News reported.

Located at 116 E. Ave. D, the Scarlet Page held a grand opening celebration on January 3. It carries a wide range of romance titles, with an emphasis on diverse stories and voices. Alongside books, the store sells clothing, stickers, and notebooks, and there is a back room where customers can sit, read, write, and hang out.

Bookstore owner and romance author Breanna Bergeron-Skyler told KDH she moved to Killeen to be closer to family, and opening a bookstore downtown "was just a no-brainer." 

In the weeks ahead, Bergeron-Skyler plans to start hosting book clubs, writing nights, and more. The grand opening festivities included prize giveaways and discounts.

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) has been doing outreach and receiving calls from many stores in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota, where ICE and other federal forces have been treating both citizens and non-citizens brutally. Binc is providing free mental health services and emergency financial assistance to employees and store owners where it can. It's also "lending an ear for when the trauma gets to be too much."

Booksellers and comic retailers can reach out via phone (1-866-733-9064); on Binc's website; or via e-mail.

Author James Magnuson, who served as director of the Michener Center for Writers for more than 20 years, died January 18, the Austin American-Statesman reported. He was 84. Magnuson wrote nine novels, as well as works for movies, TV, and the stage. 

He began his writing career after college as a playwright in New York City, directing street theater in Harlem and writing for small troupes until he was brought on to write and direct new plays at Princeton University. 

Magnuson published his first novel, Without Barbarians, when he was 32. His other works include Orphan Train, Open Season, The Rundown, Ghost Dancing, Money Mountain, Windfall, and Famous Writers I Have Known.

In 1985, he took a teaching job in the English department at the University of Texas, then spent time in California before returning to Texas, where he was founding director of the Texas Center for Writers. The Center had been started by author James Michener and his wife, with an $18 million gift, and was renamed the Michener Center after his death in 1997. "Besides attracting top creative writers, the UT center stands out as the only such writing school to offer full and equal funding for all writers in the three-year Master of Fine Arts program," the American-Statesman noted.
  
"Jim Magnuson's presence in my life was so pervasive, and his loss so enormous, that I'm finding it hard to settle on something specific to say about him. He was just... atmospheric," said novelist and colleague Stephen Harrigan. "His own novels were remarkable, but his greatest legacy might end up having to do as much with the words he spoke as those he wrote--the words of inspiration, kindness and insight that he jovially bestowed upon his students at the Michener Center for Writers and upon fortunate friends like me. "

Harrigan added that Magnuson "was the most convivial person I ever knew. He defied every stereotype of the hard-drinking, self-destructive, self-promoting novelist. He was centered and sober and true.... Many years ago, when the institution was only a year or so old, I once asked James Michener himself what he thought of the man who had been chosen to be its first director. 'Jim Magnuson,' Michener told me, 'is as honest as a glass of buttermilk.' "

"My job is a terrific one," Magnuson once said. "I spend my days supporting and encouraging young writers."

Playwright and teacher Steven Dietz said that Magnuson "had the rare ability to serve as your mentor while situating himself in your life as your friend. Jim held a special place in his heart for playwrights, since he had started his career as one. His stories about creating and producing plays in Harlem in the 1960s were vivid and unforgettable. Better yet, they were delivered with a wink from Jim's eye and the cackle of his great laugh. An exceptional and inventive novelist, Jim was also a stunningly modest one: He seemed to champion every writer but himself."

This past week, Shelf Awareness sent our Kids & YA Pre-Order E-Blast to more than 330,000 of the country's best book readers. The e-blast went to 333,915 customers of 70 participating independent bookstores.

The mailing features four upcoming titles selected by Shelf Awareness editors and three advertised titles, one of which is a sponsored feature. 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 second Wednesday of each month; the next will go out on Wednesday, February 11. This is a free service for indies. Stores interested in learning more can visit our program registration page or contact our partner program team via e-mail.

Ad spots are also available in the Kids & YA Pre-Order E-Blast. For more information contact sales@shelf-awareness.com for details.

For a sample of the January Kids & YA Pre-Order E-Blast, see this one from Paulina Springs Books, Sisters, Ore.

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

Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness (Candlewick)
The Future Book by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris (Random House)
The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga (Balzer + Bray)
When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller (Random House)

Brazos Bookstore, Houston, Tex., hosted two local authors at the historic River Oaks Theatre: for the launch of her novel The Future Saints (Atria), Ashley Winstead (pictured) was in conversation with Katharine McGee. 

