Judging Books By Their Covers Via Me in The Lineup

I am on the record, multiple times, telling you all that you can judge books by their covers, at least when it comes to judging the appeal of a book. You can click here to see the many times I have written about covers and using them as a RA Tool.

My most read "covers" posts are here and here. That second one, refers to Lynne Hansen, the top Horror cover artists out there. After writing that post in 2020, I had the idea to do something more in depth about Horror cover artists. Flash forward 3 years to last week when my third (of four) columns for The Lineup this year posted and is all about Horror illustrators.

While my posts here on the blog about covers are geared toward library workers, this piece in The Lineup is written to readers directly.

Below is the intro and a link to the article. You can click through here or in the link after the intro to read the entire article for free.

Please note, while this is specifically about Horror (with perfect timing for your Halloween displays), you can still use it as a guide for any genre. Just physically telling readers that you judge books by their covers is a great conversation starter. It seems illicit and will break the ice as you drive to have conversations about what they want to read and why. Trust me, I do it all the time. It works. Asking a patron what their favorite book cover is, rather than favorite book, gets their attention immediately. It is unexpected and will signal that you actually want to talk about reading experiences.

And a "Judge a Book By It's Cover" display is an awesome idea, just make sure you are double checking that the books you choose for their good cover are also a great read for a wide audience. The whole, "judging a book by its cover" is not as much of a free for all as it sounds. It is a great entry point, but you still need to do the work and make sure the books should be on display for your patrons. \

Here is the article. I chose independent press titles because a lot of the major presses use in house designers. And true to the paragraph above this one, all of the books are a great read for a general audience. I trust the publishers and the content of these books to be added to your collections.

A Librarian Wants You to Judge These Horror Books by Their Covers

Psst…. I have a dark, dirty library secret for all of you. I think we have been doing this column long enough that I can trust you enough to share it with you. Here it is…

I judge books by their covers.

I will give you all a moment to recover from shock, but it is 100% true. And not only do I judge books by their covers, but I train library workers all over the world to do the very same thing.

Now I know all of you probably heard from a librarian or teacher at some point in your childhood, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and I am sure some of you have taken this as fact and carried it into your own adult reading life, even passing it on to new generations of readers. Well, I am here to tell you to forget it.

Why?

Well let’s start with this actual fact: Publishers want their books to have a cover that sells the book to its best reader. They need the cover to do the heavy lifting of attracting readers as they walk by...

But they also want them to be the right readers, ones who if they are attracted by the cover, stop and read the back and then decide to buy the book.

If publishers are putting that much effort, money, and thought into the covers of their books, why aren’t we using the covers to help readers find the best book for them as well? It actually seems irresponsible for me, someone whose job it is to match books with their best readers, to NOT consider the covers. A cover can never tell you exactly what will happen in the book, but those covers created by the very best artists can absolutely tell you quite a bit about the feel of the book to follow, setting the tone for the story that follows.

Which leads us all to this column. Today, I am going to present six of today’s best Horror book illustrators with two example books, titles that you can 100% judge by the superior art gracing their covers. I have spoken to numerous illustrators, authors, and publishers to make sure I have found artists who are both talented and trustworthy.

However, the one disappointment I have encountered throughout this process is the overwhelmingly white and male representation in today’s horror cover art world. In fact, those I spoke to know it is a problem and many have been seeking out more marginalized artists to highlight and support as well. 

Therefore, this article serves two purposes. One: to help you break the taboo and get out there to judge a book by its cover. It’s fun and slightly illicit, and since I have vetted the titles for you, I can promise you that the books will be worth your time. And two: to serve as a call to action for horror artists from marginalized perspectives to reach out, leave a comment, and let us know who you are so the community can help lift you up. Then, as people encounter this article, they can explore your art as well.

Click here to read the full column.

And click here to read all RA for All posts tagged "covers"

RA for All is Off For Yom Kippur

 Back Tuesday.

Use Book Discussion Resources for Any Reader

I love book discussions. I am very invested in helping library workers to do a better job both picking books and being more effective leaders. 

But something I have noticed is that library workers only use book discussion resources for book discussion activities. This realization has me shaking my fist at the sky because you all are missing out by not turning to the best books discussion resources all of the time.

