Library Journal Day of Dialog Fall 2026: Virtual, Free, and Features ME

Join us October 22 for our Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Spanning a variety of genres, this free, day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for fall/winter 2026. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more.

And don’t forget the virtual exhibit hall! Visit the booths to download free resources and chat with publishing representatives. 

EVENT HOURS: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET

 

I am going to share the full program below, but please note, there are often 3 concurrent programs. This is all good because all sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date. So pick your first go around faves and then join in after, but you have to register to have access.

Speaking of the schedule, I am doing one of those first sessions:

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Nightmares on the Page
Creepy novels, full of atmosphere, foreboding dread, and shocking scares.

Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Imps! (Tin House: Zando)
Elle Engel, He Always Comes Back (akaSTORY: Abrams)
Eric LaRocca, Brute (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Gus Moreno, If You Think You're Lonely Now (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Tanya Pell, This B Just Won't Die! (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Becky Spratford, LJ Horror Review Columnist

But there is SO much more.  

Go to the main page and you will find everything you need know: full schedule, registration link, another bios, and the sponsors who will be in the virtual exhibit hall. 

I hope to see some of you there.

FULL PROGRAM is below or at this link.

9:00 – 9:30 AM ET | The Exhibit Hall Opens
 

9:30 – 10:00 AM ET | Opening Keynote
Jojo Moyes discusses Three Sisters (Pamela Dorman Books: Penguin Random House), a novel about a family reunion that is by turns comic, tempestuous, heartfelt, and ultimately redemptive.
Moderator: Jill Cox-Cordova, former LJ Associate Editor

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Nightmares on the Page
Creepy novels, full of atmosphere, foreboding dread, and shocking scares.

Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Imps! (Tin House: Zando)
Elle Engel, He Always Comes Back (akaSTORY: Abrams)
Eric LaRocca, Brute (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Gus Moreno, If You Think You're Lonely Now (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Tanya Pell, This B Just Won't Die! (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Becky Spratford, LJ Horror Review Columnist

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Spellbound for Love
A conversation on crafting fantastical worlds with romance, adventure, and high stakes.

Ruby Dixon, Villain Origin Story (Ace: Penguin Random House)
Tzeyi Koay, A Curse Carved in Ink (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Alexis L. Menard, Vices & Virtues (Forever: Hachette)
Lexi Ryan, Night Tide (Deluxe Limited Edition) (Avon: HarperCollins)
Tasha Suri, The Lady of Thorns (Orbit: Hachette)
Moderator: Nicole Gaudier Alemañy, Assistant Branch Manager, Brooklyn Public Library (NY)

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Turning the Page Together
A lively discussion on books worth talking about, perfect for sharing with friends and book clubs.

Karen Joy Fowler, Otter Music (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Elizabeth Wellington Rollins, The Three Graces of Pearl Street (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Nina Michiko Tam, Tastes Like Seeing God (Pamela Dorman Books: Penguin Random House)
Rory Squire, Small Talk (Cardinal: Hachette)
Marisel Vera, The Girls from Humboldt Park (Liveright: Norton)
Moderator: Lynnanne Pearson, Head of Adult Services, DeKalb Public Library (IL)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Nobody Told Me This About Parenting
Experts provide practical, compassionate approaches to raising kids today.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, The Dysregulated Kid (Page Two: Page Two)
Lisa Damour, The Emotional Lives of Parents (Ballantine Books: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Ashley Rayner, Librarian at NORC, University of Chicago (IL)

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Nonfiction Illustrated
Discover culinary traditions, experience a life-changing journey, and reflect upon a tragic moment in history.

Christopher Benson, Framing Emmett Till (Abrams ComicArts - Megascope: Abrams)
Matthew Maxwell, How to Hold a Cockroach (Penguin Random House)
Linda Yi, Let's Make Sichuan! (Ten Speed Graphic: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Alexander Zalben, Host and Editor, Comic Book Club

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Supernatural Curiosity
Explore the museum of lost things, travel to enchanted fairy lands, and encounter ghostly hauntings.

Sarah Clegg, Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Sam Kean, The Museum of Lost Things (National Geographic: Disney)
Margo MacDonald, A Curious Presence: An Exploration of Ghosts and the People Who Haunt Them (ECW Press: ECW)
Moderator: Sarah-Ruth Tasko, Readers' Advisory Librarian - Darien Library (CT)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Culinary Adventures
Discover fresh ways to cook, eat, and feel your best with these four Union Square cookbook authors. From Italian favorites and fiber-fueled meals to the science of flavor and everyday wellness, this panel serves up practical recipes, expert insights, and delicious inspiration for every home cook.