Posted on Facebook by Square Books in Oxford, Miss.: " 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' Square Books is proud to honor the life, legacy, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We'd like to extend our gratitude to all who joined us on Saturday to read Dr. King's Letter from Birmingham Jail, as well as to hear timely and important words from incredible journalist and writer, Deborah Douglas. It is an honor to share a vocal community of those unafraid to speak up and carry forth the values and ideals of Dr. King. 'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.' "

"YAY! It's snowing! Definitely time to snuggle up with a hot cocoa and a cozy book!" Twisted Bookstore in Newton, Kan., posted on Facebook.

"Our artist-in-residence, Jennifer, did a pretty unique one that I have not seen anywhere else. We were all a bit tickled pink about it," Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville and Downers Grove, Ill., noted in sharing a sidewalk chalkboard pic offering tips on "how to be a book burrito":

1. Find a book
2. Find a blanket
3. Get a hot drink
4. Combine
5. You are now a book burrito

At Scholastic:

Tessa Meischeid has been promoted to associate publicity director. She was formerly a publicity manager.

Aleah Gornbein has been promoted to senior publicist. She was formerly a publicist.

Today:
Here & Now: Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney on An Unlikely Story, his bookstore in Plainville, Mass., and other investments he's made to build community in his hometown.

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Shadé Zahrai, co-author of Big Trust: Rewire Self-Doubt, Find Your Confidence, and Fuel Success (HarperOne, $29.99, 9780063378155).

The View: Dr. Tara Narula, author of The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being (S&S/Simon Element, $30, 9781982198848).

Rohm Feifer Entertainment will produce a film adaptation of Murder Your Darlings by bestselling author Jenna Blum. Deadline reported that the novel, released earlier this month, "follows Simone 'Sam' Vetiver, a mid-career novelist finishing a lukewarm publicity tour while struggling with writer's block. Recently divorced, Sam worries about the direction of her life until she receives glowing fan mail from William Corwyn, a stratospherically successful author known for his female-centric novels.... But as in their own novels, things between Sam and William are not what they seem."

The screen adaptation is written by Barbara Nance (Disturbing Behavior, FlashForward, Blade: The Series). Producers Elisabeth Rohm and Kara Feifer are "dedicated to female-forward, inspirational storytelling, with a focus on true events, true crime, and character-driven narratives" and a "leader in book-to-screen adaptations," Deadline noted.

The U.S. chapter of the International Board for Books for Young People (USBBY) has chosen its 2026 Outstanding International Books List featuring "exceptional titles for children and young adults published in 2025" that originated or were first published in another country. To see the list of the 41 titles, which come from 24 countries, and are listed by age category, click here.

The organization commented: "Together, these books show young people around the world seeking connection and belonging--through family, friendship, self-discovery, and engagement with their communities. Spanning diverse cultures and experiences, the stories highlight empathy, resilience, imagination, and the courage to grow. This year's selections reflect universal themes such as identity, hope, intergenerational bonds, friendship, play, curiosity, migration, nature, and cultural heritage, showcasing the richness of international children's literature."

---

The Mystery Writers of America has announced the nominees for the 80th annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction, and television published or produced in 2025. The awards ceremony, celebrating the 215th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, will be held on April 29 in New York City. To see the full list of Edgar nominees, click here.

photo: SLY Photography

Karen Winn is the author of two novels: Our Little World and The Society (Dutton, January 20, 2026). Her short stories and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in Ploughshares, Hippocampus, Lithub, and elsewhere. She earned her MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. For her undergraduate studies she attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she may or may not have belonged to a secret society. Winn lives in the charming Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston with her husband, two children, and their 100-pound Bernedoodle.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

The Society is a twisty literary suspense about two women whose lives become intertwined amid a notorious secret society in the heart of Boston.

On your nightstand now:

Currently on my nightstand are Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green, The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk, The Weekend Crashers by Jamie Brenner, and Your Next Life Is Now by Namrata Patel. I can only read one book at a time, though. Occasionally I'll add a second book on audio to listen to when I'm out and about.

Favorite book when you were a child:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. My sister had the box set, and I devoured them all--and then rented the movies from the local library. But the first book remains my favorite. To this day, I still dream of visiting Prince Edward Island. I did marry a man named Gilbert, so there is that!

Your top five authors:

This list is ever evolving, but presently it includes Emily St. John Mandel, Elin Hilderbrand, Miranda Cowley Heller, Lucy Foley, and Ann Patchett. These are all auto-buy authors for me.