Yes, all of the time. And for all readers.

Why? A few reasons.

1. Trusted book discussion resources vet books before they include them. They pick titles that not only provide fruitful points of discussion, but also will appeal to a wide audience. I treat these resources as a "sure bets" list-- titles that I can turn to in a pinch that I am sure will be enjoyed by most people. To increase those odds, you can use the links within those resources to their most popular titles. It is suggestion and display gold. 
2. Discussion resources provide so much extra information, both things your patrons may be interested in and information that may help you to hand sell the titles. From interviews with the authors to discussion question-- which often identify themes, subplots, and even appeal factors, such as the style of the book, you can learn a lot about who the best reader of these books, or the author in general, may be. 
3. Most book discussion resources have excellent backlist access. They know that older titles are still excellent options. The celebrity ones might be picking new books right now, but their back list is also easily accessible. Any book that was deemed discussable in the last 5 years-- even if the book itself is older-- would be a great option to suggest to a reader right now.
4. Speaking of celebrity lists, they can be an even better resource because those book clubs appeal directly to readers. They fill their sites with interviews-- in print and videos-- and tons of bonus info. While they often pick brand new books, the information doesn't disappear. You can use the celebrity endorsement itself as your conversation starter.

What I am trying to say here is, when you are looking for tested, sure bet suggestions and some help to booktalk said titles to your patrons, book discussion resources should be at the top of your list. AGAIN, use them as a resource without any intention for the person to be in a discussion group-- just as a good read.

Here are my favorite and most trusted book discussion resources:

• Lit Lovers: my first stop for everything book discussion. They have fiction and nonfiction, pages on popular titles, and access by author or title. I regularly visit this site to find "under the radar" or "forgotten favorites" suggestions for some of my pickiest readers.
• Reading Group Choices: They have featured books for Adult and YA titles, popular lists, and editor's choice titles. "Featured" books are never brand new. As a result, I find those titles to be great suggestions for those demanding readers looking for a good read that they wouldn't know about without your help.
• Celebrity Books Clubs: The two I have had the most success with a general audience of library patrons and have a reliable and easy to use website are Reese's Book Club and Jenna's Book Club. However, any celebrity book club can work for the right reader. 

Check these resources out and remember to use Book Discussion Resources for any reader, not just when you need information for book clubs.

New Learn With NoveList Class on Fighting Back Against Book Challenges and News About Robin and My Anti-Racist Program Options

Yesterday Robin and I finished our first year leading the Actively Anti-Racist Service to Readers class for Learn With NoveList. Click here for details on what that class offered. [And click here for the page with all of the ways you can hire Robin and I to train your staff or library system on this topic. ]

We have learned a lot over the last year working with those taking this course. In fact, we have learned so much that Robin, I, and NoveList's Yaika Sabat will be presenting "Anti-Racist Reader Services: Beyond the Basics" a PLA in April 2024. If you are coming to Columbus, we will see you there.

Also, if you are attending NELA in Springfield, MA this October, NoveList and LibraryReads are sponsoring Robin and I as we present our ActivelyAnti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers in 2 sessions (the first, a lecture, the second, all Q and A. PLus we each have a genre session). 

I will also be presenting a brand new keynote for ARRTCon in Naperville, IL on 11/30/23, with my appearance sponsored by LibraryReads focused on countering the most popular excuses Robin and I hear as to why people who claim they want to do the work to be actively anti-racist cannot actually do it. 

[Here is that 60 min keynote in 1 sentence... Stop with the excuses and do the work!]

Speaking of all of these sponsorships, Robin and I actively help you to secure funding to have us train you. We know this training is important, but we cannot offer it for free because we need to paid for our work. But I also wanted to note that we have kept our prices the same for 3 years; however, beginning with all parties who contact us 1/1/24 and after, prices will be going up. Again, go to our Anti-Racist training landing page for current pricing and program details.

Which brings us back to the Learn With NoveList class. It was the best and most cost effective way to have us offer our Actively Anti-Racist Service to Readers training in 2023. You got the full recorded training programs with exercises, padlets to work on issues together and share knowledge, AND 4 chances to meet with us live. Yes it is over, but I am happy to report that there will be a 2024 version. We have recorded he lessons. Stay-tuned for details.

