For a special issue later this month about Indies First/Small Business Saturday (November 29), Shelf Awareness is seeking information from booksellers about plans for the day. Tell us about your related displays, events, promotions, passport programs, collaborations with other independent businesses, and more. Please send information to extra@shelf-awareness.com this week. Thank you!

Vanina Colagiovanni, Mehar Anaokar, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, and Nora Haddada at the opening press conference yesterday.

In times like these, said German author Nora Haddada (Blaue Romanze), who filled in for Nobel laureate László Krasznahorkai during the opening press conference of the Frankfurt Book Fair yesterday morning, writers have not only an "enormous opportunity" but also a great responsibility to be "incorruptible and fearless voices of integrity."

For herself and many other writers of her generation, Haddada explained, the last two years were a "turning point." As the climate catastrophe continued and the world remained stuck to a financial system that will "blow up in our faces eventually," she said, they witnessed Germans "denounce their neighbors" for having one too many guests in their garden during Covid, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the rise of the German far right, the "terrible and cruel" October 7 attacks, and the subsequent war in Gaza, which Haddada pointedly called a genocide.
 
What followed in German media, Haddada continued, "could only be called a discourse psychosis." In a startlingly short period of time, the freedom of "art, assembly, and science" were all limited, with Haddada emphasizing that it all happened amid a silence brought on by people "trying to obey orders before they were given." On Gaza and other topics, she noted, "only a few authors raised their voices."

She called the situation "horrible and alarming," and she urged authors to resist self-censorship and to overcome their fear of speaking up. "We have more to win than to lose," Haddada said, and compared to other types of artists, writers are lucky. They "don't need any money from billionaires," and writers in her generation especially "have nothing to lose." As she put it, "we are cheap, we are broke, and that's great."

Haddada described literature as a powerful weapon "against authoritarianism and censorship," and said it is beneficial to be a "slower type of art" that is "produced in seclusion and consumed in seclusion." It "gives us space to think."

"We don't have to be cowards," she said. "We can provoke."

During the session's q&a, Haddada clarified that she is not saying that all literature "has to be literature of resistance." Rather, she is telling other writers they shouldn't be afraid of saying what they have to say, and they shouldn't censor themselves to avoid problems with political and cultural institutions or the press. Even in literary fiction, she added, there are plenty of novels that are not very political. 

"Not everyone has to write political fiction," she explained. "It's a question of integrity. If you want to say something, you should definitely say it."

---

Earlier in the press conference, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, chairwoman of the Börsenverein, the German publishers and booksellers association, said the book fair opens at a time when "our democratic society is being challenged" and a handful of billionaires "increasingly decide which algorithms present which kind of information." She remarked that although "we know all the additives that go into our morning yogurt," there are no "consumer protections for the brain."

She described books as "pillars of democratic society" and characterized the book fair as a place for committing "to a charter of dialectical thinking," celebrating discourse, and "being together as humans." And while AI will be a major topic throughout the fair, she stressed the need for licenses, for voluntary labeling of AI content, and for "fair remuneration" for those whose work is "fed into the system."

Big tech, she added, "must also be measured by fair play." If generative AI benefits from creative industries, "those creative people must receive their fair share."

Juergen Boos, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, reported that this year's show will feature more than 4,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and more than 200,000 visitors are expected. He emphasized that the book fair is important not only as a place for open discussion and free expression during "very polarized times," but also as a "trading platform" for rights and a place where "the industry creates standards."

Publishers Vanina Colagiovanni, publishing director of Gog & Magog in Argentina, and Mehar Anaokar, editor at Profile Books in the U.K., also shared some of their experiences from being in the inaugural cohort of the Frankfurt Global Network, which combines the longstanding Frankfurt Fellowship and Frankfurt Invitation programs. --Alex Mutter

Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, Ind., has been named the 2025 Great Lakes Bookstore of the Year, recognizing an independent bookstore that "embodies community impact, collaboration within the bookselling world, and a passion for connecting readers with books." The award will be presented October 15 to owner Tiffany Phillips at the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association's annual membership meeting during Heartland Fall Forum.

