Loyalty Bookstores in Washington, D.C., and Silver Spring, Md., have launched an Indiegogo campaign with the goal of raising $60,000. 

Store owners Hannah Oliver Depp and Christine Bollow intend to use that money to create an emergency fund, pay down debts, launch a bookmobile, and especially to make changes at the Silver Spring store that will ensure staff and customer safety in the future.

The bookstore hosts Drag Story Hour at the Silver Spring location, Depp and Bollow explained, and the events have been targeted by anti-LGBTQ protesters. They wrote: "While the community wonderfully supports us and puts themselves on the line, we want to invest in further safety and training for staff for the long term as well. Our current reality is that our location with only one exit and tension between the private and publicly owned spaces in the corporate Downtown Silver Spring inhibits our safety protocols."

They added that they hope to pay off some debts they took on in 2020, and recent flooding at the D.C. location underscored the need for an emergency fund. They said, too, "Like many small businesses around the country, we're fighting to stay open following the pandemic slump--and also, as we face the realities of operating a store dedicated to selling books by queer, trans and nonbinary, and BIPOC authors. It's already a hard business with the conglomeration of publishing in the face of Am*zon, and with book bans, and with that big uptick in sales on books about race swinging downward."

Long-term goals include revamping the bookstore's website; resuming and expanding partnerships with schools, literacy nonprofits, and other community organizations that were put on hold when the bookstore went into "survival mode" during the pandemic; moving toward an employee-owned model; and purchasing a building.

Donation perks include a variety of store-branded swag along with bookstore memberships. The campaign has 25 days to go and has so far has raised more than $18,000.

The Baker's Book Shoppe, a general-interest bookstore with titles for all ages, has opened inside of a gluten-free bakery in Mount Joy, Pa., Lancaster Online reported.

Jennifer Anteau, the owner of the Baker's Book Shoppe as well as Made with Love Not Gluten, the bakery in which it resides, carries a selection of new titles for children, teens, and adults. While the emphasis is largely on fiction, there are also titles pertaining to local history, and the bookstore encompasses what used to be the bakery's seating area and retail section.

The Baker's Book Shoppe held a grand-opening celebration for the bookstore on October 13. The festivities included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, free cupcakes, and games.

Anteau originally founded Made with Love Not Gluten in her home before opening a storefront in Elizabethtown, Pa., in 2013. In 2020, the bakery moved to its current home at 76 E. Main St. in Mount Joy.

Josh Leventhal

Josh Leventhal has been named director of the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, succeeding Kate Thompson. Most recently, Leventhal was director of the Minnesota Historical Society Press, a position he held for seven years, and earlier was an acquisitions editor there for two years. He has more than 30 years of experience in publishing as an editor of nonfiction books.

Thompson, who served as director since 2018, is returning to her role as acquisitions editor at the Press, a role she held for 15 years.

Leventhal said, "The Press has such a deep and well-respected tradition of publishing informative and engaging books about Wisconsin and the larger region. It is an exciting time to be coming on board as the Press expands the stories and voices it shares to present a full picture of Wisconsin's history, peoples, and culture."

Angela Titus, assistant deputy director and chief program officer for the Wisconsin Historical Society, praised Leventhal and Thompson, noting, "We are so grateful to be retaining Kate's talents within the Press as we grow our children and young adult list, and in anticipation of the new history center opening in 2026. She has done a phenomenal job and laid a great foundation for Josh. This move allows her to return to her first love, acquiring books that share Wisconsin's distinctive stories."

Helen Marcus, the photographer best known in the book world for her "evocative black-and-white portraits of literary figures" that were used on many book jackets and otherwise, died on October 1 at age 97, the New York Times reported.

Among her author photos, our favorite is a shot of Toni Morrison. As the Times recounted: "In 1977, Toni Morrison was said to have been dissatisfied with the author photograph on the jacket for one of her early books and was seeking another photographer for her next one. Her publisher's publicist enlisted Ms. Marcus, who invited Ms. Morrison to her spacious apartment and shot four rolls of film of the author sitting at the dining room table.

"When Ms. Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 and Swedish postal officials decided to honor her with a stamp, she suggested that they contact Ms. Marcus. Her photograph inspired an etching, which appeared on the stamp (with Ms. Marcus's credit)."

Marcus became a professional photographer only at around age 50, after a career working first for theater director Hal Prince, then at Goodson-Todman Productions, which developed TV game shows. Photography had always been an important hobby for her.

She became a defender of the rights of photographers, particularly concerning copyright and photo credit, efforts that the Times said "were all the more notable because the field at the time was so overwhelmingly dominated by men."

Marcus founded the New York chapter of the American Society of Magazine Photographers (later the American Society of Media Photographers) in 1982 and served as its national president from 1985 to 1990, the Times noted. From 1998 to 2007, she was president of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, which helped independent photographers complete their projects.

Some of us worked with Helen many years ago and always found her to be very nice and very professional--with a good sense of humor.