In the meantime, Learn with NoveList has another class you can sign up for in the meantime, a while you wait for Robin and Becky 2024 option-- No More Neutral: How to Champion the Right to Read. 

Angela Hursh is offering the class and she wrote this blog post with more details. I would highly suggest you sign-up for this. And if you do, let them know that you also want to sign up for the 2024 Anti-Racist class with Robina and I and they will work out a deal for you. Contact me if you want me to help you start the conversation.

One thing we have all learned from the class Robin and I offered over the course of 2023, the live meeting option was a HUGE success. Learn With NoveList plans to offer live components to ALL of their classes going forward.  If you click through to the page for No More Neutral: How to Champion the Right to Read, you will see those dates listed, four sessions where you can meet with your fellow learners and ask questions.

I wish both topics were not so crucial to our day-o-day work, but they are. I am proud to be a part of possible solutions though.

Resource Alert: Audio In Depth via Library Journal

 

Since March 2022, Library Journal has committed to focusing on Audiobooks 4x a year. Those features are called "Audio In Depth" and appear in the March, June, September, and December issues. They have created a landing page where you can access not only the most up-to-date reviews sortable by what got stars and in which genres they are classified, but also, the backlist with ease. Literally on the bottom of the page.

It is suggestion gold... right there.. just waiting for you to discover it. Click here now.

Also, as far as I can tell, you can access this without logging in. 

Along with AudioFile Magazine, I would count Audio In Depth as my favorite collection Development and RA resources for audiobooks. Make sure you bookmark both. 

And remember, while these are great resources for audiobook readers specifically, there is a lot of information in those reviews that you can use to suggest the title, in any format, to a potential reader.

Don't let the format limit how you use the resource to help readers.

Booklist's September 15th Issue is Spotlight on Romance

 

The current issue of Booklist contains a Spotlight on Romance. Click here to explore the issue's landing page and start up your digital access which is free with your library's subscription. 

A couple of key resources in this issue:

• Top 10 Romance Novels (Adults): 2023
• Top 10 Romance Debuts (Adults): 2023
• Top 10 Romance for Youth: 2023
• Top 10 Romance Fiction for Audio: 2023
• High Demand Readalikes: Gothic Romance

I also want to remind all of you that my colleague Robin Bradford published The Readers' Advisory Guide to Romance earlier this year and it is a MUST OWN resource for every library. It is in the same series as my Horror book.

Romance and Mystery are the top 2 circulating adult genres at most public libraries in America. Having the most up to date lists and recourses is imperative to doing our job every single day. 

This post is a great place to start helping romance reader right now. You can also use my list of my favorite free  genre resources which is directly available here and also at the bottom of my Ten Rules for Basic RA Service page. 

Click here to buy Robin's book

Using Awards Lists As a RA Tool: National Book Award Edition

This is part of my ongoing series on using Awards Lists as a RA tool. Click here for all posts in the series in reverse chronological order. Click here for the first post which outlines the details how to use awards lists as a RA tool.  

Last week the National Book Foundation released their long lists for the National Book Award. Along with my usual reminder to use these lists and their backlists especially to help patrons in a variety of ways, I want to point out the breadth of categories for this award.

Because it has categories in Fiction, Nonfiction, Translated Literature, Poetry, and Young People's literature, the National Book Award can help an extremely wide range of readers by default.

However, it is not just the range of categories, the nominees in these long lists are also among the most accesible of titles nominated for major awards. The fiction and nonfiction titles, as usual, are solid suggestions for a general audience, they are NOT overly literary or obtuse. And as usual the translated titles are excellent options, especially as interest in translated titles grow and our resources are not keeping up. 

From top to bottom, the books listed here should be owned by every public library and handed out frequently to general readers.

Backlist access of nominees and winners is very easily accessible and pleasant to browse, here as well. Of course, because of the breadth of titles always considered, this backlist access is extremely helpful for displays and suggestions all year long. Combine this with my "American Voices" idea from earlier this month as well.

Use the links above to explore the National Book Foundations' excellent web presence, but for a succinct report on the titles making the long list, click here for PW's coverage.

