Butcher Cabin Books, a new and used bookstore specializing in horror, has officially opened in Louisville, Ky., Leo Weekly reported.

When the store opened on Saturday, store owner and horror author Jenny Kiefer told the Weekly, "there was a line around the block," and she had to "stagger people in and out over three hours." By Sunday evening most of the store's new book stock was gone, with Kiefer documenting the depleted shelves on social media.

"I think the horror community is one that is welcoming and supportive," Kiefer said. "And they want it to grow."

The store's new book inventory emphasizes local authors and small presses, and its nonbook offerings include art, jewelry and other gifts made by local artisans. Upcoming events include an author reading on October 30 and a live recording of a podcast on November 12. In addition to those types of events, Kiefer also hopes to host horror music performances and film screenings. "We're always open to new ideas and collaborations."

Kiefer's debut novel, That Wretched Valley, is coming from Quirk Books in 2024.

Farley's Bookshop in New Hope, Pa., has changed hands. Longtime booksellers Julian Karhumaa, William and Katie Hastings and Charlie Balfour officially became the store's new owners on Monday.

In a Facebook post announcing the sale, the new owners wrote: "The store is staying on Main Street, we're open 7 days a week and we're excited to continue, update and move forward this independent bookselling tradition that's been in New Hope since 1967. Thanks to the community for all the support all these years."

Macmillan Publishers is matching all gifts made to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, regardless of size, up to a total matching amount of $10,000 to meet the increasing needs of bookstore and comic store employees and owners. Binc said it continues to receive calls and e-mails from booksellers and comic sellers affected by Hurricane Ian and receives requests every day from those experiencing personal financial hardships. Donations can be made here.

"We're grateful to those who've donated to rebuild businesses and communities after Hurricane Ian, and are honored to help our industry partners in impacted areas by matching these donations," said Jenn Gonzalez, president, sales & marketing, Macmillan. 

Binc executive director Pamela French commented: "We are thankful for our friends at Macmillan and their support of those impacted by disasters and emergency need. As has been reinforced in speaking with the bookselling community during this fall trade show season, there continues to be many book and comic sellers across the country in dire straights. Thanks to Macmillan for helping ensure Binc is here to help." 

During the fall regional trade shows, Binc raised nearly $14,000 through various initiatives, including the Heads or Tails game, T-shirt sales and silent auctions.

Author Celeste Ng has been named the American Booksellers Association's inaugural ambassador for 2022–2023. The announcement coincides with upcoming celebrations for the 10th anniversary of both Indies First and Independent Bookstore Day. ABA is launching the Indie Bookstore Ambassador program to highlight independent bookstores year round, with the ambassador serving as a champion for indies in the lead-up to those two annual bookstore events. 

Ng is the author of the novels Everything I Never Told You, Little Fires Everywhere and Our Missing Hearts. Being named Indie Bookstore Ambassador continues her long relationship with independent bookstores, including her previous role as Independent Bookstore Day Ambassador in 2018. Her first major independent bookstore event as the Ambassador will be Indies First on Small Business Saturday, November 26.

In a video to readers, authors, and booksellers, Ng calls for the book community to join her in support of indies, saying: "I love independent bookstores because to me they are centers of community. They are places where I get to meet new people and encounter new ideas in the pages. I always walk out with some idea or some fresh perspective that I hadn't found before."

Barnes & Noble hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for the opening of its new Pikesville, Md., bookstore at 1809 Reisterstown Rd. in the Festival at Woodholme. The location is "a stone's throw away across the parking lot from its previous location," which had closed after 19 years in business, the company said. It is also situated near one of B&N's sister stores, Paper Source. 

This is the 11th store B&N has opened this year, with another 30 in development for the near future, compared to 15 new stores opened in the nine years from 2010 to 2019, according to the company, which added, "We are very pleased to retain a bookstore in Pikesville where for so many years Barnes & Noble has been a central part of this community. Store manager Carmin Windsor and the bookselling team have been working diligently to build this brilliant new store, and we very much look forward to our first holiday season in our new home."

Windsor commented: "Every community needs a bookstore. I feel that we will continue to be a place of discovery for Pikesville, and our team has been busy visualizing all the possible ways we can better connect with readers in the community. I have been a B&N bookseller for 22 years, and I am local to the Baltimore area. Opening this store has been extra special for me, and I cannot wait to welcome our customers, both new and old, into our doors."

Book Catapult's birthday party

Congratulations to the Book Catapult, San Diego, Calif., which celebrated its fifth anniversary last weekend "with a cocktail party for customers and friends with a big ol' birthday cake," co-owner and book buyer Seth Marko noted, adding: "I host a monthly chat about new books that we normally call Coffee with the Catapult, so we substituted cocktails for coffee this time around and billed it as Cocktails with the Catapult. (The cocktail was a gin-based Catapult Collins, designed by our friend & IPS/PGW rep Andrea Tetrick.) I discussed a slate of new titles of note, plus my 10 favorite books from our first five years. Plus we raffled off a bunch of books and a store gift certificate. There were 75+ people in attendance."

