Library Reads: November 2018

Well, my months of nudging you to vote for more diverse reads has worked. This month is the most inclusive list yet! As I said last month:

We need to keep finding inclusive titles, under the radar titles, titles that even we didn’t know about before giving them a try. Please look for books that could use the boost that Library Reads can give a title that your colleagues might not know about without that vote, especially more inclusive titles. 

Here you can find a link to a database by library professionals who are going through the digital ARCS and screening titles for you to choose from. Please consider starting here, not with the latest, imminent bestseller. Seriously, if you want to help, start at those databases, start by reading those titles. Try something new and if you like it, vote for it. 

Don’t start with a book you already know you are going to like. That is the worst thing you can do. We are trying to broaden everyone’s horizons-- patrons, yes, but also the publishers. We want to show them that more inclusive titles will resonate and sell. But, we need to start with ourselves first.

Keep it up. Good job.

But I also don't want you to spend too much time patting yourselves on the back because the reason this list is finally reaching truly inclusive levels is because of the work the Library Reads Steering Committee has done to improve the list.

One of the nagging problems with the list, especially after 5 years, is that the same authors were showing up over and over again, but last month Library Reads solved this problem by creating a Hall of Fame. This month there are 4[!] HoF authors [see below for details]. These are huge authors that library workers love and patrons love too. I get it that people are excited that Louise Penny et all have a new book coming out. Since Library Reads couldn't convince people to stop voting for these popular authors, they found a way to honor these authors but keep the list truly more about identifying more under the radar titles that no one would know about without us. 

Here's the thing though....without that HoF list, 4 of these titles wouldn't be here, and the number one title, a book I have had on hold for months, would not have been number 1. Actually I don't know this for sure, but looking at the HoF, I am going to make a very educated guess that they would have taken many of the top spots.

I am so proud of Library Reads for finding a way to keep the integrity of the list but allow more voices to be included.  But, now we need to keep up our end of the bargain and keep voting for titles that are less well known that we are excited about.

And now, the list...
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Today is Library Reads day and that means three 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 Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads 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.

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.

Also, please remember to click here for my Library Reads 101 recap for everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month.

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November 2018 LibraryReads

Don’t miss the November 2018 Hall of Fame Winners! Scroll down or visit the Hall of Fame page.

My Sister,the Serial Killer:
A Novel

by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Published: 11/20/2018 by Doubleday
ISBN: 9780385544238

“Nigerian nurse Korede puts up with so much from her sister Ayoola (the serial killer). Braithwaite tells a dark, lively, and funny story of how begrudgingly cleaning up after someone else’s deadly habits is just one of those things one does for family. For fans of satirical humor.”

Lisa Hoffman, Bloomfield Public Library, Bloomfield NJ

The Adults: A Novel

by Caroline Hulse

Published: 11/27/2018 by Random House
ISBN: 9780525511748

“Divorced couple Claire and Matt devise a terrific idea for Christmas: spend it at Happy Forest Holiday Park with their new partners and their seven-year-old daughter Scarlett (and her imaginary friend). Hilarious and heartrending, this debut novel asks the age-old question: ‘What could possibly go wrong?'”

Todd Krueger, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD

The Best Bad Things: A Novel

by Katrina Carrasco

Published: 11/6/2018 by MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 9780374123697

“Alma is a cross-dressing, bisexual, half-Mexican, badass woman who goes undercover in this historical fiction story set in 1887 Washington state. She lives life on the edge with gusto and nerve. An enjoyable ride for readers who like a fast-paced story and don’t mind graphic content.”

Joseph Jones, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cuyahoga, OH 

The Colors of All the Cattle: No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

by Alexander McCall Smith

Published: 11/6/2018 by Pantheon
ISBN: 9781524747800

“Each new book in this series unwraps another layer of the lives of the minor characters. Along with solving the requisite mystery, Precious delves into local politics and comes to rely more on her family and friends for their input. A charming addition to this heartwarming series.”

Fran Hegarty, Peabody Institute Library of Danvers, Danvers, MA

Empire of Sand

by Tasha Suri

Published: 11/13/2018 by Orbit
ISBN: 9780316449717

“A modern take on the classic Disney tale of Mulan, this fantasy-adventure story features Mehr, a governor’s daughter who wants to make a name for herself and is passionate about saving the lives of those in her kingdom. Mehr’s unique magical powers make her a target and give the classic storyline a new twist.”