The National Book Foundation is announcing the 2022 National Book Award longlists this week. Five finalists in each of the five categories—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and young people's literature—will be named October 3. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on November 15.

Fiction 

• Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Pantheon)
• Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal (S&S)
• Ponyboy by Eliot Duncan (Norton) 
• This Other Eden by Paul Harding (Norton) 
• Loot by Tania James (Knopf)
• Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips (Knopf) 
• A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power (Mariner)
• The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen (Holt)
• Blackouts by Justin Torres (FSG)
• Holler, Child by LaToya Watkins (Tiny Reparations)

Nonfiction

• The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk (Yale UP)
• King: A Life by Jonathan Eig (FSG)
• A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Grove)
• The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever by Prudence Peiffer (Harper)
• When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey (One World)
• Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza (Hogarth)
• Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe (FSG)
• We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadeh (Other Press)
• Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant (Knopf)
• I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstructionby Kidada E. Williams (Bloomsbury)

Poetry

• How to Communicate by John Lee Clark (Norton)
• The Diaspora Sonnets by Oliver de la Paz (Liveright)
• Vexations by Annelyse Gelman (University of Chicago)
• Promises of Gold by José Olivarez (Holt) 
• from unincorporated territory [åmot] by Craig Santos Perez (Omnidawn)
• West: A Translation by Paisley Rekdal (Copper Canyon)
• Tripas by Brandon Som (Georgia Review)
• Trace Evidence by Charif Shanahan (Tin House)
• suddenly we by Evie Shockley (Wesleyan UP)
• From From by Monica Youn (Graywolf)

Translated Literature

• The Devil of the Provinces by Juan Cárdenas and translated from the Spanish by Lizzie Davis (Coffee House)
• Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung and translated from the Korean by Anton Hur (Algonquin)
• Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop and translated from the French by Sam Taylor (FSG)
• Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck and translated from the German by Michael Hofmann (New Directions)
• The Words That Remain by Stênio Gardel and translated from the Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato (New Vessel)
• No One Prayed Over Their Graves by Khaled Khalifa and translated from the Arabic by Leri Price (FSG)
• This Is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor and translated from the Spanish by Sophie Hughes (New Directions)
• Abyss by Pilar Quintana and translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman (World Editions)
• On a Woman’s Madness by Astrid Roemer and tanslated from the Dutch by Lucy Scott (Two Lines) 
• The Most Secret Memory of Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr and translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud (Other Press)

Young People's Literature

• Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow (Disney-Hyperion)
• Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow (Candlewick)
• Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick (Simon & Schuster)
• Huda F Cares? by Huda Fahmy (Dial)
• Big by Vashti Harrison (Little, Brown)
• The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine by Katherine Marsh (Roaring Brook)
• Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott (Random House Graphic)
• A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat (First Second)
• Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang (Graphix)
• More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

A total of 496 books were submitted for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. The judges are Steph Cha, Calvin Crosby, Silas House, Mat Johnson (chair), and Helena María Viramontes.

A total of 638 books were submitted for the 2023 National Book Award for Nonfiction. The judges are Hanif Abdurraqib, Ada Ferrer (chair), James Fugate, Sarah Schulman, and Sonia Shah.

A total of 295 books were submitted for the 2023 National Book Award for Poetry. The judges are Rick Barot, Heid E. Erdrich (chair), Jonathan Farmer, Raina J. León, and Solmaz Sharif.

A total of 154 books were submitted for the 2023 National Book Award for Translated Literature. The judges are Geoffrey Brock, Arthur Malcolm Dixon, Cristina Rodriguez, T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting, and Jeremy Tiang (chair).

A total of 348 books were submitted for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The judges are Claudette S. McLinn (chair), Sarah Park Dahlen, Kyle Lukoff, justin a. reynolds, and Sabaa Tahir.

LibraryReads: October 2023

  It's LibraryReads day and that means four things here on RA for All

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about LibraryReads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any LibraryReads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every upcoming book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. Click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month.

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

New in February 2023-- a bonus pick with an annotation by a LibraryReads Board member. See this month's pick at the end of this post. It also appears on the PDF list for printing and displaying at your library.