Author and artist Lily Simonson and Dr. Andrew Thurber Zoomed with schools, libraries, and families and from all over the world for what may be the first book launch from Antarctica, for Choose Your Own Adventure: Antarctica (Chooseco). They discussed Thurber's research on the life forms thriving beneath the frigid Antarctic sea ice and how it shaped Simonson’s interactive story. Pictured: Thurber reading the book under the sea ice.

"New rug in the kids room!" Eureka Books, Eureka, Calif., noted in posting a photo of the stellar addition on Facebook.

ABCity: Maze & Seek-n-Find by Roxie Munro (Schiffer Kids).

Tomorrow:
Rachael Ray: Ralph Macchio, author of Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me (Dutton, $28, 9780593185834).

Tamron Hall: Dale Earnhardt Jr., author of Buster's Trip to Victory Lane (Thomas Nelson, $18.99, 9781400233342).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Saturday, October 22
6:40 p.m. John Wood Sweet, author of The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America (Holt, $29.99, 9781250761965). (Re-airs Sunday at 6:40 a.m.)

Sunday, October 23
8 a.m. Maggie Haberman, author of Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America (Penguin Press, $32, 9780593297346). (Re-airs Sunday at 8 p.m.)

9:10 a.m. Rafael Mangual, author of Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most (Center Street, $29, 9781546001515). (Re-airs Sunday at 9:10 p.m.)

10 a.m. Brandi Collins-Dexter, author of Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future (Celadon Books, $28.99, 9781250824073). (Re-airs Sunday at 10 p.m.)

3 p.m. M. Chris Fabricant, author of Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System (‎Akashic Books, $29.95, 9781636140308).

3:45 p.m. Ryan Hampton, author of Unsettled: How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis (St. Martin's Press, $28.99, 9781250273161).

4:50 p.m. Robert Marks, author of Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will (‎Discovery Institute, $22.95, 9781637120156).

5:10 p.m. Brian Hochman, author of The Listeners: A History of Wiretapping in the United States (Harvard University Press, $35, 9780674249288).

6:15 p.m. Ben Westhoff, author of Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth (Hachette Books, $29, 9780306923173).

Colleen Hoover's latest novel, It Starts With Us, the "follow-up to Hoover's TikTok sensation It Ends With Us," was named WH Smith's Book of the Year, the Bookseller reported. Saying that she was "honored and ecstatic" to receive the prize, Hoover added: "The past couple of years have been nothing short of madness, and I want to thank every bookseller who has recommended one of my books and every reader who has lent a copy to a friend. I hope I've done right by you with the conclusion to Lily and Atlas's story!"

Ashley Bruce, senior buyer of adult books at WH Smith, commented: "It would be impossible to look back on 2022 without recognizing the significance that social media, TikTok and Colleen Hoover have had on our book sales and customers' reading choices this year. Colleen's books have introduced a whole new generation to the joy of reading and it has been wonderful to see these readers go on to discover many more new authors after devouring her books. At WH Smith, we were so excited when It Starts With Us was announced, and we are delighted to be able to recognize Colleen's impact and success with our Book of the Year selection this year."

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, October 25:

The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, $30, 9780307268990) is the first volume of two comprising McCarthy's long-awaited next work.

No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Delacorte Press, $28.99, 9781984818546) is the 27th Jack Reacher thriller.

Livid: A Scarpetta Novel by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central, $29, 9781538725160) is the 26th medical thriller with chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta.

Thief of Fate by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets (MIRA, $28.99, 9780778333586) concludes the time travel romance Providence Falls trilogy.

The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Scribner, $32.50, 9781982117351) explores the history of cells and how humans manipulate them.

The Lives of Brian: A Memoir by Brian Johnson (Dey Street, $29.99, 9780063046382) is a memoir by the lead singer of AC/DC.

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff (Little, Brown, $35, 9780316441117) chronicles the life of a key American revolutionary.

Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong, $17.99, 9781635925265) is a companion novel to Garvey's Choice about Garvey's experience during Covid-19.

Strike the Zither by Joan He (Roaring Brook, $18.99, 9781250258588) is a YA reimagination of the classic piece of Chinese literature, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Paperbacks:
The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer (Love Inspired Trade, $16.99, 9781335426215).

The Gwendy Trilogy: Gwendy's Button Box, Gwendy's Magic Feather, Gwendy's Final Task by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar (Gallery Books, $48.99, 9781668003725).

Eden's Children by V.C. Andrews (Gallery Books, $17.99, 9781982156367).