Megan Marong, Lackawanna Public Library, Lackawanna, NY

How Long ‘Til Black Future Month: Stories

by N. K. Jemisin

Published: 11/27/2018 by Orbit
ISBN: 9780316491341

“This first short story collection from the most celebrated speculative fiction author of our time features her signature blend of sharply observed, provocative tales of magic steeped in realism and social commentary. Both SFF fans and adventurous readers of genre-blending literary fiction such as Station Eleven and The Underground Railroad will find much to admire.”

Annabelle Mortensen, Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL

The Kinship of Secrets

by Eugenia Kim

Published: 11/6/2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9781328987822

“A sweeping, historical, family saga in which two sisters are separated during the Korean War. One is raised in the United States and the other in South Korea. For fans of Pachinko.”

Cat Ng, Palm Beach County Library System, Wellington, FL

A Ladder to the Sky: A Novel

by John Boyne

Published: 11/13/2018 by Hogarth
ISBN: 9781984823014

“Enter the disturbing world of high stakes publishing and meet an author so twisted and unscrupulous you will beg for justice. For readers who like an unlikeable character and sardonic tone.”

Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX 

Newcomer: A Mystery

by Keigo Higashino

Published: 11/20/2018 by Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250067869

“Newly transferred Tokyo Police Detective Kaga is assigned a baffling murder. The story is told almost entirely through the perspective of people he interviews, gradually revealing the puzzling who, how, and why in this mystery. For fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and Columbo as well as lovers of international crime novels.”

Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, Yakima, WA 

Someone to Trust: A Westcott Novel

by Mary Balogh

Published: 11/27/2018 by Berkley/Jove
ISBN: 9780399586101

“Love defies societal expectations in this historical romance set in the Regency period. For fans of Tessa Dare and Amelia Grey.”

Kathy Setter, Indianhead Federated Library System, Eau Claire, WI

Four HoF Authors this month

Kingdom of the Blind: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

by Louise Penny

Published: 11/27/2018 by Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250066206

“Gamache tries to understand why someone connected to a mysterious will is killed, while he and Beauvoir race against time to stop a deadly shipment of drugs from hitting the streets. Penny digs deep into her familiar characters in what may be her most personal book.”

David Singleton, Charlotte Mecklenberg Public Library, Charlotte, NC 

Night of Miracles: A Novel

by Elizabeth Berg

Published: 11/13/2018 by Random House
ISBN: 9780525509509

“An equally delightful follow-up to The Story of Arthur Truluv. A heartwarming tale of life in a small town with an ensemble cast of likeable characters.”

Claudia Silk, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT

Nine Perfect Strangers

by Liane Moriarty

Published: 11/16/2018 by Flatiron Books
ISBN: 9781250069825

“Can ten days at a special health resort change you forever? Can you lose weight, gain inner peace, become a better you? Nine people are thrown together at a remote health resort, with intriguing developments.”

Jennifer Ohzourk, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO

Past Tense: A Jack Reacher Novel

by Lee Child Published: 11/6/2018 by Delacorte Press

ISBN: 9780399593512

“Another home run from Child. While visiting his father’s birthplace in New Hampshire, Reacher can’t help but intervene when a member of a local gang attempts to assault a waitress. He soon uncovers more suspicious happenings in the town. Fast-paced, great plot, and compelling characters.”

Laura Scott, Park Ridge Public Library, Park Ridge, IL

ILA Annual Conference: Info On My Presentations Today

Today I am part of two presentations at my state library conference and both are focused on staff training.

Below I will have the information from the conference website and the details on what we will be covering. If you would like to download any slides or handouts, no matter where you live, go to the online conference program, put "Spratford" in the Speaker's Last Name Box," and hit search. This will bring up the page you need.

Now, here is what you can expect today.

First up:

Not only have I been a participant at 15 years worth of inservice days as a worker, but I have now been to dozens more as a presenter. Throughout my travels I have witnessed some amazing staff training going on at different libraries.

I wanted to let others get the chance to see the innovative, inspiring, and just plain fun staff training going on at libraries right here in our state. I invited people I was inspired by to present with me own order to inspire more library workers to rethink their own staff training models.

From the planning email I sent the group:

•  I will start with a general overview of what we are trying to accomplish-- presenting a variety of outside the box staff training ideas that will inspire staff to be better at their jobs. 

• I would like Brandon to go first because he is going to talk about how they restructured their Staff Day at Wauconda. 

• Then Jeannie will talk about a variety of staff training and self care sessions she has organized as the Executive Director at two libraries.

• Laurel will be up next to talk about the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training that is an ongoing continuing education program at Skokie

• Finally, I will talk about how getting everyone at your library excited about your core business [reading!]-- no matter where in the building they work-- improves job satisfaction, customer service, and builds teamwork.

