Iconic bookstore owner closing downtown Newnan shop after 36 years
Iconic bookstore owner closing downtown Newnan shop after 36 years
Earlene Scott has always loved books.
She is such a voracious reader that by the mid 1970s, she had already read all the books that interested her at Newnan’s Carnegie Library and had to start purchasing new reading material.
At the time, bookstores were few and far between. In fact, the closest one wasn’t really a bookstore at all — it was the book section at Rich’s in downtown Atlanta.
Why should kids have all the fun?
Posted by Wanda in Good Gifts & Ideas on February 28, 2013
Announcing Camp Square Books, May 21 – 24, 2013
Why should kids have all the fun? “Camp Square Books” will kick off in late spring when four notable authors appear in the Oxford, Mississippi bookstore on four consecutive days, beginning Tuesday, May 21, with Bill Cheng and his remarkable first novel, Southern Cross the Dog, which is drawing early comparisons to the works of Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor as an epic literary debut.
Square Books staff members have organized additional events throughout the four day period featuring Oxford writers and educators to create an itinerary of local literary sightseeing, picnics, lectures, hikes, a bus trip to Taylor Grocery and Billy Ray’s Farm, and ample opportunities for participants to rest, read, and regroup at a local bar where they will meet fellow booklovers and, what else, a few writers. Those who register for Camp Square Books will be able to attend all activities, receive signed copies of all four books, and have reserved seating at all events.
Wednesday, May 22, three-time National Book Award Finalist and the bestselling author of 12 critically acclaimed novels, Gail Godwin, will take center stage. Described by John Irving “as a present-day George Eliot,” (and by Richard Howorth as “every bit Peter Taylor’s peer”), Godwin will read from her splendid new novel, Flora – an evening not to be missed. That morning there will be a talk on Southern women writers, and at dinner there will be a chance to hear from Godwin’s editor, Nancy Miller.
Thursday, laugh-out-loud storyteller, banjo-picker and raconteur Clyde Edgerton will present his new book of nonfiction, Papadaddy’s Book for New Fathers, in which he shares his wisdom gained from three decades of fatherhood with other dads, young and old alike. Finally, a Civil War historian will talk Friday morning at the L. Q. C. Lamar House preceding the brown bag lunch appearance of Jeff Shaara, who will conclude activities with his novel about the siege of Vicksburg, Chain of Thunder.
For registration and further information, email camp@squarebooks.com or go to www.squarebooks.com.
Higher education scholarships to available to bookstore employees.
Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation to offer up to $100,000 in higher education scholarships to Bookstore employees
Ann Arbor, MI (February 18th, 2013) – The Binc Foundation is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications from February 18th, 2013 through April 18th, 2013 for the Binc Foundation Scholarship program. The program will offer up to 35 higher education awards totaling $100,000 to eligible bookstore employees, bookstore owners, former Borders employees and dependents of bookstore employees, owners and former Borders employees.
Since 2001, the Foundation has supported the educational goals of almost 500 recipients with over 1.1 million dollars in awards. Now in the twelfth year, the focus on making a positive impact in the lives of bookstore employees and their families extends to all current employees and owners of retail bookstores in the U.S., or their dependents who have a minimum of one year of continuous employment at the bookstore. The bookstore must have a bricks and mortar presence in the U.S. and have a substantial portion of the store’s revenue coming from the sale of books. Eligible employees must be employed directly by the bookstore.
The 2013 program will be conducted by Scholarship Management Services (SMS). The evaluation process will utilize selection criteria including financial need, prior academic success, leadership capabilities, participation in school and community activities, work experience and a statement of career aspiration. If you are interested in applying we encourage you to apply at https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/binc/.
About Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community. Established in 1996, as the Borders Group Foundation the core program provides assistance to bookstore employees who have a demonstrated financial need arising from severe hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Since its inception, the organization has provided over $5 million in charitable assistance.
In 2011, when Borders and Waldenbooks stores closed, the Foundation reinvented itself and expanded its mission. The Foundation increased the reach from former Borders employees and their families to all employees in the book industry, starting with book retailers.
Support for the Foundation’s programs and services come primarily from booksellers. Additional information can be found at www.bincfoundation.org.
2013 WNBA PANNELL AWARD NOMINEES
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BOOK ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR
2013 WNBA PANNELL AWARD
Since 1983, the Women’s National Book Association has awarded one of the most prestigious honors in children’s bookselling. Given annually at BookExpo America’s Children’s Book and Author Breakfast, the WNBA Pannell Award recognizes bookstores that enhance their communities by bringing exceptional creativity to foster a love of reading in their young patrons.