Wild Geese Bookshop "has become a cornerstone of Franklin's cultural and literary life, known for its welcoming spirit, carefully curated selection, and deep commitment to inclusivity. More than a bookstore, Wild Geese is a hub where readers, writers, and neighbors gather to share ideas, celebrate stories, and build connections that strengthen the community," GLIBA noted, adding that the indie "has established itself as a vital cultural space, hosting events that celebrate diverse voices, leading community wide reading initiatives, and fostering dialogue around literature and ideas. Its partnerships with schools, local businesses, and organizations have broadened access to books and literacy programs across Franklin. Above all, the Wild Geese team is a generous collaborator, supporting fellow independent booksellers with ideas, resources, and camaraderie. Their leadership and advocacy extend beyond their own walls, strengthening the independent bookselling network across the Great Lakes region."

Larry Law, GLIBA executive director, said, "Wild Geese Bookshop embodies everything this award represents. They are not only a beloved neighborhood bookstore but also a beacon of how independent bookstores can shape and enrich the cultural life of their communities."

GLIBA board member Laura Kendall of Second Flight Books and Main Street Books, Lafayette, Ind., commented: "You could talk about the amazing store merch that helps build Wild Geese's brand, or the delightful curation within a relatively small shop space, but where Wild Geese absolutely shines is in the way they build connections and community. Whether it's their annual week-long Wild Geese Summer Camp for Grown-Ups or their amazing string of often sold-out author events, they have made connections locally and statewide to build their community and shine a light on their home of Franklin, Indiana. Their partnership with The Historic Artcraft theater, their county library, and other local spots where they've hosted authors and events have brought thousands of people to their town, and they always work to make their community sparkle."

Folklore Grove Bookstore held its grand opening recently at 2410 W Abram St., suite 116, in Arlington, Tex. Noting that it "is not the kind of place you stumble upon--unless you look for hidden stories," the Shorthorn reported that the new bookshop is hidden within Smash Toast, a new gourmet sandwich shop, and "behind a bookshelf. The small space, draped in curling vines, stars and soft pixie lights, emits a warm, golden glow that welcomes visitors inside the grove."

Owned by Kait Thibeaux, the bookstore features classic folklore and fantasy titles and local authors. The idea of sharing space began last January, when Smash Toast owner Bobby King found the restaurant location with a hidden bookshelf door. With the help of friends and family, King and Thibeaux spent months remodeling the space to create the hybrid venture.

"It's cool doing business with your friends, but it's even cooler to see your friends succeed in something that they really want to do," King said.

Thibeaux told the Shorthorn that from sharing books with disability representation to housing local authors, the bookstore allows her to share pieces of literature that expand customers' comfort bubbles.

To help launch her business, Thibeaux raised funds by offering four merchandise tiers: a tote bag for the first; a T-shirt for the second; both items for the third; and finally the donor's name engraved in one of the books on the secret bookshelf door, plus the T-shirt and tote bag. She was able to raise $4,000 to help pay for books and bookshelves.

"I think people will pick up and go, 'This isn't a book I would have looked for, but it looks really interesting' and then they read it and then they love it," she said. "That's my goal."

Harper Group has launched a new imprint, Harper Edge, that will focus on publishing nonfiction titles that "help people realize the fullest expression of themselves, hone their edge, and claim their futures," the company said, adding that the imprint will partner with authors "who are pioneers, seasoned experts, and catalysts for change, guiding readers through pathways of self-discovery, transformation, and renewal." 

Hollis Heimbouch, senior v-p, will lead Harper Edge as its publisher while continuing as publisher of the Harper Business imprint. Editor Kirby Sandmeyer will acquire titles for both Harper Edge and Harper Business.

"Work doesn't end when you leave the office, and personal growth doesn't pause during business hours," Heimbouch said. "People are navigating careers that demand creativity and reinvention, relationships that require empathy and authenticity, and communities crying out for engaged citizens. They need frameworks that work across all these domains--not another life hack, but actual wisdom for the complexity of modern existence."

Publishing approximately 10 titles per year, Harper Edge will launch next spring with the release of What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins.

This past week, Shelf Awareness sent our Kids & YA Pre-Order E-Blast to more than 270,000 of the country's best book readers. The e-blast went to 270,253 customers of 65 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, November 12. 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 October Kids & YA Pre-Order E-Blast, see this one from Odyssey Books, South Hadley, Mass.

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

The Norendy Tales Trilogy Boxed Set by Kate DiCamillo (Peachtree)
A Knot Is a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri (Knopf)
Chicka Chicka I Love You by Bill Martin Jr. (Little Simon)
Archive of Romance by Ava Reid (HarperCollins)

From left: emcee Isaac Fitzgerald; GLIBA executive director Larry Law; authors Anton Treuer, Travis Zimmerman, Marcie Rendon, and Ross Gay; MIBA executive director Grace Hagen.