WORD Bookstore, Brooklyn, N.Y., hosted the first-ever book signing event for Levy Rozman, aka GothamChess, the number-one chess teacher on YouTube, and author of How to Win at Chess: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond (Ten Speed Press). The event took place at Oaks Church in Brooklyn.

Marking the seasonal turning back of the clocks over the weekend, Blacksburg Books, Blacksburg, Va., posted on Facebook yesterday: "STOP PULLING ON OUR DOOR IT'S ONLY 11 O'CLOCK!!! Fine. We're opening early. But JUST THIS ONCE. It's a beautiful day downtown--come see us!"

"It's a beautiful day at the Lahaska Bookshop in Peddler's Village! Today is the last day of The 48th Annual Apple Festival where you will find entertainment, games, and a variety of food trucks in the Village to sample," Lahaska Bookshop, Lahaska, Pa., posted on Facebook. 

Caroline Green has joined Forever (part of Grand Central Publishing) as a marketing & publicity associate.

Hopkins Fulfillment Services and the University of Toronto Press are expanding their partnership: HFS will distribute UTP titles in the U.S., effective February 1, 2024. In 2022, HFS had begun a distribution agreement with UTP for its clients in the Canadian market.

Antonia Pop, v-p of publishing at UTP, sad, "Hopkins shares many of our core values, notably a steadfast commitment to exemplary customer support and a focus on developments in the global marketplace. We are excited about this expanded relationship as HFS will help us increase our presence and reach new audiences in the U.S."

Davida Breier, HFS's director, said, "We've found UTP to be a strong partner with a similar model and approach. We've enjoyed collaborating with them in Canada and look forward to sharing our knowledge and resources here in the U.S."

Barbara Kline Pope, Johns Hopkins University Press's executive director, said, "Working with UTP is incredibly energizing. We are so grateful to be enriching our partnership and look forward to helping them enhance their reach in the U.S. as they have done for us in Canada. How's that for bilateral relations?"

You Are Everything by Omid Arabian and artist Shilla Shakoori, based on a Rumi poem (Triangle Square).

Today:
CBS Mornings: Barbra Streisand, author of My Name Is Barbra (Viking, $47, 9780525429524).

Good Morning America: Rebecca Yarros, author of Iron Flame (Entangled, $29.99, 9781649374172).

Drew Barrymore Show: Keegan-Michael Key and Elle Key, authors of The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor (Chronicle, $29.95, 9781797216836).

The View: Leslie Jones, author of Leslie F*cking Jones (Grand Central, $30, 9781538706497).

Jimmy Kimmel Live: José Andrés, author of The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope (Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780593579077).

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Courtney B. Vance and Robin L. Smith, authors of The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power (Balance, $30, 9781538725139).

Today Show: Liz Marie Galvan, author of Create Your Own Cozy: 100 Practical Ways to Love Your Home and Life (Thomas Nelson, $24.99, 9781400243532).

Good Morning America: Megan Fox, author of Pretty Boys Are Poisonous: Poems (Gallery, $26, 9781668050415).

Also on GMA: Alex Aster, author of Nightbane (Amulet, $19.99, 9781419760907).

Drew Barrymore Show: Erin French, author of Big Heart Little Stove: Bringing Home Meals & Moments from The Lost Kitchen (Celadon, $38, 9781250832313).

Late Night with Seth Meyers: Rachel Maddow, author of Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism (Crown, $32, 9780593444511).

FX has released its first trailer for Shōgun, its original adaptation of James Clavell's bestselling 1975 novel that was created for television by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks. Deadline reported that the limited series will drop on Hulu in the U.S., as well as Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories in February 2024. FX will telecast new episodes each week.

The 10-episode limited series stars producer Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne, and Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko. The project features a Japanese cast, including Tadanobu Asano, Hiroto Kanai, Takehiro Hira, Moeka Hoshi, Tokuma Nishioka, Shinnosuke Abe, Yuki Kura, and Fumi Nikaido. 

Marks served as showrunner and executive producer, alongside exec producers Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, and Kondo. Hiroyuki Sanada serves as a Producer. The series is produced by FX Productions.

Barnes & Noble has selected 12 finalists for the 2023 Book of the Year, the titles B&N booksellers "find truly outstanding and in which they have felt the most pride in recommending to readers." The finalists, which include six novels, four nonfiction books, one middle-grade title and one picture book, will be voted on by all B&N booksellers and announced the week of November 17.

B&N CEO James Daunt commented: "From a wealth of excellent new books published this year, our booksellers have again voted for an impressive spread of finalists... It is an exciting time to be a bookseller, with bookstore sales never stronger, buoyed by a reading renaissance. Our annual Book of the Year is a particularly happy celebration of this wonderful year of publishing."