Every year a panel of publishing professionals selects two winners of the award—one a general bookstore and one a children’s specialty bookstore. The store nominations come from customers, sales reps, store personnel, or anyone who has been impressed with the work of a particular independent bookstore. This year’s nominees are:
General Bookstore Children’s Specialty Store
Avid Book Shop, Athens, GA Books and Cookies, Santa Monica, CA
Byrd’s Books, Bethel, CT 4 Kids Books & Toys, Zionsville, IN
Nicola’s Books, Ann Arbor, MI Hooray for Books, Alexandria, VA
Newtonville Books, Newtonville, MA The Bookbug, Kalamazoo, MI
Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA The Voracious Reader, Larchmont, NY
Main Street Books, Davidson, NC Children’s Book World, Los Angeles, CA
Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC
The nominated store puts together an electronic submission with a description of activities, goals, or any contribution to the local community that involves young people and books. Photos, media coverage, letters from customers, or anything else that transmits the degree of contribution can be included in the submission. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2013.
The Pannell Award jurors for 2013 are:
Cheryl Willis Hudson, vice president and editorial director of Just Us Books
Andrew Karre, editorial director of Carolrhoda, an imprint of the Lerner Publishing Group
Lisa von Drasek, curator of Children’s Literature Research Collections, Univ. of Minnesota
Emma D. Dryden, children’s editorial and publishing consultant, Dryden Books
Kelli Chipponeri, executive editor/children’s, Chronicle Books
The jurors will make their decision by late April, and a phone call will notify the winners, as well as all stores sending submissions. Each of the two winners will receive a $1,000 check and a framed signed original piece of art by a children’s illustrator. The presentation of the award will be in New York at the BEA/ABA Children’s Book and Author Breakfast, which draws more than 1,000 attendees.
—————————————————————————————————————————————– Along with WNBA, Penguin Young Readers Group co-sponsors the award. Founded in 1917, WNBA is a national organization of women and men who promote the value to the written word by championing the role of women in the book community and by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information relating to the written word.
LIBRARY BOUND BESTSELLER LIST January 2013
Here is the library bound bestseller list for January and comments from Richard Buthod of Turtleback Books. The more stores and organizations that use this, the more forceful the reminder to schools and libraries that bookstores are part of their success.
Shock of shocks! We have a new number one! Once again one or two huge sales of a title can skew rankings when we are dealing with orders destined for large school systems. Mockingbirds, Gatsby’s, and Shakespeare’s will never go away.
This month we see a return to predictable school titles. The picture books that remain strong are similarly predictable. As you go farther down the list you will find steady sellers for the last fifty years (Mouse Tales, Bread and Jam for Frances, Angus and the Ducks) sprinkled throughout. A mild surprise for me are fairly contemporary titles, hardly classics, that have enduring demand (Into Thin Air, Ender’s Game, Stephen King titles). New titles in current popular series are also strong for us. I am also seeing slippage in 50 Shades of Gray, a phenomenon we knew would end, just not when. It is far from dead, but watch out.
LIBRARY BOUND BESTSELLER LIST January 2013
TITLE AUTHOR ISBN LIST PRICE
Word-For-Word English-Spanish Harper Collins, Eds. 9780606071444 $17.20
To Kill A Mockingbird Lee, Harper 9780881030525 $18.40
The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald, F. Scott 9781417656639 $26.95
Everyone Poops Gomi, Taro 9780613685726 $18.40
The Pillars Of The Earth Follett, Ken 9781417671687 $18.40
The Story Of Ferdinand Leaf, Munro 9780613301442 $13.55
Atlas Shrugged Rand, Ayn 9780613357661 $20.85
The Catcher In The Rye Salinger, J. D. 9780808514039 $17.20
Ender’s Game Card, Orson Scott 9780613824224 $16.00
Big Nate Makes The Grade Peirce, Lincoln 9780606263085 $20.85
Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Holland, Jennifer 9780606235037 $25.70
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Wood, Audrey 9780833598813 $18.40
Romeo And Juliet Shakespeare, William 9781417663989 $16.00
House Of Leaves Danielewski, Mark Z. 9781417709045 $34.25
From Dawn To Decadence Barzun, Jacques 9780613708500 $37.90
Starship Troopers Heinlein, Robert A. 9780785787280 $20.85
To Say Nothing Of The Dog, Or, Willis, Connie 9780613152426 $18.40
Fifty Shades Of Grey James, E. L. 9780606259095 $28.10
Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book Of Animals Emberley, Ed 9781417734023 $17.20
Spanish-English Dictionary
Stories From The Animal Kingdom
Strawberry, And The Big Hungry Bear
How We Found The Bishop’s
Bird Stump At Last
This library-bound best seller list is compiled by Turtleback Books from sales within the month of December to independent and chain retailers, wholesalers, internet sites, and commission rep groups serving schools and libraries. For our catalog of 8,000 library-bound titles, visit Turtleback.com.