Now let's get to the October 2023 list.... 

Wildfire: A Novel

Hannah Grace

Atria Books 

This fun summer camp sports romance is a perfect beach read. The characters are complex, and the men (other than the ‘bad guys’) are written to be very respectful of and thoughtful to the women in their lives, whether in friendship or romance. The book is also very sex-positive. Readers who missed the first book in this series won’t feel like they are missing anything, but will want to catch up!

—Jennifer Lizak, Chicago Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky   

And now, the rest of the list:

Let Him In
William Friend

(Poisoned Pen Press)

After the death of their mother, young twins Sylvie and Cassia find comfort in an imaginary friend, but their father begins to worry as things escalate. Grief and the paranormal are central to this book, and the story will leave readers questioning reality. This unsettling gothic read will keep readers turning the pages!

—Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library. MI

NoveList read-alike: We Hear Voices by Evie Green

The Hurricane Wars

Thea Guanzon

(Harper Voyager)

As enemies sworn to destroy one another, Alaric and Talasyn seem like unlikely allies, let alone candidates for a political marriage. This Asian-inspired fantasy series takes all the elements needed for a new world—alliances, royalty vs. rebels, magic powers, a fierce orphan with a secret destiny, and enemies-to-lover tension—then sets them in a world of horrific storms and a kingdom under siege.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, TX

NoveList read-alike: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

The Leftover Woman: A Novel

Jean Kwok
(William Morrow)

A Chinese woman desperate to find with the daughter adopted without her consent makes a dangerous journey to the U.S. Her story intersects explosively with that of an editor eager to recover from a career-ending scandal. Kwok hooks readers with an emotionally gripping story of two mothers willing to risk everything to protect what they love, skillfully balancing perspectives to a riveting climax.

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: Say Her Name by Dreda Say Mitchell

Better Hate Than Never

Chloe Liese
(Berkley)

Neighbors Kate and Christopher grew up together and over the years, snarky comments and shenanigans ensue until Kate flees home. When she returns years later, the animosity between them hasn’t waned. With their families begging for peace, they determine they need to get along. Which they do...too well. Readers will find watching them fall in love to be nothing short of magical.

—Taylor Banze, St. Charles City-County Library, MO

NoveList read-alike: Kiss Me Catalina by Priscilla Oliveras

West Heart Kill

Dann McDorman

(Knopf)

In this twist on the trope of a locked room mystery, a private eye is trapped in an exclusive hunting cabin in the Adirondacks during a major storm with three dead bodies, while finding he is as much a suspect as the rest of the elite set of guests. A great original debut!

— Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library. NJ

NoveList read-alike: The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

A Holly Jolly Ever After: A Christmas Notch Novel
Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

(Avon)

When rule-follower Winnie decides to take part in a steamy Christmas movie, she doesn't have a clue how to perform racy scenes. She asks co-star Kallum, the former chubby goofball member of a boy band, for sexy practice sessions. As the two grow closer, can they get past their issues and have a real relationship?

—Jessica C Williams,Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade

Let Us Descend: A Novel

Jesmyn Ward

(Scribner)
On the long treacherous journey to the New Orleans slave markets, Annis turns inward, speaking to her lost mother and revisiting the stories of her African warrior grandmother. Ward’s fluid prose assists the reader to travel alongside Annis, flowing between hell on earth and the comfort of memory. For fans of She Would Be King by Wayetu Moore.

—KC Davis, LibraryReads Ambassador, CT

NoveList read-alike: Beloved by Toni Morrison

Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Ashley Winstead

(Sourcebooks Landmark)

In this small corner of Louisiana, religion runs deep. As a teenager, the reverend's daughter Ruth becomes summer friends with Everett,and begins seeing the truth through his eyes. Ruth chose to follow the word of the church and stay put while Everett seeks more. However, when a skull is found in the swamp, Ruth begins questioning everything she thought she knew.

—Andrea Galvin, Mt. Pulaski Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: The Toll by Cherie Priest

The Unmaking of June Farrow: A Novel
Adrienne Young
(Delacorte Press)

When her grandmother dies, June worries about falling prey to the family curse of hallucinations, which stole the sanity of her mother and grandmother. When a door opens leading to the past, June learns more about her family and discovers unexpected truths about herself—and her place in time.