Calling the shortlist "thoughtful, exciting, and eclectic," B&N senior director of books Shannon DeVito said, "The final 12 that comprise this year's collection reflect the reading habits we have seen in bookselling throughout the country--from gorgeous novels and history deep dives to romantasy catnip and award-winning authors. These stories are a wonderfully varied mix deserving of the enthusiasm of readers everywhere."

The finalists:
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Zilot & Other Important Rhymes by Bob Odenkirk, illustrated by Erin Odenkirk
Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings by James Park
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters is the winner of the $10,000 B&N 2023 Discover Prize. B&N describes the book as "the story of a Mi'kmaq girl gone missing and the lasting effect it has on her family. Already one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the season, it is a profoundly moving novel told from the alternating point of view of two siblings, inspired by family stories and written in exacting prose. This novel is a gorgeous narrative that will stay with you." And James Daunt said, "Amanda Peters' writing is fabulously compelling."

The Discover Award finalists were:

Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias
The East Indian by Brinda Charry
Open Throat by Henry Hoke
In Memoriam by Alice Winn

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Barnes & Noble has selected Absolution by Alice McDermott as its November National Book Club pick. On Wednesday, December 6, at 3 p.m. Eastern, the book club will host a free, live virtual event featuring McDermott in conversation with Shannon DeVito, B&N senior director of books, and Miwa Messer, executive producer of poured over, the B&N podcast. Attendees must register via Eventbrite to access the livestream on Zoom.

B&N called Absolution "a riveting account of women's lives on the margins of the Vietnam War, from the renowned winner of the National Book Award, Alice McDermott. In her latest novel, two women--two wives--reflect on their tumultuous time spent in Saigon during America's interference in [Southeast Asia] during 1963."

And Lexie Smyth, category manager for fiction at B&N, said, "Alice McDermott's latest novel is a quiet triumph, shedding light on an untold part of American history. McDermott places the American wives stationed in Saigon during the early stages of the Vietnam war at the forefront. I cannot stop thinking about this book, and all the questions it raised for me. I'm so excited for readers to pick up this richly layered novel which is sure to inspire many discussions of intentions versus impact, and the cost of 'doing good.' "

There is no greater pleasure than reading a seasoned writer at the top of his form. Since his celebrated debut, The Object of My Affection, 36 years ago, Stephen McCauley (My Ex-Life) has produced comedic literary gems. His focus has tended toward ne'er-do-well gay men in seasons of arrested development, placed in the unlikely position to provide support for family and friends alike. But in his closely observed eighth novel, You Only Call When You're in Trouble, McCauley opens the aperture noticeably to bring the whole family into greater clarity, developing a portrait that may be his best yet.

At age 63, Tom Kemp has acted as a stabilizing force for his flighty sister, Dorothy, and fatherless niece, Cecily, for decades. And although he doesn't exactly resent them for it, he's in the midst of a make-or-break moment in his career as an architect in Boston. He will need all his faculties and focus when it comes to selling the design of his tiny-house masterpiece to his clients Charlotte Morley and Oliver Fuchs. Especially since Charlotte has decided to change her mind about the whole thing at the last minute.

There could be no worse time for Tom to learn that Cecily is facing a Title IX investigation at Deerpath College in Chicago, where she is a professor of American studies. The allegations concern the nature of a relationship that developed with a student, who then kissed her. "She was tempted to say she was suffering some form of PTSD, but if you described a kiss from a student as 'trauma,' what word was left for the suffering of refugees freezing and starving in tents all over the planet?"

Add to all that Dorothy's invitation for everyone to join her at the opening of a retreat center in Woodstock, N.Y.--which she has sunk more money into than she can afford, at the behest of her overbearing friend Fiona Snow, an opportunistic self-help author who specializes in theories of attraction. Not to mention the teensy-tiny matter of Cecily's true paternity--and You Only Call When You're in Trouble takes the shape of a novel that is rife with situational comedy, dramatic secrets, and hard-earned wisdom.

The narrative settles into each family member's concerns with profound empathy toward their ambitions, shortcomings, and abiding need for one another. McCauley writes sentences that ring with the clear and true tones of melodies spun from crystal glassware: "[Tom] sometimes felt as if he were in a nail-biting race with the planet to see which of them died first." This incandescent mixture of observational humor and humane characterizations makes Stephen McCauley worth calling on again and again. --Dave Wheeler, associate editor, Shelf Awareness

Shelf Talker: Family ties are tested at a most hectic three-way crossroads, making Stephen McCauley's eighth novel his best yet.

The following were the most popular book club books during October based on votes from book club readers in more than 83,500 book clubs registered at Bookmovement.com:

1. Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel by Bonnie Garmus (Doubleday)
2. Demon Copperhead: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper)
3. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (Dial Press)
4. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Grove Press)
5. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Harper)
6. Horse: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks (Viking)
7. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Knopf)
8. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See (Scribner)
9. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (Vintage)
10. None of This Is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell (Atria Books)

Rising Stars:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Red Tower Books/Entangled Publishing)

[Many thanks to Bookmovement.com!]