 Next up in the same room immediately after:

This presentation is one that Alissa Williams and I came up with together. Alissa was excited about  sharing the results from the training I provided for the Peoria area adult services librarians a few years ago, and asked me if we could to gather a few other libraries here in IL who I had worked with to present.

After Alissa brought the idea up, I immediately realized that while I give similar training programs everywhere I go, the outcomes for the libraries are very specific to their needs.

I asked libraries who had me offer training for different reasons and who had positive outcomes to come and share their experiences. It is amazing how similar presentations can yield such different results when libraries take what they learn and run with it. I think these presentations will inspire you just as they have inspired me.

Here is what we have planned for this program:

• I will serve as emcee, explaining the general idea of the training I provide and then introduce each panelist from my perspective-- why they asked me to be there.
• Alissa Williams from Morton Public Library will be up next. For Alissa, I was asked to do a "train the trainer" type event. She gathered library workers who do RA from all over the Peoria area in order for them to both bring back specific ideas to their individual libraries and to encourage them to keep meeting and sharing ideas across the region.
• I presented in the morning as part of an entire in service day for Terri Suda at Wauconda Area Library. Terri has had amazing results in terms of their growth of RA service offerings and buy in from staff from all over the building, across all departments.
• Nancy Castellanos had me do Booktalking training for her staff at Fountaindale Public Library. I saw the entire staff in 2 shifts. This was part of a morning only training session where the other half, when not with me, were with my colleague Jez Layman, hearing about how to upsell their programs. So basically, all of their training was focused on how to be better at talking with patrons in general- not just RA.
• Finally, Emily Compton-Dzak from Winnetka-Northfield might have had the most daunting challenge ahead of her. Emily's library was going through an huge renovation when I visited them. Not only was the building going to look different, the staff was going to be reorganized. For example, every circulation clerk was getting a promotion and would be expected to provide RA. I came to work with staff who had been doing RA and those who would now be required to do it. The session was both for team building and learning, and now, Emily will share their results in the new building with their new RA focused attitude.

I can't wait to be a part of these programs today. Sharing each library's successes for our colleagues, especially because these are all successes in motivating and energizing staff, is going to be a great experience for everyone. Staff training does not have to be boring and useless, and I am going to spend 2 hours proving that to you today.

Library Reads Favorite of Favorites Voting is Now Open [Until 10/15]

One of the most frequent reasons I hear form library workers as to why they do not participate in Library Reads is that they do not have time to read ahead and that they are not comfortable voting for a book they haven't read completely. First of all, don't worry about finishing any pre-pub book. Library Reads is about sharing the excitement you have about an upcoming title. You can read the beginning and skim a bit to know if you are excited to read the entire book. That's what you are voting for...the excitement. You are not judging that title, "THE BEST BOOK THIS MONTH." The Second, there is one time of year you can participate without having read ahead-- the Favorite of Favorites list! See the directions below and here from Library Reads on how you can vote for you favorite books that made the list between 10/17 and 9/18. Chances are you have read many of these by now. And this voting doesn't require using another platform either [the second most frequent reason people tell me the do not vote]. It is just a Survey Monkey. So no more excuses. Get to it and vote. If nothing else it is good practice for Election Day next month.

It's time to vote for your Favorite of Favorites! Hey there, LibraryReader! The Favorite of Favorites long list is awaiting your vote! We are celebrating our fifth year of reading and recommending great titles by inviting library staff to vote on their favorites from the October 2017 through September 2018 lists. Remember, anybody who works in a public library in the United States can vote in this poll! This is the first round of voting so be sure to make your vote count by clicking on the link below by October 15th! Click the link below to vote! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/favorites1718 The short list will be announced on October 20 and the final winners will be announced on December 1st! Thanks for voting in our Favorite of Favorites poll! Please vote by October 15th. Happy reading!

RA for All Roadshow Visits Bucks County [PA] Free Library

I am a little more excited than usual for my appearance today. Why? Well, I am returning to my personal homeland for this one.

I grew up across the river from Bucks County and this system is my Aunt and Uncle's home library. While in town for this in service day I will see many family and friends, stay in homes, not hotels, and eat home cooked meals. 

I am also excited because Bucks County does an in service program that I am starting to see more and more often. They model their staff training day on a conference experience. This means the group is together for 1 large keynote but otherwise, staff can choose what sessions they attend throughout the day. This allows the system to offer more personalized training to their employees. It also allows people from the same departments to be in two [or three or more] places at once if they need to since they can send different people to different sessions.