Anna Francese Gass, Instant Italian: 100 Modern Classics—Ready in Under an Hour
Dr. Emily Leeming, Fiber Power: 60 Recipes to Transform Your Energy and Boost Your Health in Four Weeks
Helen Rennie, The Science of Dinner: Lessons in Flavor and Texture with 60 Essential Recipes
Elizabeth Stein, Nourish and Thrive: 100 Balanced Recipes for Everyday Wellness
Moderator: Ron Block, Branch Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library System (OH)

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Novels of Twists and Turns
These mysteries and thrillers range from cozy to creepy and are full of suspense, misdirection, and plot twists.

Tempest Black, Bitter Fruit (Little, Brown and Company: Hachette)
Meg Blakemore, When Harriet Met Homicide (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Lauren Ling Brown, The Inheritance Thief (Bantam: Penguin Random House)
Alyssa Cole, It Takes a Village (Wildthorn: Macmillan)
Rebecca Connolly, Webs of Ink (Shadow Mountain: Shadow Mountain)
Moderator: Tina Panik, Reference Manager, Avon Free Public Library (CT)

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Sea Stories
Nonfiction books that capture the drama and danger of life at sea, with accounts of shipwrecks, science, and tragedy.

Caitlin Doughty, Dead in the Water (W. W. Norton & Company: Norton)
Mark Harris, Deep End (W. W. Norton & Company: Norton)
Ben Rawlence, The River in the Sea (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Decker Watson, The Sinking of The Scandies Rose (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Dontaná McPherson-Joseph, Collection Management Librarian, Oak Park Public Library (IL)

12:25 – 12:55 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

12:55 – 1:25 PM ET | Afternoon Keynote
Join Isabel Ibañez in conversation with St. Martin’s Publishing Group’s Executive Editor Eileen Rothschild as they discuss Witch Dance (St. Martin's Publishing Group / Saturday Books: Macmillan Library Marketing), an atmospheric, historical fantasy where forbidden magic, a deadly mystery, and an enemies-to-lovers romance collide in Renaissance Europe.

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

1:30 – 2:20 PM ET | Enchantment in the Everyday
These books blend time travel, alternate realities, and magical recipes into daily life.

Sarah Addison Allen, Paper Ghosts (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Tabitha Bouldin, Seven Recipes for Second Chances (Bethany House Publishers: Baker)
Emilia Hart, The Enigmas (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Kelly Murashige, Milkiverse (Soho Press) 
Alex Schulman, June 17th (Harper: HarperCollins)
Moderator: James Gardner, Reference Librarian at Clark County Public Library

1:30 – 2:20 PM ET | Make Your World Better
Self-help authors discuss reconnecting with one’s self, focusing on what's really important, and practicing social bravery.

Autumn Brown, Temper (St. Martin's Essentials / Sounds True: Macmillan)
Chris Cleave, Human Again (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Amy Cuddy, Bullied (Harper Wave: HarperCollins)
Jedidiah Jenkins, Go Quiet on the Mountain (Convergent Books: Penguin Random House)
John S. Kruse, ADHD World (New Harbinger Publications: New Harbinger)
Moderator: Emily Bowles, Lecturer in English, Georgia Gwinnett College

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS
 

2:25 – 3:15 PM ET | First-Time Authors
Learn about debut novels that run the gamut from ping-pong to magical party islands.

Renny Gong, Ping Pong Kids (Ecco: HarperCollins)
CJ Green, Record Lows (Cardinal: Hachette)
Jordan Harrison, Miss Archer (William Morrow: HarperCollins)
Ronald Lee Robertson, Goliath (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Raelle Tucker, Obscura (Crown: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Jen Jumba, MLIS, Popular Department Manager, Cleveland Public Library (OH)

2:25 – 3:15 PM ET | The Heart of the Matter
Romance books that celebrate connection, character, and unforgettable love stories.

Liana Cincotti, Don't Be in Love (Forever: Hachette)
Kristina Forest, The Unrequited Love Department (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Roxanne LoMarc, Love and Other Two-Player Games (Haven: Baker)
Martha Waters, Spellstruck (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Julia Whelan, Casanova LLC: Deluxe Limited Edition (Kensington: Kensington)
Moderator: Migdalia Jimenez, Librarian, Chicago Public Library (IL)

3:15 – 3:40 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS
 

3:40 – 4:30 PM ET | The Stories We Carry
Authors share the vulnerability and craft of telling their unique histories in their own words.