Book you've faked reading:

Somehow I missed reading the iconic Carrie by Stephen King, and I may have once insinuated otherwise. I saw the movie--the original one starring Sissy Spacek. One of these days I'll get around to picking up the book.

Book you're an evangelist for:

I love The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton, a dystopian literary thriller that follows 22-year-old Sasha, daughter of the imprisoned "Last Beekeeper," in the devastating ecological collapse that has resulted from the extinction of pollinating bees. It's such a powerful story, and so well written--I've recommended it widely!

Book you've bought for the cover:

I was seduced by the cover of The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, and it did not disappoint.

Book you hid from your parents:

Forever by Judy Blume. Growing up in the '80s and '90s, dog-eared paperbacks were our way of getting certain information.

Book that changed your life:

While my father was on hospice, I sat at his bedside and read The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway. I got lost in the words, dipping in and out of my unfortunate reality. The novel was both the comfort and distraction I needed at the time, and I also don't think I can ever read it again.

Favorite line from a book:

In the namesake story of Laura van den Berg's wonderful short story collection, What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us, she writes, "In the year without my father, the same year she turned forty-five, her age had appeared on her face like a terrible secret." I first came across this story in 2008 when it was published in One Story magazine, and that line stopped me in my tracks. I think of it often.

Five books you'll never part with:

It's hard to narrow this down to only five, but here we go: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, On Writing by Stephen King, my signed copy of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, and my beloved 1980s childhood edition of The Random House Book of Fairy Tales.

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

I have to list three: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. All were transformative experiences for me, both as a reader and writer--well, aspiring writer at the time! I'd love to relive the awe I experienced when I first read them.

Desahogarse is a Spanish word that means to vent and "pour out your feelings": literally to undrown yourself. In René Peña-Govea's searing and cathartic young adult debut, Estela, Undrowning, a senior in high school is fueled by beautiful poetry and explosive rage.

Estela Morales attends one of San Francisco's most exclusive and elite public high schools. She is proud of the fact that she tested into the school and feels distinctly different from the majority of the other brown and Black students who got in via lottery (aka the "lotts"). Meanwhile, she's worried Spanish, which feels unruly on her tongue, will tank her college prospects. Estela feels bogged down by her feelings as a "defective Latina" and asks fellow student Rogelio to tutor her. As a relationship between Estela and Rogelio blooms, she also deals with the implications of an eviction notice that threatens her home and family. Estela uses poetry to "purge" her feelings: "Destitution, ruination, defenestration,/ and the most precise:/ eviction."

At the same time, one of Estela's teachers announces "a poetry contest on the theme of Latiné identity" that is open to "all Latiné-identified students." Estela plucks up her nerve to enter and comes in second, first place going to a classmate who doesn't identify as Latiné. A controversy erupts across the school regarding merit, fairness, and diversity, but already overwhelmed Estela does her best to evade involvement. She is frustrated with how she's perceived, anxious about what will happen to her family, and harboring gruff thoughts about how other minority students navigate the school's scrutiny. Ultimately, Estela has no choice but to undrown herself, come to terms with her toxic feelings, and fight for herself and her community.

Peña-Govea states in her author's note that while Estela, Undrowning "is a work of fiction, it reflects the highly segregated schools in my hometown of San Francisco." In this debut, she renders a sweaty and combustible city full of passionate and complicated characters who defy tidy characterizations, tackling prickly conversations about identity with care and academic-level precision. As Estela begins to understand her own biases and insecurities, she recognizes that she was "afraid not to be like" a fellow Latina student, and "afraid to be like her. Afraid of the mirror?" Estela's world overflows with diverse ethnic backgrounds, gender expressions, and sexual preferences that, in less sensitive hands, could feel token or flat. But Peña-Govea writes with such confidence that her characters realistically, fiercely wrestle with nuanced conversations, allowing for a classic bildungsroman with modern vitality. --Luis G. Rendon

Shelf Talker: The complicated tendrils of identity, equity, and diversity are untangled in this soul-satiating YA debut about a student who struggles with her place in an elite San Francisco public high school.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
2. The Long Game by Rachel Reid
3. Game Changer by Rachel Reid
4. Role Model by Rachel Reid
5. Tough Guy by Rachel Reid
6. Common Goal by Rachel Reid
7. Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz
8. Chaotic: A Dark Romance by Shantel Tessier
9. The Exception by Vi Keeland
10. Reframe Your Brain by Scott Adams

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]