#SIBA12: Booklovers at the Beach
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on October 31, 2012
SIBA 2012: Booklovers at the Beach 
Southern … independent booksellers … on the beach. What could be better?
Being a big fan of all three, I jumped at the chance to attend my first trade show—the 2012 get-together of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance in Naples, Florida.
If I had to pick a single word to characterize the weekend of the show, it would be warmth. You might think I’m talking about Naples’s subtropical heat and humidity (and you would be partly right), but my stronger recollection is of the warm enthusiasm of the other bibliophiles in attendance.
The crowd included book publishers, booksellers, reviewers, editors, and fellow authors and readers. Some were newcomers like me; others were old hands. I had the sense that we all shared a love of books, language, creativity, and a strong sense of place.
Among the highlights for me (I’m a little biased here) were the Saturday and Sunday beach walks. With two new beach books on the show roster, organizer Wanda Jewell had arranged for “walking book talks” with authors Carl Hobbs (The Beach Book) and yours truly (How to Read a Florida Gulf Coast Beach). Each tour began in a shadowy mangrove swamp and ended on a breezy sand beach. (Coincidentally, my book includes an aerial photo of the SIBA convention location, including the very boardwalk and beach we traveled.)
A central theme of any beach book is change (“no one ever steps on the same beach twice”), and Clam Pass Beach obligingly proved the point for us that weekend. On Saturday the view featured brooding storm clouds and rhythmic beach cusps. On Sunday a few clouds still hovered, but the tide and surf had wiped away all cusps. The overnight rise and fall of the Gulf of Mexico had instead left the gift of a rich wrack line (drift line) full of seeds, shells, and grasses to explore. We also visited a sea turtle’s nest and chatted with the local turtle patrol.
Other SIBA highlights included many opportunities to
- Meet the friendly people behind some favorite titles (the display table of Rocky Publications and Tim Ohr looked just like my bookshelf at home)
- Connect with independent booksellers, who so vitally link authors and readers (thanks to #siba12, I’ll be participating in next year’s “Ding” Darling lecture series on Sanibel Island—can’t wait!)
- Discover new publications (I’m currently reading Air by William Bryant Logan and looking forward to forthcoming Florida goodies from National Geographic Maps)
- Be inspired by creative marketing (the University Press of Florida was giving away little boxes of cereal—can you figure out why?)
- Start drafting my holiday shopping list (there will be a definite book-vibe going on this season)
- Spend a few days in the company of like-minded community (I’m just sorry I missed Sunday’s flash mob)
After all that, could there be a downside? Well, just a couple—sort of. With so many intriguing titles on display, I came away with a severe case of book envy. My ever-growing wish list now includes many more pounds of new books.
Field and travel guides are a particular hazard. My current bugaboo is The Living Gulf Coast by Charles Sobczak, who welcomed visitors to the Indigo Press table. This book is a lush, irresistible invitation to roam Southwest Florida’s natural places. Daily now I am tempted to trade the white glow of my iMac for some fresh Florida sunshine.
Such are the perils of SIBA.
Nevertheless, I heartily encourage other authors, new and seasoned, to visit with SIBA if you can.
… which leads me to I wonder, can I finish How to Read an East Florida Beach in time for a #siba14 Daytona Beach book walk?
I’d better get back to work.
Tonya Clayton is the author of How to Read a Florida Gulf Coast Beach: A Guide to Shadow Dunes, Ghost Forests, and Other Telltale Clues from an Ever-Changing Coast (Southern Gateways series, University of North Carolina Press, 2012). She thanks SIBA and UNC Press for providing the opportunity to participate in #siba12.
A. G. S. Johnson Shares #SIBA12 Experience
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on October 31, 2012
Yes there really is something called ‘southern’ hospitality
Their reputation had preceded them. I’d heard the (SIBA) Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance put on the best conference in the country. Now I have not attended many of the others but I came away from Naples, Florida feeling so welcomed by the group that gathered there for their annual get together. I met so many nice people, all of whom expressed a genuine interest in my novel, despite the snowy cover that does not speak of the South, and the chilly story of The Sausage Maker’s Daughters within. Was it that they accepted me as a southerner myself, albeit one from Southern California whose story takes place in Southern Wisconsin?
No I think it is just their way: graciousness, openness, and sincerity in action. Kudos to the entire organization!
I’m hoping my dubious southern roots will enable me to return, and that SIBA will eventually adopt me as one of theirs.