Miranda Brown, Dumpling Therapy: My Mother, Chinese Food, and Five Thousand Years of Not-So-Ancient Recipes (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Tamra Davis, Girl with a Camera (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Ana Hebra Flaster, Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town (She Writes Press: Indie Author Project)
Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Both and Neither: A Memoir and History of Gender (or a Haunting) (Doubleday: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Natalie Marshall, Executive Director, Flint River Regional Library System (GA)

3:40 – 4:30 PM ET | Worlds Beyond
Books filled with cozy magic shops, dystopian cli-fi futures, and desert kingdoms readers won't want to leave.

Delemhach, The Dues & Don'ts of Magic (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Sara Hashem, Merciful Carnage (Orbit: Hachette)
Ashley Poston, Elodie and the Dark Lord (Ace: Penguin Random House)
Lev AC Rosen, All Her Potential (Erewhon Books: Kensington)
A.D. Sui, Our Infinite and Inevitable Ends (ECW Press: ECW)
Moderator: Jessica Trotter, Collection Development Specialist, Capital Area District Libraries (MI)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

4:35 – 5:25 PM ET | Fantastic Fiction
From the mountains of Jamaica to the hills of Ireland, these books have stories that defy the ordinary.

Mateo Askaripour, Pure Ox (Dutton: Penguin Random House)
Wiley Cash, Same River Twice (William Morrow: HarperCollins)
Nicole Dennis-Benn, Black Gold (Random House: Penguin Random House)
Mary Beth Keane, Whale Harbor (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Susan Meissner, Somewhere, Something Incredible (Berkley: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Andrea Gough, Adult Services Librarian, Seattle (WA)

4:35 – 5:25 PM ET | Reading the Past
Writers weave historical elements, including the Space Race and 19th-century immigration, into compelling narratives.

Marianne Fons, The Dressmaker of Winterset (Union Square & Co.: Union Square)
Jennifer Galvão, Maria, Maria (Random House: Penguin Random House)
Pam Jenoff, The Society of Forgotten Wives (Park Row: HarperCollins)
Shirin Yim Leos, Of Wind and Dust (The Dial Press: Penguin Random House)
Erin Litteken, Find Me in the Stars (Harper Muse: HarperCollins Christian/Focus)
Moderator: Felicia Humphries, Asst. Director Library Services, Boston Public Schools (MA)

5:30 – 6:00 PM ET | Closing Keynote
Bestselling crime writer S.A. Cosby brings his signature grit and suspense to the Marvel Universe with Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel (Hyperion Avenue: Disney), a thrilling tale of justice and power that pushes heroes to their limits.
Moderator: Ron Block, Branch Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library System (OH)

ALA 2026: Wrap Up Post 1 of 2 (updated 7/1 with Read N Rave Titles)

I usually post in the morning but I needed a moment after being at ALA Annual since Friday and having worked 8 days (and counting without a break)

Today, I am going to focus on the things I did where I can share things you can use. Tomorrow I will write about the Opening and closing sessions and link to a few reports from other outlets.

But I do want to let you know, there are a few resources that will be ready in a week or so and I did have some meetings that will lead to more posts and information coming over the next few weeks.

Let me start on Friday at the Library Insights Preconference. The things said on my panel are all things you have heard before here on RA for All. But I do want to talk about this panel and provide the info from what I am calling the most useful handout of the conference-- Tell me What to Publish: What Librarians Wish Publishers Knew:

What are readers asking for—and what aren’t they finding? In our closing conversation, librarians from across the country share insights from their circulation data, collection development priorities, and daily patron requests. We’ll look at what the metadata is revealing about genre trends and where publishers may be missing opportunities. From urban systems to rural branches, these experts will identify gaps in the marketplace, shifts in reading habits, and emerging categories ready for attention. Designed for publishers seeking actionable direction, this session delivers a rare, unfiltered look at what librarians truly wish you’d publish next.

Ann Lehue, Director, Collection and Metadata Development, Ingram

Christina Chatel, School Library Media Specialist, Boulan Park and Smith Middle Schools

Dr. Corinthia Price, President, International Association of School Librarianship

Stephen Sposato, Collection Development Manager, Chicago Public Library 

Click here for more info on the panelists.  

Ann from Ingram Content Group's Library Services made a two sided handout. One side was a great resource for the publishers. It's on how to  maximize sales to libraries and gives them lots of advice on what we like to see and the resources we use. On the bottom, says, "Libraries rely heavily on reviews for their push casing decisions." After that heading it has the link to all of the journals with their age conus and the link to where they submit for review.

The other side is a document entitled, "Publishing Trends and Gaps" and this is what the panel focused on. I have recreated that bulleted list here for all to see for free, with attribution to Ingram.

THIS HANDOUT IS RA AND COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT GOLD!!!!!

