Penguin Random House's 12th-annual two-day holiday transit program will begin this coming Monday, October 16, and run through January 31, 2024.

The program, which aims to support independent bookstores during and beyond the holiday season, will again feature a "no minimums" requirement for independent bookstores, which was added during the pandemic. Booksellers can submit orders in whatever quantities work best for them, on their schedule, without having to build up to a minimum-retail-value threshold.

Weather and transport conditions permitting, PRH will expedite the picking and packing of orders received from indies at its Westminster, Md., Crawfordsville, Ind., and Reno, Nev., operations centers and schedule transit "from our dock to the bookseller's door" to arrive in two days or less. All three centers have weekend shifts to expedite Monday shipping for orders received Friday and Saturday.

The expedited-shipping program encompasses every frontlist and backlist title from the imprints of the Crown, Knopf Doubleday, Penguin Publishing Groups, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Penguin Young Readers, Penguin Random House Audio divisions, and DK Publishing, as well as the many clients of Penguin Random House Publisher Services.

Jaci Updike, president, sales and marketing, Penguin Random House U.S., said, "As we talk to indies across the country, we continue to hear how important this program is to booksellers during the vital fourth quarter. Two-day transit means our customers can spend less time looking at computer screens, and more time on the selling floor, merchandising books, and engaging with readers. The bookstores I've visited recently look fantastic, and we want to keep that magic going through some of the busiest days of the year."

Maze Books reopened last Friday in its new location, at 406 E. State St. in downtown Rockford, Ill. The Rock River Current reported that owners Kim and David Pederson had operated for a more than a year on Third St. "before deciding to take over the two-level former GEM: Gather, Engage, Make space. The new location has a more open feel and more space for bookshelves, as well as events and gatherings either on its upper level or back patio. The Pedersons said it was like the business growing up."

"Our bookstore grew up and moved out of its parents' basement," said Kim Pederson. 

Maze will expand its hours at the new site, while continuing its philosophy of curating a selection of books for all interests, including new and used titles in both fiction and nonfiction, ranging from classics to contemporary to local authors. 

David Pederson said even people who claim they don't read will find something to spark their interest: "It's a challenge, and this is the truth, the book will find you. There's one here for every person."

He added that a second-floor loft space is envisioned as a place for creatives and book lovers to gather: "The idea is to have a kind of a meetup space for writers, for book clubs, for people who want to play board games. Just space where you can hang out above an amazing little shop."

Poetry nights, discussions with authors, and other literature-centric events have been a part of Maze Books since its start in June 2022, the Current noted, adding that the bookstore was able to grow into the new space thanks to the support of local customers and friends who have frequented the shop.

"One hundred percent we wouldn't be here without Rockford. When we opened, everybody was like, 'books, huh?' Ever heard of Amazon?" he said. "But they supported us."

Barnes & Noble will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow, October 11, to mark the opening of its new bookstore at 1232 Burlingame Ave. This is the first new B&N store in the area since the opening of the company's San Bruno location in 2005. 

"The avenue is the social center of this city, and our bookselling team has been hard at work creating a beautiful bookstore to complement and enhance its unique small-town atmosphere," said store manager Danielle Cardona.

B&N expects to open more than 30 new bookstores in 2023.

The New England Independent Booksellers Association Fall Conference last week in Providence, R.I., was a lively show that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the association's first fall conference. The gathering resonated all the more because to many of the enthusiastic attendees, it felt like the first gathering since the pandemic began, even though NEIBA did hold an in-person conference last year. As one exhibitor said, "This year people were more relaxed, and less feeling like they had PTSD."

NEIBA presidents past and current at the Gala: (from l.) Emily Russo, Beth Wagner, Laura Cummings, Gillian Kohli, Suzanna Hermans, Dick Hermans

The association marked the anniversary with style, including a booklet that featured interviews done by NEIBA board member and Macmillan sales rep Ben White with a range of people involved in the association over the years, including former executive directors Steve Fischer, Dan Chartrand, and Rusty Browder, and many former presidents and directors. In her introduction, current executive director Beth Ineson noted that the association's fall conference started with "a group of reps booking hotel rooms around a pool at a hotel in Sturbridge and displaying books on the bed." Then it grew so much that the show "filled the World Trade Center in Boston." That was followed by "the very dark days of 2008, when it wasn't clear that the organization would survive to have another large event." Now, happily, NEIBA is "growing at a rate we haven't seen for 25 years." In the past year, NEIBA added 18 new stores, on top of 27 in the last fiscal year. Total attendance at this year's fall conference rose to 507 from 484 last year, with booksellers accounting for 272 of the total.