The "fly-over" states, declared Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association executive director Larry Law, are a "living, breathing, literary force" as he welcomed booksellers to the Heartland Booksellers Awards, kicking off the 2025 Heartland Fall Forum in Indianapolis, Ind.

More than 200 of the 300 registered bookseller attendees gathered for the Heartland Booksellers Awards ceremony, hosted by Dirtbag, Massachusetts author Isaac Fitzgerald. Award winners in attendance included picture book winner Travis Zimmerman (How the Birds Got Their Songs, Minnesota Historical Society Press), YA/middle grade winner Anton Treuer (Where Wolves Don't Die, Levine Querido), and poet Marcie Rendon (Anishinaabe Songs for a New Millennium, University of Minnesota Press).

Ross Gay, winner of the 2025 Voice of the Heartland Award, was introduced to cheers from the crowd, and received a standing ovation following his celebration of indie booksellers, during which he praised independent booksellers' acumen and understanding of "scalability," which Gay identified as "the scale of a person, a neighbor." He closing with a tribute to "scribbled" shelftalkers, mismatched chairs that honor "different bodies, different shapes," and booksellers' resilience in the face of present-day "incursions on information," to which booksellers respond, said Gay, with "the best light... the windows books themselves exude." --Neil Strandberg

"Brittaney and Rachelle's story is one for the shelves," The Archive in Mount Pleasant, S.C., posted on Facebook. "We were honored to witness their love celebrated in the most beautiful ceremony and reception, right here in our space. Here's to every page they'll write together--full of laughter, devotion, and the kind of love that belongs in every library."

"It's time to fall in love with a new book." That was the colorful, autumn-themed sidewalk chalkboard message in front of Shared Stories bookstore, Caldwell, Idaho, which noted: "What's top of everyone's TBR? We've got seasonal romance & horror on the brain."

Independent Publishers Group has added four new publishers to its sales and distribution programs:

Ditty Bird, the U.K. company that specializes in publishing sound books for children, mainly interactive musical books that engage children and encourage them to explore the world of literature and melody. Ditty Bird is family owned, and based on company members' experiences with their own kids; it believes in the magic of storytelling and the power of music to captivate young minds. With a diverse catalog of more than 40 books, Ditty Bird has established a strong presence in the global market. Effective October in the U.S. and Canada.

Paizo, publisher of the award-winning Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Tales novels, Starfinder science-fantasy roleplaying game, as well as numerous board games and accessories. In the 15-plus years since its founding, Paizo has received more than 100 major awards and grown to become one of the most influential companies in the hobby games industry. It includes Paizo.com, an online hobby retail store, offering tens of thousands of gaming products from a variety of publishers to customers all over the world. The website is also a portal for Paizo's organized play campaigns and Pathfinder and Starfinder communities. Effective October.

Monstrous Books, a publisher that specializes in horror, science fiction, and fantasy and was founded in 2022 by James Aquilone, editor of Classic Monsters Unleashed and Kolchak: The Night Stalker's 50th anniversary graphic novel. Sales and distribution, effective October.

Crown House Publishing, a small independent publishing house specializing in education, coaching, business training and development, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counseling, self help, mind body spirit, and personal growth. It aims to create highly informative, instructional, fun, and often life-changing books. Effective November.

At Riverhead Books:

Glory Anne Plata has been promoted to associate director of publicity.

Gabrielle Nugent has joined Riverhead as a publicity manager. She was previously a senior publicist at Norton.

Viviann Do has been promoted to associate marketing manager.

The Hidden Seasons: A Calendar of Nature's Clues by Tristan Gooley (The Experiment).

Today:
All Things Considered: Michael W. Twitty, author of Recipes from the American South (Phaidon, $54.95, 9781837291557).

Tomorrow:
Today: Nick Offerman, co-author of Little Woodchucks: Offerman Woodshop's Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery (Dutton, $35, 9780593475263). He will also appear on the View and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

CBS Mornings: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, author of We Can Be Brave: How We Learn to Be Brave in Life's Decisive Moments (Dutton Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9798217113811).

Kelly Clarkson Show: Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon, authors of Gone Before Goodbye (Grand Central, $32, 9781538774700).

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Roy Wood Jr., author of The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir (Crown, $32, 9780593800072).