Please click through. These are the areas that are in demand at libraries for all ages. Please look through this list and use it to make displays and pass on to your children department and the people who order books. I am also hanging on to this for my end of the year reports. 

I want to link the info on the handout with a few other things I saw at the conference. Publishers (especially Harper Collins) were making sure to mention all of the titles they were now including in Large Print. There are a lot more than previous years. Also, speaking of HarperCollins, they had an entire section at their booth with the covers of audio ARCs available through Net Galley and QR codes to go directly to them. Here is that page. Multiple formats with ease were everywhere at the conference and I know all of that is great for us.

The woman who was one of the co-founders of the Young Teen Lit movement (also in the handout) was on the panel and talked at length about the issue shared their website: https://youngteenlit.com/. Go there to follow them and the authors and books they recommend. After seeing this panel Friday and was primed to notice the books that are being marketed to fill this gap while I was on the show floor. 

You can also read another report from the day here.

Now on to other things.

I want to thank everyone who came to my signing at the S&S Booth. Many of you said you saw it here on the blog. We had 80 books and I had 1 hour to sign them. I never imaged I would have 80 people come, let alone have one of those EPIC ALA links that has to be split by the booth, but I did. I met so many of you and signed those books in 70 minutes. Thank you all. Here are some photos of the line and me signing that Lila Denning took. And thank you to Melissa Croce and her assistant El. who ran the appearance.  They worked hard all conference. I know this because I went back to offer to help them with other things. 

On Sunday, Lila and I had a huddle (mentioned in this post with links to Lila's quick slide show of 5 Tips for Book Displays). Readers of this blog know what I talked about. We had 20+ people show up for a space ment for 6-8, including someone from a display shelving company. The biggest comments were that it should have been a panel. I agree. Maybe next year we will do that. 

Also welcome to my new readers from that event.

I also attended the Booklist/LibraryReads Read N Rave on Sunday. Booklist now has the blog post up with all of the titles here. Please consider voting for them for LibraryReads.

Finally, I got to see Tananarive Due on her LibraryReads panel, Monday. We were able to hug and celebrate our Stoker Award wins and take a selfie for our wonderful editor Joe Monti. I was so proud to see the room so excited for Due's new book--Mazywood. I have turned in my Booklist review and spoiler alert-- it is great and you can read my pre-review thoughts here. But when she spoke about it specifically, she talked about moving from the pain and trauma of writing The Reformatory and how Mazywood leads with joy. It really does, but I will say, joy for Horror people, maybe not everyone's idea of joy, because it both a novel of early Hollywood and the Black experience in it AND a good old-fashioned 1980s survival monster horror story. 

Here are photos from the panel and of me and Due celebrating our joy! Oh and a bonus pic of me and Lila in the audience (early Monday morning.)

That's enough for today. As I mentioned above, I have somethings to say about the Opening and closing ceremony and my overall experience. I will also link to reports from others.

It's StokerCon Time and I Have Librarians' Day Resources and Links to Watch the Bram Stoker Awards

 

By the time this posts, I will have been in Pittsburgh for two days for Stoker Con, but today is Librarians' Day which I coordinate with my HWA Libraries Co-Chair, Konrad Stump. Click here for the full schedule. We have a lot of great panels. 

This is a live in-person event on Friday June 5, 2026 from 8am-4 pm within the full StokerCon. Anyone with a StokerCon ticket is welcome to come and enjoy our programming but Library Workers are invited to come to just the LD programming and check out our Dealer's Room, the Mass Author Signing, and the Final Frame Film Competition for only $70. 

Konrad and I have made a conscious effort to make this day useful to ALL attendees of StokerCon, but we also use it as a way to introduce library workers to what we offer. Many of our Librarians' Day only attendees have come to enjoy it so much that they attend the full conference each year. 

We expect over 125-50 people in the room at its highest point -- during the popular Buzzing panel which concludes with an ARC giveaway. Konrad has secured over 1,300 ARCs for this. Thank you to all the publishers.

Again, please click through to see the full list of panels, because even if you are an author, we have some of the best panels of the day. 

This year I also have a link to the folder with all of our slides and resources. And, the QR code will be on every slide throughout the day as well. There is a lot of great information here, even for those of you who are NOT joining us. 

Click here to access that folder. Also, save the link because there is a folder there where we will be uploading photos as well.

I do want to draw the attention to everyone reading this to our Get Involved with HWA Libraries Google Form. We are gathering names and emails because this fall we will be starting an official newsletter. We also are reworking the entire HWA website and the Library Committee portion of that will be part of that as well. 