At the annual meeting, Ineson called the occasion "an absolutely gorgeous anniversary... doing anything for half a century is a major accomplishment, and it is the honor of my professional life to be sitting here right now." She thanked everyone for helping the association "pull off a wonderful three days and an extraordinary 50 years." The ultimate goal of the association, she continued, is to work with each other, move forward, and help member stores be the most successful businesses they can be.

Keynoter Charles Duhigg, whose Supercommunicators comes out in February.

Referring to the pandemic years, NEIBA president Emily Russo of Print: A Bookstore, Portland, Maine, said, "It's been a long difficult road, but we're still here, and in many cases, we're thriving." Russo said she had heard from many people that the conference's educational programming "has been better than ever" and called it "one of the best shows we've had in a long time." This accomplishment came despite a variety of challenges. For one, NEIBA lost its dates at the Rhode Island Convention Center, which bumped it for another group, so most events were held in the Omni next door in comfortable, less cavernous spaces, and the Graduate Hotel's ballroom was again the site of several major NEIBA events, including the Gala (featuring dancing, tarot card readings, a photo booth, and more), and the author reception. Another reason had to do with staff: a new hire did not work out, leading to the return for the show of former marketing coordinator Alexandra "Ali" Schmelzle, an act that Ineson called "the largest professional kindness" anyone had done her in her 30-year career. 

The busy exhibit hall

The association is on "solid financial ground," Russo said, but operated at a slight deficit in the last year--in part because of unusual rising costs for the show--and is budgeting for another deficit this year. The association committed to investing as much as possible for members during the pandemic--with a focus on communication and collaboration--and in the past year emphasized various events, including two "well-attended and successful spring forums," Russo said, as well as virtual happy hours, office hours, state shop talks, buyers' and owners' retreats, the holiday catalogue, good summer readings, and more. Ineson emphasized that the association had planned on deficits because there were "a couple of big years to do big things."

A priority this coming year is "the largest membership survey ever done" by NEIBA, Ineson said, a survey that will help the association focus on what the membership values most. Noting that "the hallmark of the organization has always been 'booksellers for booksellers,' " she added, "We're only as good as your engagement with us. Please fill out the survey." --John Mutter

The Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts at New York University has created the NYU Advanced Publishing Institute, a five-day program for mid- to senior-level publishing professionals interested in the latest strategies and business practices in book publishing. Reimagining the popular Yale Publishing Course, which ran from 2010 to 2019, the Institute will launch January 8-12, 2024, on the NYU campus in Manhattan.

Sessions will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include breaks to allow attendees to network. Lectures and workshops will be conducted by leading publishing executives. The program will focus on case studies, problem-solving exercises, and the analysis of successful strategies. Topics to be discussed include book retailing, DEI, AI, TikTok, innovative and entrepreneurial publishing, and more.

Among speakers and sessions:

Barnes & Noble CEO and Waterstones managing director James Daunt will talk about "Reimagining the Retail Landscape," and how important it is for booksellers to "go local" and connect with their communities.

In a keynote, "The View from Inside Publishing Today," Sanyu Dillon, president, Random House Publishing Group at Penguin Random House, will present a top-level perspective of the publishing marketplace, challenges, and areas of opportunity.

"The Publisher as Entrepreneur: Case Studies in Innovation" includes Monique Patterson, publisher of the new romance imprint Bramble at Tor/Macmillan; Andrea Colvin, editorial director of the graphic novel imprint Little, Brown Ink at Hachette Book Group; and Zibby Owens, founder of Zibby Media.

"DEI 2.0: Tactics for Taking Action" features Kimberly Ayers Shariff, executive vice-president, director of strategy for diversity, equity, & inclusion at Penguin Random House; Carrie Bloxson, vice-president, diversity and inclusion, Hachette Book Group; and Emi Ikkanda, executive editor, Tiny Reparations Press, Penguin Random House, who will outline the DEI strategies and initiatives being implemented across the industry.

In "The Power of TikTok," Lina Renzina, partnerships lead, lifestyle and education at TikTok, will present an inside look at the best ways for publishers to leverage BookTok and its Creator Marketplace, what trends the social media company sees on the horizon, and more.

At "Beyond the Page," Sophie Kaplan, senior director, creative acquisitions and IP management, Universal Studios; Lauren O'Connor, head of IP acquisitions, Amazon Studios; Ryan Doherty, executive editor, Celadon Books; and Mary Pender, agent, UTA, discuss how publishers big and small can sell their content to studios and streamers.

Dominique Raccah, president and CEO of Sourcebooks, will talk about "Transformation as a Business Strategy."

David Pogue, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, will lead a panel discussion on "AI: The Future IS Your Friend: Ways to Harness AI on Multiple Fronts."

And Karine Pansa, president of the International Publishers Association, will speak on "The Global Perspective... and Responsibility."

The early-bird rate for the Institute (before October 15) is $4,500; after October 15, $5,000. The fee includes daily breakfasts, lunches, and refreshments. A block of rooms at special rates at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square has been reserved for attendees who need accommodations.