The Countess of Monte Cristo, a reimagining of the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, has begun filming an eight-part mini-series for TF1 & Netflix. Starring and produced by Audrey Fleurot (HPI), the project's cast that also includes Simon Ehrlacher, Zabou Breitman, Kad Merad, Thierry Godard, Éric Elmosnino, and Olivia Côte, Deadline reported. 

The series is being directed by Djibril Glissant and Leonardo D'Antoni, with shooting taking place in Malta and the Czech Republic. Fleurot is co-producing under Bahia Blanca, the production company she founded with her partner Glissant, alongside Itinéraire Productions, the production house behind HPI.

"This is what will allow me to turn the page on HPI without grieving too much, because I'm opening another one where I'm also a producer," said Fleurot. "I've really followed the project from A to Z, I'm very involved, it's really my baby. I'm excited and it scares me too. But at least if it's not good, I'll only have myself to blame." 

The American Literary Translators Association has released the shortlists for the 2025 National Translation Awards in Poetry and Prose, which recognizes literary translators "who have made an outstanding contribution to literature in English by masterfully recreating the artistic force of a book of consummate quality." 

The winners will be named on November 6 at an awards ceremony during ALTA's annual conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, in Tucson, Ariz. The winning translators receive $4,000 each. This year's shortlisted titles are:

Prose 
The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa, translated from Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman & Sawad Hussain (Restless Books)
Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes, translated from French by Frank Wynne (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) 
A Last Supper of Queer Apostles by Pedro Lemebel, translated from Spanish by Gwendolyn Harper (Penguin Books)
Melvill by Rodrigo Fresán, translated from Spanish by Will Vanderhyden (Open Letter Books)
Sand-Catcher by Omar Khalifah, translated from Arabic by Barbara Romaine (Coffee House Press)
Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated from Mandarin Chinese by Lin King (Graywolf Press)
 
Poetry 
The Brush by Eliana Hernández-Pachón, translated from Colombian Spanish by Robin Myers (Archipelago Books)
Chimera by Phoebe Giannisi, translated from Greek by Brian Sneeden (New Directions)
Document Shredding Museum by Afrizal Malna, translated from Indonesian by Daniel Owen (World Poetry Books)
How to Love in Sanskrit by various authors, translated from Sanskrit by Anusha Rao & Suhas Mahesh (HarperCollins India)
Just Like by Lee Sumyeong, translated from Korean by Colin Leemarshall (Black Ocean)
Transit by Claudina Domingo, translated from Mexican Spanish by Ryan Greene (Eulalia Books)

Chicago native Traci N. Todd is the author of Nina: A Story of Nina Simone (illustrated by Christian Robinson), Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes (illustrated by Shannon Wright), and Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins (illustrated by Eleanor Davis).Todd is also the editor of many books for children, including the The ABCs of Black History (by Rio Cortez, illus. by Lauren Semmer). Todd lives and works in Queens, N.Y. This Is Not a Small Voice: Poems by Black Poets, illustrated by Jade Orlando, is available now from Nosy Crow.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

A gorgeously illustrated collection of poems by Black poets, historical and contemporary, that offers a narrative of love, joy, and resistance

On your nightstand now:

A clock, some dust, and old glasses! I never got into the habit of reading before bed, maybe because I read so much during the day. But I keep falling in and out of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (which I bought on a trip to Ghana a few years ago), and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (which I found in a used bookstore in Hawaii).

Favorite book when you were a child:

When I was younger, I loved a version of The Sorcerer's Apprentice written by Barbara Hazen and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. So many creepy things hidden in dark corners and under stairs! When I was older, I couldn't get enough of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. On a recent trip to New Orleans, I found a copy in a used bookstore. I was staying in the attic room of a bed and breakfast, and just as I got back from the bookstore, the skies opened up into the most terrific thunderstorm--the perfect setting for that book! I read until dawn.

Favorite book to read to a child:

Currently, my book, Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins because I get to sing!

And I love hearing Winsome Bingham read her books Soul Food Sunday and Fish Fry Friday (both illustrated by C.G. Esperanza) to children. Her words have such life on the page but hearing her read them aloud is a whole different experience.

Your top five authors:

Toni Morrison: Her control of language is inspiring, and I'm always thinking about her response to the white gaze.

James Baldwin: I'm so grateful he was a writer. Imagine if he'd kept all he had to say to himself!

Audre Lorde: She loved Black women.

Jacqueline Woodson: I could listen to her talk about writing forever.

Eve L. Ewing: She's from Chicago, too! I admire her poetry and intellectual rigor.