—Nanette Donohue, Champaign Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab

Board Bonus pick:

Straw Dogs of the Universe: A Novel

Ye Chun
(Catapult)

Notable Nonfiction: 

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year
Margaret Renkl
(Spiegel & Grau)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

The LibraryReads Hall of Fame designation honors authors who have had multiple titles appear on the monthly LibraryReads list since 2013. When their third title places on the list via library staff votes, the author moves into the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order.

Wreck the Halls: A Novel
Tessa Bailey
(Avon)
NoveList read-alike: All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox

10 Things That Never Happened

Alexis Hall
(Sourcebooks Casablanca)
NoveList read-alike: Season of Love by Helena Greer

Starling House

Alix E. Harrow

(Tor Books)
NoveList read-alike: The Hacienda by Isabel Canas

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date

Ashley Herring Blake

(Berkley)

NoveList read-alike: The Fiancée Farce by Alexandra Bellefleur

The Burnout: A Novel

Sophie Kinsella

(Dial Press)
NoveList read-alike: Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle

My Darling Girl

Jennifer McMahon

(Gallery/Scout Press)
NoveList read-alike: Mothered by Zoje Stage

Authors Defending The Freedom To Read

My colleague Doug Murano, fellow HWA member, author, award winning anthologist and publisher, reached out to me the other day to let me know he was going to speak at his local school board meeting because they have an organized group of book banners.

Here is a link to his speech as recorded at the meeting via X, but since not everyone will be able to watch it, I asked him for his text as well. I have included that at the end of this post. 

But before I send you off to read his remarks, I want to make it clear that this took guts. To put himself on the line as an author, publisher, and local business owner, to out himself as an ally for the freedom to read in a room full of people there to ban books and limit freedom, in a state that grossly ignores is citizens' rights, that is brave. He risked a lot, but he did it because he knew it was the right thing to do. What he HAD to do. Doug is that kind of person.

However, here's the thing. A lot of you think you are that kind of person, but you are not going out to schools and libraries in your area and speaking out as book professionals. Why? I want you to think about that. You live in th town where you work at he public library, go speak at the school. Find a school or library in your region who needs support. 

Also, Tuesday, I had this post about my program for Sisters In Crime, about how authors can work in partnership with their libraries. Another way you can work with authors, it to get them to go speak out as well. They are extremely invested in the freedom to read. Get them to speak out as well. You can use Doug's remark's and his video as a guide.

Finally, I was to thank Doug for doing this and encourage you all to support his company. Order some books for your library or a t-shirt for yourself. Click here for the Bad Hand Books website.

Here, with Doug's permission, is the text of his remarks. 

My name is Doug Murano. I’m a Bram Stoker Award-winning editor and owner of Bad Hand Books, a publishing company I operate here in the Brookings area. Our unofficial tagline is: Books they want to ban from people they want to outlaw. So when I heard that some individuals were organizing to try to get books banned in my community, it got my attention.

I’m here to help Brookings set some expectations as this body reviews and develops the relevant policies. I come before you on behalf of my four children—Rocco, Eva, Luca and Franny, who attend school in this district.

The book I brought with me changed my life. Some of you will recognize the title: IT, by Stephen King. I read it during summer days when I was about the same age as Bill and the Losers Club when they built their dam in the Barrens and later confronted Pennywise.

Had the adults in my life understood the content inside, they wouldn’t have wanted me to read this book. IT features scenes that depict the following: child abuse, dismemberment, racially motivated hate speech, a carnivorous circus clown, graphic spousal abuse, and a pre-teen sewer orgy. This list is not all-inclusive.

None of that sticks with me as much as the lesson of the book’s prologue. And that’s why I brought it. You see, the monster featured in IT, Pennywise, sleeps for 27 years at a time—and wakes up to sow hate and fear once a generation. It eats hate and fear. In the novel’s prologue, the cycle begins when a young gay man, Adrian Mellon, becomes the victim of a hate crime at the hands of the people of Derry—and as a result, becomes the victim of Pennywise.