For more information and to register, click here.

At Carmichael's Bookstore

Although Monday was officially Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day, on indie bookstore social media pages booksellers were decidedly highlighting #IndigenousPeoplesDay. Among the indies marking the day:

Dragon Tale Books, Menomonie, Wis.: "The second Monday in October is Native American or Indigenous Peoples' Day. Celebrate by reading a new indigenous author."

Storybook Cove, Hanover, Mass.: "Indigenous Peoples Day honors the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and their ancestors who lived on the land now known as North America long before European settlers. Celebrate and learn history through books. These are a few of the many on our shelves...."

Your Brother's Bookstore, Evansville, Ind.: "It's Indigenous Peoples' Day! What is Indigenous Peoples' Day? Well, it's a holiday to honor Indigenous American Peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. What can you do to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples' Day? Acknowledge the land you are on, visit a museum sharing Indigenous history, and share / read books by Indigenous Peoples!"

Paperbacks and Frybread Co.: "There's much to celebrate and much to grieve today."

Roundabout Books, Bend, Ore.: "Indigenous Peoples Day is today. There are more than 476 million Indigenous peoples living in 90 countries all over the world. These books for young readers and many more celebrate and honor Native American culture, history, and teachings."

Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, Ky.: "It's Indigenous People's Day! Pictured here are some newer titles alongside long beloved books from Native American writers you should check out."

Horizon Books, Cadillac, Mich.: "Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day in recognition of the Indigenous communities that have lived in the Americas for thousands of years."

Main Street Reads, Summerville, S.C.: "Indigenous Peoples' Day honors the history and cultures of Indigenous Peoples. Held on the second Monday in October in the U.S., is a day for recognition, education, and celebration!

At Gibson's Bookstore

Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, Middletown, Conn.: "Good morning, bookstore! Today is #IndigenousPeoplesDay. We have a variety of titles highlighting the people who once inhabited the lands we've settled on. Check out 'Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior,' an inspiring new picture book featuring two Indigenous Rights Activists who speak for the water. Browse our selection of books authored by and about Indigenous peoples, available in-store and online."

The BookMark, Neptune Beach, Fla.: "For Indigenous Peoples' Day today, we've collected a stack of books about the history of indigenous people in the U.S."

Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, Minn.: "What is the best way to celebrate INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY? Read a book."

Southland Books & Café, Maryville, Tenn.: "Today we honor Indigenous Peoples Day! One great way to commemorate this growing holiday is by reading An Indigenous People's History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, available on the shelf here in the shop (or to order if we sell out). It's a great read and an important perspective on our nation's conflicted history and cultures!"

Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, N.H.: "Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day!"

Trident Booksellers & Café, Boston, Mass.: "Three-day weekends mean three chances for brunch! We are open regular hours for Indigenous People Day so stop by for breakfast all day or come by tonight at 7 for our silent book club and writing group."

Read Spotted Newt, Hazard, Ky.: "To remember Appalachian history means remembering our whole history. Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day."

At Simon & Schuster:

Molly Weissman has been promoted to director, advertising, promotion & creative services.

Sabrina Brawley has been promoted to senior manager, e-mail marketing.

Janea Brachfeld has been promoted to senior client manager in the S&S Publisher Services Division.

Kristen Klemens has joined the S&S Publisher Services Division as client manager. Klemens formerly was partner manager for trade sales & marketing at Rebel Girls.

Grace Rambo has been promoted to senior manager, advertising & paid digital media.

Holly Claytor has been promoted to manager, advertising & paid digital media.

Dalia Baban has been promoted to assistant manager, advertising & paid digital media.

Ariel Snead has joined the company as advertising & promotion assistant.

Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects by Harold Schechter (Workman).

Today:
Today Show: Reba McEntire, author of Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots (Harper Celebrate, $34.99, 9781400238255). She will also appear today on the Tonight Show and tomorrow on Watch What Happens Live and Late Night with Seth Meyers.

CBS Mornings: Nicole Walters, author of Nothing Is Missing: A Memoir of Living Boldly (S&S/Simon Element, $27.99, 9781668000953). She will also appear tomorrow on the Sherri Shepherd Show.

Good Morning America: Stephanie Szostak, author of Selfish: Step Into a Journey of Self-Discovery to Revive Confidence, Joy, and Meaning (Post Hill Press, $18, 9781637588895).

Also on GMA: Molly Baz, author of More Is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780593578841).

Fresh Air: Keegan-Michael Key, co-author of The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor (Chronicle, $29.95, 9781797216836).

Watch What Happens Live: Ziwe, author of Black Friend: Essays (Abrams Image, $26, 9781419756344).

The View: Bob and Erin Odenkirk, co-authors of Zilot & Other Important Rhymes (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9780316438506).