A Force of Nature: Boundary Lines and Untamed: A 2-in-1 Collection by Nora Roberts (St. Martin's Paperbacks, $9.99, 9781250849731).

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
Ghost Eaters: A Novel by Clay McLeod Chapman (Quirk Books, $21.99, 9781683692171). "A dark and chilling story about a group of friends who discover an addictive drug that allows them to see dead people. Well, more like forces, and it gets intense. This was impossible to put down, but please read it with the lights on!" --Laura Harvey, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, Mass.

We Spread: A Novel by Iain Reid (Gallery/Scout Press, $26.99, 9781982169350). "A compact and powerful novel! Penny, an elderly widow, has moved into Six Cedars, where things might not necessarily be as they seem. Iain Reid treats Penny with great compassion as we slowly understand what is actually happening to her." --John Lynn, The Kennett Bookhouse, Kennett Square, Pa.

Paperback
The Kiss Curse: A Novel by Erin Sterling (Avon, $16.99, 9780063027510). "If you swooned over The Ex Hex, the sequel is here! This time featuring Gwen (and Sir Purrcival) with more witchy hijinks, quirky characters, and steamy scenes. This is an absolute Halloween treat; there better be a third book next year!" --Carrie Deming, The Dog Eared Book, Palmyra, N.Y.

For Ages 3 to 5
Loud Mouse by Idina Menzel and Cara Mentzel, illus. by Jaclyn Sinquett (Disney-Hyperion, $17.99, 9781368078061). "Who better than Wicked's Idina Menzel to encourage budding young performers: Be big! Be brave! Be yourself. This sweet story is perfect for back-to-school, first recitals, or any time someone needs a reminder of how awesome they are." --Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, N.C.

For Ages 8 to 12
Eden's Everdark by Karen Strong (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 9781665904476). "Eden's Everdark is a Southern Gothic whose rich history, imaginative adventure, creepy imagery, and big heart will appeal to a variety of readers. It's a dark and haunting adventure story infused with a light and hope that shines bright." --Julia Caudle, An Unlikely Story, Plainville, Mass.

For Teen Readers
I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books, $18.99, 9781250808363). "Courtney Summers' sharp-edged protagonist makes every 'mistake' young women are taught to avoid, and in a revolutionary move, the narrative refuses to blame her for it. I'm the Girl is not just a powerful feminist thriller, it is a call to action." --Kay Frost, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, Mass.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Sam Spade was searching for the Maltese falcon; Jack Shit (né Jonathan Liptak), from the punk band the Shits, is searching for his Fender Jazz bass. With No One Left to Come Looking for You, Sam Lipsyte has written a novel firmly in the noir tradition and fused it with satire in such a way that he makes pairing crime fiction with comedy seem as natural as pairing a Gibson Les Paul with a Marshall stack.

It's January of 1993, Manhattan's East Village is gentrifying, and the Earl, narrator Jack's bandmate and roommate, has run off with Jack's prized possession, presumably to sell it for drug money. How does Jack know that the Earl stole his bass? Through a phone call from Jack's friend at King Snake Guitars, where the Earl tried unsuccessfully to sell the instrument.

Jack pays a visit to the Earl's ex, Hera Bernberger, who has recently quit drumming for the Shits. (Jack admits that they're "a fast-disintegrating band." Before the Earl's drug use got ridiculous, "we used to have, according to Sour Mash magazine, a 'scabrous, intermittently witty, post-skronk propulsion not unlike early Anal Gnosis.' ") Does Hera know where the Earl is? She doesn't, but she promises to sit in one last time with the Shits at an upcoming gig on the condition that, first, Jack finds his bass and the Earl. When King Snake Guitars reports another attempt to sell the bass--this time the would-be seller is a mountainous goon who refers to the Earl by his real name, Alan--Jack starts to fear for his bandmate's safety: "The Earl hates his name. He would only give it up under serious duress."

Things get darker fast, but they never stop being funny. There's Jack's Spinal Tap-ian overblown sense of importance ("We have a pretty huge following in Catalonia"). There are some brilliant song titles ("Orange Julius Rosenberg,""Salad of the Bad Cafe") and hilarious lyrics not fit to print here. No One Left to Come Looking for You is a twisty caper, a reverberant period piece and an affectionate parody of the youthful quest for authenticity. (Jack, who frets that having gone to college threatens his legitimacy as a punk, wears the fact that Lou Reed studied poetry at Syracuse University like armor.) While Lipsyte (The Fun Parts; Hark) never swerves into mean-spiritedness, a running gag involving Hall and Oates comes smile-makingly close. --Nell Beram, author and freelance writer

Shelf Talker: Set in Manhattan's East Village punk scene in 1993, this novel is a twisty caper, a reverberant period piece and an affectionate parody of the youthful quest for authenticity.