Why do I mention this? It’s because our Uncle Steve tried to tell us more than 30 years ago that the evil that slumbers in good, small communities—little towns with names like Derry, Maine or Brookings, South Dakota—wakes up at some point in each generation and the first sign of it is often violence and hatred toward our most vulnerable, marginalized neighbors. It’s a relevant lesson.

Despite what a number of those who are in attendance may insist, efforts to ban books don’t protect our kids. In fact, they’re aimed at pushing marginalized individuals further out. To erase their stories, de-legitimize their struggles, make them easy to dehumanize. Physical violence comes easier after that.

I’ll repeat: When segments of our communities are emboldened to silence or harm marginalized individuals, there’s often something much more sinister lurking underneath, trying to find the right time to wake up. We’re seeing it now. It animates much of one modern political movement—including efforts to ban books in our schools.

We can put a stop to it—and help keep it at bay in the future by letting our kids read freely NOW so they can learn important lessons like the one I’ve shared tonight.

So I’m here to say, as an honorary member of the Losers Club in the midst of a generational confrontation: Not on my watch. Not in my community. My children deserve better. Every single child deserves better.

I urge this body to reject calls to ban books.

Hi-yo, Silver.

 

Senate Hearings on Book Banning From Yesterday

Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee hosted hearings entitled, "Book Bans: Examining How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature."

I urge all of you to visit the page for these hearings where you can view the 2 and a half hour hearings and read the written testimony of the those who participated. 

In particular I suggest you read the testimony of Dr. Emily Knox and Alexi Giannoulias. And if you live in or near IL, both will be speaking at ILA Annual win Springfield this October. Click here to register for that.

Look as bad as things are with the systematic and organized attempts to legally ban books, we need to take a moment and realize how important it is that these hearings happened and that all of us can watch the recording and read the testimony with just a click. Take advantage of the free access to important hearings that have entered he public record. 

Also, after the hearings, which not coincidentally featured the state Librarian of IL, 5 more bomb threats were called into IL libraries and two of them were at two of the biggest libraries in the state (Aurora and Schaumburg). 

I waited until today to have this post though so that I could include some of the reporting about the hearings as well. Giving you a one stop shop to pursue both the primary sources and the post-hearings reports. You cannot ignore this no matter where you live. My state has banned book bans and our libraries have been facing bomb threats for weeks now. A few a week. It is unnerving and upsetting to every library worker in the state. No one is immune here.

So again, go to the hearing website and look at the reports below for summaries.

• Courthouse News Service's report on the hearings
• USA Today's coverage
• Chicago Sun Times coverage (2 of the presenters and the head of committee are from IL)
• Because this also is important to schools, here is Education Week's coverage.
• See what the Guardian [UK] wrote up about the hearings
• Click here to run search for more articles about the hearings, including from conservative sources which look at the hearings from a completely different perspective. You need to know both sides here, so click here.

RA for All Roadshow Presents for Sisters In Crime

Tonight, I am joining others who are writers and librarians, like myself, to give a presentation for the members of Sisters in Crime. Unless you are a member, you cannot join us, but really it is not a program for you. However, it is a program you should know about. 

First that program is:

Building Library Relationships that Work 

Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Time: 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm ET

Cost: Free for members (sign in required) 

Description: Libraries, and librarians, offer tremendous opportunities for authors to meet readers and build their readership. In this webinar, three experience librarians and Sisters in Crime National Librarian liaison, Susan Hammerman, will discuss not only the value that libraries provide authors, but what authors can do for libraries, how to reach out to librarians, and tips for building a relationship that benefit authors, libraries, and the communities they serve.

Click here to see the panelists.

Okay, now back to why I am writing about a program I am doing that you can't watch. It is because all of the writers organizations are asking to know how to work with us, like all the time. For example, the HWA Library Committee can barely handle all the requests we have to appear virtually at our chapter meetings. I am regularly meeting with authors to help hem approach their library the correct way.

You need to understand that authors everywhere know that they should work with us but they don't know how to start. They have no idea what the first step should be. Although it doesn't always seem this way with the ones that do contact us, but the vast majority of authors don't want to be jerks and demand we add their books to our collections. They truly wan to have a relationship with us. But we have not made ourselves available in obvious ways.