Late Night with Seth Meyers: Aparna Nancherla, author of Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome (Viking, $28, 9781984879806).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Brad Meltzer, author of I Am Mister Rogers (Rocky Pond Books, $16.99, 9780593533307).

Also on GMA: Shawn Stevenson, author of Eat Smarter Family Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes to Transform Your Health, Happiness, and Connection (Little, Brown Spark, $35, 9780316456463).

The View: Julia Fox, author of Down the Drain (Simon & Schuster, $28.99, 9781668011508).

Late Night with Seth Meyers: Werner Herzog, author of Every Man for Himself and God Against All: A Memoir (Penguin Press, $30, 9780593490297).

A trailer has been released for Orlando, My Political Biography, Paul B. Preciado's "playful French-language cinema essay" in which more than 20 trans and non-binary people take on the role of the title character in Virginia Woolf's 1928 book Orlando: A Biography, "using Woolf's words to ground their own experiences," IndieWire reported.

Orlando, My Political Biography received four prizes at the Berlin Film Festival before heading to the Telluride, Toronto, and New York film festivals. Janus and Sideshow Films will release the movie November 10 in New York City and November 17 in Los Angeles, with an expansion to follow. 

From the official synopsis: "Taking Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando: A Biography as its starting point, academic virtuoso turned filmmaker Paul B. Preciado has fashioned the documentary as a personal essay, historical analysis, and manifesto. For almost a century, Woolf's eponymous hero/heroine has inspired readers for their gender fluidity across physical and spiritual metamorphoses over a 300-year lifetime. Preciado casts a diverse cross-section of trans and non-binary individuals in the role of Orlando as they perform interpretations of scenes from the novel, weaving into Woolf's narrative their own stories of identity and transition. Not content to simply update a seminal work, Preciado interrogates the relevance of Orlando in the continuing struggle against anti-trans ideologies and in the fight for global trans rights."

The shortlist has been released for the £50,000 (about $61,015) Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction, which is marking its 25th anniversary. The winner will be announced November 16. The other shortlisted authors will receive £5,000 (about $6,100). This year's shortlisted titles are:

Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock's Gender Service for Children by Hannah Barnes (U.K.) 
Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution by Tania Branigan (U.K.)
Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for a New World 1848-1849 by Christopher Clark (Australia)
Time's Echo: The Second World War, The Holocaust, and The Music of Remembrance by Jeremy Eichler (U.S.)
Mr. B: George Balanchine's Twentieth Century by Jennifer Homans (U.S.)
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant (U.S.-Canada)

Rebecca, Not Becky by Christine Platt (The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less) and documentary filmmaker Catherine Wigginton Greene (I'm Not Racist... Am I?) is a hugely enjoyable novel that nonetheless takes a hard look at prejudice and performative allyship in an affluent Northern Virginia community, alternating between the perspectives of a white woman and a Black woman reconsidering their biases and privilege.

De'Andrea Whitman reluctantly gave up her law career and Atlanta support system to move to Rolling Hills. It's the best place for the family, given her husband Malik's new job and the proximity to his mother's top-notch dementia care facility, Memory Village. However, she is painfully aware that their daughter, Nina, may be the only Black student at the private school. Marijuana (vaping or edibles) is De'Andrea's usual coping mechanism, but her therapist, Dr. Jones, challenges her to try to make one white friend instead.

Rebecca Myland shed the nickname "Becky" when it became cultural shorthand for clueless white ladies. She desperately wants to do the right thing: make the perfect home for her husband, Todd, and daughters Lyla and Isabella; use a reminder app to complete her lengthy daily to-do lists; and be a model white ally, leading the school's diversity committee and antiracist book club.

These two protagonists have more in common than they realize. Upper-middle-class and in their early 40s, they share a love of yoga and wine, and have struggled with infertility and body issues. Their daughters, Nina and Isabella, who happen to dress identically on the first day of school, are soon inseparable. And Todd's mother is also a Memory Village resident; concern over the decline in their mothers-in-law links the women. But when the diversity committee's controversial pet project--getting a statue of a Confederate general removed from the local park--makes national news, the resulting ruckus threatens their fragile friendship.

Platt and Greene go beyond stereotypes to consider the nuances of the situation. Through Rebecca and her friends, the authors show how good intentions are not always enough. There are explanations for the characters' behavior: De'Andrea has been burned in cross-cultural relationships before, and Rebecca has failed to stand up for a Black friend in the past. For both characters, this is a second chance to trust, and to speak out about their convictions. Despite the serious issues it tackles, this is a fun read, reminiscent of Terry McMillan and Curtis Sittenfeld. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader and blogger at Bookish Beck

Shelf Talker: Two women--one white and one Black--navigate the nuances of racism in their Northern Virginia community in this addictively readable collaborative novel.