#SIBA12: Oreos, Paper Bags and Bibliophiles
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on October 2, 2012
Oreos, Paper Bags and Bibliophiles
A Debut Novelist Reflects on SIBA 2012
I arrived at SIBA 2012 in a near-comatose state, the inevitable result of cramming international travel, two full days at the arts nonprofit where I work, taping a TV show three hours’ drive from home, and travel to Naples into a five-day period. By the time I reached SIBA, I was operating on pure adrenaline—and not nearly enough caffeine.
Then I arrived, and was revitalized … not by a fancy Frappuccino, but by the intoxicating, giddy sensation of being surrounded by an abundance of fellow bibliophiles.
I’d been to SIBA before—years ago, in Atlanta—but in a much different capacity. That time, I’d been staffing a booth, representing the small publishing company where I served as editor. This time, I was there as an author, promoting my debut novel, THE MEMORY THIEF (Ballantine Books, August 2012). I felt like I’d fallen through the rabbit-hole, and woken up in Wonderland.
I know that, in these digitally dominated, penny-pinching days, attendance at traditional conferences is increasingly being supplanted by virtual participation. And if all you’re after is information, then sure, I guess that does the trick. But if you want to build relationships and get to know people, in my humble opinion there’s no substitute for looking them in the eye—or making a fool of yourself in front of them as you struggle to guide an Oreo cookie from your forehead to your mouth, without using your hands (note to self: not a future career path; thanks a lot, Writers Block Games).
But I digress. Simply put—to all the folks who claim that, in the second decade of the 21st century, in-person connections are overrated, I reply: Bah Humbug!
As proof, I offer up ten events that transpired as a direct result of my participation in SIBA 2012.
- En route to Naples, I persuaded a random woman in the Charlotte airport to download my book to her ereader. (What can I say? I am shameless.)
- At the Moveable Feast, I met fellow North Carolina author Marybeth Whalen (The Guest Book), who kindly invited me to participate in an October event at Park Road Books in Charlotte, also featuring NC author Erika Marks (The Mermaid Collector).
- Veteran author Melanie Benjamin (also published by Random House) graciously spent an hour with me in the hotel bar, sharing her writerly wisdom as she sipped a grownup drink and I gobbled fish tacos in a most undignified manner. To say I am grateful would be an understatement.
- University of Central Florida professor and book festival organizer Susan Wegmann generously invited me to participate in the 2013 UCF Book Festival.
- The lovely folks at the Charlotte Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association asked me to be a part of their October BIBLIOFEAST event.
- I met the enthusiastic and fabulous PR mavens of JKS Communications … who are now organizing my blog tour. I am so excited to be working with them, and who knows whether we would have found each other, were it not for SIBA?
- JKS Communications connected me with author and literary activist Jenny Milchman (whose debut novel, COVER OF SNOW, will be released by Ballantine Books in January) … and Jenny invited me to participate in her Montclair, NJ literary series, Writing Matters.
- I had the chance to shake the hands of some of the wonderful people who advocate for my novel at Random House, and thank them in person for all of their hard work.
- Ditto the many fabulous independent booksellers I had the good fortune to meet—on the trade show floor; around the tables at The Moveable Feast; while stacking red plastic cups into an improbable pyramid at the Writers Block Minute to Win It Games (see the Oreo incident, above).
- I discovered that I possessed a hitherto unrecognized talent: picking up a series of increasingly small paper bags off the floor with my teeth at the selfsame Writers Block Games, all for the sake of a raffle ticket. (Let us never speak of this again.)
From the absurd to the sublime, none of the above would have happened if I hadn’t been given the opportunity to attend SIBA 2012. To Wanda Jewell, Nicki Leone and all the rest of the SIBA crew—a heartfelt thank you.
Emily Colin is the author of THE MEMORY THIEF (Ballantine Books, 2012). She can be found skulking about on her website, www.emilycolin.com, and on various social networks as the spirit moves her.
Leslie McGuirk Shares her #SIBA12 Experience
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on October 1, 2012
Being on the panel at the SIBA trade show in Naples, FL gave me a rare perspective on the inner workings of other 
authors and illustrator of children’s books. Those of us in the profession rarely meet each other since our work involves a lot of isolated time in our studios. We got to share our delights and joys and ups and downs of our magical profession with an audience of our biggest appreciators, independent bookstore owners. It is rare to have an open dialogue with people who know and believe in the work we do. For sure we should have more exchanges like this in the future. I believe creative people have a lot to share. We are by nature isolated storytellers. I think anyone who owns a bookstore is a lover of tales . Perhaps meeting more of us in the creative trenches would add new ways to get buyers excited by books. After the panel discussion, I was truly touched by how many buyers came to my book signing and wanted to know more about my new book, The Moogees Move House. I think SIBA people are passionate about creativity and books and I was deeply appreciative of their enthusiasm.
Lady Banks Bookshelf