So, now that you know this, what can you do? I would highly suggest you offer programs at your library for authors but not for them to work with each other, rather host a program where you can meet them, talk about the ways they can help you (offer programs on writing, or based on research they have done, really anything), and how you can help them. Why not even use the title above to offer-- Building Local Author-Library relationships that work.

A program like this will get a lot of interest and may result in some great collaboration and partnerships that will enhance both parties going forward. 

Give it a try and see where it goes. 

Eds note: I did find out you can register if not a member:

"Non-members are invited to register for the webinar; however, you must establish a Guest Non-member account on our site so that you can sign in to register.  Creating your account is a one-time process, and you can sign in with the same credentials for all future webinars."

They are taking registrations through today. Maybe I will see you there. 

Free, NOT TO MISS, Virtual Slate of Library Programs in October

 

Click here to see the full slate of programing

The HWA Library Committee has been working with Wake County Public Libraries since late last year to help them craft a virtual program called, "Nightmares Not Included: A Celebration of Horror Fiction" for this October. 

Before we get to the awesome programming and Horror resources they have made available to all, I want to use this  opportunity to remind every who reads this that the Horror Writers Association Library Committee is there  to help ANY library who contacts us. We will meet with you to discuss what your goals are-- from one program to a month long series, to anything in between. We work with authors and HWA members to help you make connection. All you need to do to get this process started is email Libraries at horror dot org.

I tell you this because this is exactly what Wake County Public Libraries did. When you look at this slate of programming in awe, know that they did the work to market it, make an awesome lib guide, and run the virtual series. This is part of our regular work at libraries; however, the rate limiting step for all of us is connecting with the authors. That's where the HWA Library Committee comes in. The HWA Library Committee will get you the connections, but you need to give all of us time. You cannot email us in July for October. Laura from Wake County Libraries first emailed Libraries at horror dot org on 11/19/22 for October 2023. 

The Library Committee worked with Laura and her team to discuss their goals, get them in contact with people to help them provide the programs, and provide introductions to get the conversations started. I will be clear, Wake County Public Libraries is paying the presenters an honorarium, but it is way less than their official speaking fees because the bookings went through us, the HWA Library Committee. The committee is not just there to connect libraries with authors, but we are also vetting the library and making sure they will make the experience worth the authors' time. We confirm that the library has bought the author's books and makes them available for checkout. We also make sure the library has set up a way for participants to buy their own copies before during or after the event.

On the other side of the equation, the Library Committee also knows which author's will do the best for a library patron audience. We will give you authors that can deliver.  And finally, we will make sure the authors represent the breadth of Horror, both in the way they write and  their own personal identities. 

Now on to this October's series, which is FREE to anyone and everyone who is reading this. First, click here for the amazing LibGuide they have created for the series. There is info about every program and this link to  the books by all of the participants and a link for more Horror titles for those who want even more options. 

And then there is the list of programs. Look at that flyer. And the supporting web page presented as a Lib Guide.

In that online Lib Guide, there is a page for each program. Let's use Sadie Hartmann's Horror Fiction "Starter Kit," which is opening the entire series, as our example. 

When you click through, you get the description you see here on the left from the print flyer, as well as a tab to learn more about the presenter, and an "In the Media" tab with links to interviews and articles featuring Hartmann. Again click here to see that level of detail.

Of course, I would love to see you all at my panel on 10/11 as I have a chat with four Bram Stoker Award winners-- Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Alma Katsu, and Hailey Piper. You can click through for the specific section of the Lib Guide for details. 

Finally, what I love about this series is the breadth of programs they are offering, both in terms of the topics and times of day. Personally, I am a huge fan of the final program, a Saturday morning virtual event. So fun. 

There is a FAQ page as well which notes that these amazing programs are free, but only available live. Again, anyone reading this can register. The library has kindly made these events available to anyone. And they have set up sales through a local book store, Page 158 Books.

I hope you can join Wake County Public Libraries for some of their "Nightmares Not Included" events. Fell free to let your Horror fans know about the programming as well. 

And use their awesome event as inspiration to do your own. It is not out of reach for you no matter how small your library is. And the HWA Library Committee is here to help-- Libraries at horror dot org.

It is too late for this October, but what about April for Halfway to Halloween?