Opening Day at MPIBA's FallCon

The Mountains and Plains Independent Bookselling Association's FallCon programming began yesterday with executive director Heather Duncan welcoming everyone back to the Renaissance Denver Hotel and Conference Center for the Young Readers' Fest Keynote Breakfast. The first seven of nearly 60 book creators to be featured at the conference discussed the inspirations for their books and what independent bookstores have meant to their lives and their careers.

The popular "Pick of the Lists"--in which publisher reps do rapid-fire presentations of their big fall books and a sneak peek at some upcoming lead spring titles--was filled to capacity at both the morning and afternoon sessions. Lively roundtables of themed discussions, "Conversations with Colleagues," spotlighted such topics as "Community Collaborations" and "Total Compensation." Thirteen authors--of both books for youth and for adults--described their novels at the Feast of Fiction Lunch.

Duncan noted that MPIBA now has the most bookstore members since 2007, the exhibit hall is full, and librarians were in attendance for the first time; 225 people had pre-registered. --Jennifer M. Brown

The first full day of programming began with the Young Readers' Fest Keynote Breakfast, featuring (l.-r.) Dean Hale and Shannon Hale (Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe, Candlewick); Brian Selznick (Run Away with Me, Scholastic, April 1, 2025); Thyra Heder (Nose to Nose, Abrams BFYR); Jorge Cham (Oliver's Great Big Universe: Volcanoes Are Hot!, Amulet); Rex Ogle (When We Ride, Norton Young Readers, March 25). (Not pictured: Michael Sampson, author of Rainbow Bear, Brown Books Kids). (photo: Tori Henson)

MPIBA's FallCon Exhibit Hall Opening Reception, with more than 80 exhibitors, topped off the first day of full programming.

Torrey House Press's Kirsten Johanna Allen chats with Anne Holman from The King's English Bookshop (Salt Lake City, Utah).

Feast of Fiction Lunch authors (l.-r., top row): Jason Stone (The Beauty of the Days Gone By, Saudade Press); Carter Wilson (Tell Me What You Did, Poisoned Pen Press, Jan. 14); Kevin J. Anderson (Nether Station, Blackstone); Elizabeth Lowham (Casters and Crowns, Shadow Mountain); Claire R. McDougall (Mrs. McPhealy's American, Sibylline Press); Sarah Damoff (The Bright Years, Simon and Schuster, April 22); Luis Jaramillo (The Witches of El Paso, Primero Sueno Press/Atria); (front row): Shaylin Gandhi (When We Had Forever, Canary Street Press, Dec. 10); Alexis Castellanos (Guava and Grudges, Bloomsbury YA); Sarah Henning (The Lies We Conjure, Tor Teen); Trang Thanh Tran (They Bloom at Night, Bloomsbury YA, March 4); Amanda DeWitt (The Underwood Tapes, Peachtree Teen, Feb. 4); Ariel Courage (Bad Nature, Holt, April 1) (photo: Tori Henson)

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