Book you've faked reading:

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. We had to read it for senior English class, and I hated it. I can't even remember why--probably because I never finished it. But I still passed the test.

Book you're an evangelist for:

All the Black Girls Are Activists by EbonyJanice Moore. It helps me feel grounded in my work.

Book you've bought for the cover:

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran. Love the title, love the cover, still have to finish the book!

Book you hid from your parents:

My parents were educators and activists. As Black Americans, they very much believed that education would set you free. They taught my sister and me the history of Black literacy in this country and the government's relentless attempts to criminalize it. For my parents, reading was both an essential right and an act of rebellion. I never had to hide my books.

Book that changed your life:

This is a really hard one! I'm going to say Voltron Force: Shelter from the Storm. It's a graphic novel I edited forever ago that's out of print, but it allowed me to reconnect with "Voltron," one of my favorite cartoons when I was a kid (IYKYK), and it's how I met my partner, Jacob Chabot.

Favorite line from a book:

"Mediocrity is safe." --Nikki Giovanni from Black Women Writers at Work edited by Claudia Tate. Whenever I write, this book is nearby.

Five books you'll never part with:

The edition of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers, that my mother gave me when I was five.

My childhood copy of The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

My first edition of The Mighty Skullboy Army Vol. 1 by Jacob Chabot. There's a scene with a baby bear that still makes me laugh.

My vintage copy of Hezekiah Horton by Ellen Tarry (thought to be the first Black American picture book author) I found in a used bookstore in Maine. 

My vintage copy of I Wish I Had an Afro written and photo-illustrated by John Shearer.

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

Big by Vashti Harrison. That book has a brilliant surprise on every page.

Most vivid memory of reading as a child:

I spent a lot of time alone in the car while my mother ran errands. (This is how I learned to love Elton John, Billy Joel, and other artists on the light rock radio station she usually left playing.) One day, before running her errands, she took me to Crown Books and let me pick anything I wanted. I chose a hardcover: Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary. I was seven or eight, and this was the thickest book I'd ever held that wasn't a dictionary. I remember the weight of it and the orange cover. Mom locked me in the car with the book and went on her way. I curled up in the footwell behind the driver seat and read and read and read.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer (Cinder; Heartless) is a witty, romantic, and satisfyingly gory retelling of "Bluebeard."

Seventeen-year-old Mallory and 19-year-old Anaïs Fontaine are "descended from a long line of powerful witches." Unfortunately, due to a badly botched spell at age 10, Mallory is now "without a drop of witchcraft" of her own; instead, she is dubiously gifted with the ability to see ghosts. Mallory and Anaïs--who hides her own powerful death magic--have been on their own for six years; they run a shop where they perform fake séances and phony fortune tellings to get by. Additionally, Mallory conducts illicit midnight tours through the derelict and haunted House Saphir, where once, long ago, the "devilishly handsome" Count Bastien Saphir (known as Monsier Le Bleu because "his hair and beard were so black... they were said to appear almost blue") brutally murdered his first wife, Triphine.

The night Mallory takes Count Armand Saphir himself on a tour, undercover police threaten to arrest her for trespassing and fraud. But Armand, descendant and lookalike of Count Bastien, is convinced Mallory can cast magic and offers to hire her instead of pressing charges--he needs her to rid his château in Comorre of Le Bleu's ghost, who has been haunting them for seven years. Since the sisters are being threatened with eviction, Mallory demands an exorbitant fee. The sisters, along with the ghost of Triphine, travel to the "sprawling" Comorre château. Mallory and Anaïs set about performing "faux witchcraft" to convince Armand Mallory is capable, but time is short: servants are being maimed and murdered, actual monsters roam the halls, and Mallory has suspicions that Le Bleu's haunting is "very much [her and Anaïs's] fault"--they may have accidentally released Le Bleu during their botched spell seven years ago.

Meyer's bloody, beguiling version of the Bluebeard story is replete with a fraudulent witch, a handsome count, not one but two haunted mansions, four dead wives, and an array of mythical French monsters. The House Saphir is magical, spooky, and romantic and suspensefully unfolds through the actions of feisty characters with unexpectedly excellent comedic timing. Meyer's powers-less witch Mallory exudes plenty of verve and attitude, and readers may well believe she, along with the quirky cast of allies she gathers, is a match for whatever monsters may come her way. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author

Shelf Talker: The House Saphir is a spellbinding Bluebeard retelling, complete with a coterie of ghosts, a gutsy heroine, a mysterious, handsome count, and a satisfying amount of gore.