After I collapse tonight night (after the Final Frame Film Competition), I have a couple of panels on Saturday, and then the next time people evil see me in person and on the YouTube Live stream is at the Bram Stoker Awards Ceremony. 

This is free for anyone, anywhere to watch. Not only is WHY I LOVE HORROR a nominee for Long Nonfiction, three of the essays from the book-- by Cynthia Pelayo, Tananarive Due, and Stephen Graham Jones-- are up for Short Nonfiction. If Tananarive or SGJ win, I will be accepting for them. And, many of the authors in my book are nominated across the ballot, some alongside each other int he same categories. 

I am also honored and excited to give the speech introducing our Karen Lansdale Silver Hammer Volunteer of the Year, author and librarian, Sarah Read. 

As directed by the BSA awards show manager (Brian Matthews), I also have an acceptance speech ready if I win, but honestly, to be nominated by my fellow writers is truly a huge honor, something I could not have imagined. It will be a great time. And I bought a new dress!

The entire event is worth watching. It is Horror prom. It is a feel good event celebrating the entire genre. And, at the end of the ceremony, we will be announcing some of the 2027 Guests of Honor. And the names are GOOD! The live stream link is available now for you to set a reminder. Hope some of you see me there.

Join Me and Others at the Library Insights Panel in Chicago on June 26th

For the second year in a row I am pleased to be a part of the Library Insight Summit. From their About page:

Library Insights Summit 2026 - Connecting Publishers & Librarians

Register Today!

LIS is the only conference designed to bring established publishers, author-publishers, and librarians together for a full day of smart, actionable, and future-focused programming.

Spend your morning in targeted breakout sessions for your community—then come together in the afternoon for conversations that matter to everyone working along the path from book creation to reader access.

Scheduled for the day before ALA Annual in Chicago, at McCormick Place, LIS will feature morning breakout sessions for three communities: established trade publishers, author publishers, and librarians. In the afternoon, we’ll bring everyone together for programming relevant to all sectors.

If you work anywhere along the path between book creation and reader access, you belong at LIS! 

Also here is info I received form a marketing email:

At a time when so much of our work happens digitally, there is still enormous value in gathering together in person.

Ideas sharpen.
Relationships deepen.
Perspectives widen.
Inspiration ignites.

The Library Insights Summit was created to foster exactly those moments. It brings publishers and librarians into the same room for practical conversations, collaborative thinking, and the kind of networking that strengthens business relationships and enriches the literary community.

We hope you’ll join us in Chicago on June 26.

Register today at https://libraryinsightssummit2026.sched.com/

This event is only $199 and you get breakfast and lunch. It is the day leading up to the late afternoon opening session of ALA. This means you can join us if you are going to ALA but also, even if you are not.

I will be there all day as an attendee and a presenter. Here are the detail on my panel:

Smarter Marketing for Maximum Library Impact:

As library supply chains and discovery systems evolve, publishers are facing new challenges in getting their titles seen and ordered. At the same time, librarians are navigating a fragmented marketplace to find trustworthy, complete information on forthcoming books. This session brings together marketing and distribution experts to show how publishers can sharpen their strategies, stretch their budgets, and strengthen relationships with this vital audience. Learn how to optimize metadata for library visibility, coordinate publicity with wholesale and discovery platforms, and build long-term awareness among collection development professionals.

I am the moderator and my panelists are:

• Lila Denning: Acquisitions Coordinator, St Petersburg Library System 
• Kaycie Hoffman Blaylock: Library & Resource Coordinator, Alexandria City Public Schools
• Rebecca Vnuk: Executive Director, LibraryReads

I can't wait to share our marketing tips with such an accomplished group of library workers from school to public settings. We are at 10:30, but I urge you to see the entire list of programs available here. As an attendee last year, I can tell you with confidence, that this event is worth your time. The amount of learning, idea sharing, and networking I got in that single day last year rivaled what I got from the entire conference to follow. I think the quote in the image above sums it up perfectly:

"Creates a much needed quiet space to dive deep and focus in the connection of publishers and librarians before the loud and invigorating energy of everything that the ALA Conference is!" 

Please consider joining us, especially if you are a library worker in the Chicago area who doesn't plan to attend the entire conference. I know not everyone can be there every day, but this is a nice option before it all begins.

(Also RAILS libraries, head over to their site to grab your $40 Exhibit Passes and use them on your day off to wander the Exhibit Hall. Also hot tip for all-- I will be at the S&S Booth on Saturday signing copies of WHY I LOVE HORROR. More details soon.)

 As I said, I will be there the entire time, not just for my panel. Maybe I will see you there.

Click here to register now.