Today is also the start of a VERY BUSY week. I will return from Bucks County and head straight to Peoria for the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference Tuesday-Thursday. Figure no post tomorrow [Tuesday] and then Wednesday will be the info for my 2 presentations that day with Thursday and Friday's posts being a recap of what else I did and learned at the entire conference. Of course, the horror blog will be going every day too.

But that is the rest of the week. Today is today. Let's do this, Bucks County [with slide access for all].

Today's Schedule:

9-10:15 am: RA for All: Readers Advisory belongs in every library, no matter its budget. The implementation of this vital service is the responsibility of every staff member-- from pages to directors, from those behind the scenes to the ones on the front lines. This program will remove the mystery behind providing great RA service. Using her “Ten Rules of Basic RA Service” as a guide, Becky Spratford will use your own love of your favorite books to show you how to help any patron find their next great read. It's not as hard as you think. But more importantly, you will learn why a staff that can harness the power of sharing a great read will become a stronger team and improve service to all patrons.

• This talk follows Becky's 10 Rules of Basic RA Service

10:30-11:45 am: Booktalking Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town: Booktalking is at the heart of what we do with patrons each and every day at the public library. Whether we are sharing books informally at the services desk, presenting a prepared list of books, or posting information online, talking about books is something we do each and every day. It is a core service, but it is also hard to teach. Booktalking is more of an art than a skill, but with the right guidance and some practice, it can go a long way toward engaging your patrons and re-energizing your staff. Join experienced Readers’ Advisory Becky Spratford as she shares the secret behind delivering great book talks, giving you tips and tricks you can begin using right away to hone your own skills. Rediscover the power and joy that comes from sharing books with patrons.

• Slide access here

1:30-2:45 pm Demystifying Genre: Nothing is scarier than trying to help a fan of a genre you yourself don’t enjoy. You want to help that, for example, Romance reader find the perfect book, but you are having trouble knowing where to begin because...eek!... you don’t read Romance. You are afraid they will find out you are a fraud. How can YOU possibly help THEM?!? Never fear, in this program, Readers’ Advisory expert, Becky Spratford, will teach you the basic appeals of the major genres, give you the inside track on what a fan of that genre is most drawn to, and provide you with talking points to get your genres readers to tell you what they want. You will leave this session with the confidence and skill to help fans of every genre, regardless of whether or not you have ever read a book in that genre yourself. And that will leave a trail of happy patrons in your wake.

• Slide access here

3-4:15 pm: Ask Becky Anything: Now is your chance to ask RA expert Becky Spratford anything about how to work with leisure readers. What are your fears, frustrations, and obstacles. This session will be recorded for all employees to access later. Click here for an example of how one of these sessions went previously.

Kelly Link is a Genius!

Today the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grants were announced and author Kelly Link was among the recipients. From their site:

Kelly Link is a short story writer pushing the boundaries of literary fiction in works that draw on genres such as fantasy, science fiction, and horror while also engaging fully with the concerns and emotional realism of contemporary life. The worlds of her stories are recognizably based on reality but governed by idiosyncratic, internal logics. The elements of the surreal and fantastic that emerge without explanation are by turns unsettling, heartbreaking, and hilarious. 

The familiar tedium of low-wage retail jobs, for example, is considered in the context of 24-hour convenience stores for zombies (“The Hortlak”), and a couple’s attempt to revive their marriage by moving to a house in the country fails, due to complications posed by giant bunnies and the haunting of household items (“Stone Animals”). Many of the stories collected in Get in Trouble (2015), Link’s most recent volume, take place in social landscapes marked by deep social and economic inequality. In “The Summer People,” teenage Fran faces a life of limited opportunities both because of poverty and her forced servitude to magical fairy-like creatures. She escapes on morally ambiguous terms, deceiving a classmate from an upper-class family into becoming the new captive caretaker. “Valley of the Girls” explores the consequences of excessive wealth from the perspective of the privileged. Teenagers of the very rich are protected from kidnapping and their own potentially bad choices by having body doubles act as their public “Faces.” The nonlinear structure of the story obscures the major relationships among the real teenagers and their “Faces” until halfway through the story, when with a single sentence Link clarifies the identities of the characters and the inevitable tragedy of the story’s ending. 

Link is committed to helping other writers chart their own course, much as she did; with her husband, Gavin Grant, she runs the Small Beer Press, which publishes unique voices in fantasy and literary fiction that do not appeal to commercial publishers. As a writer and an editor, Link is mapping new literary territory, and she is a source of inspiration for many young writers dissatisfied with traditional distinctions between genres.

I love both Kelly's work and Small Beer Press. This is wonderful news for her, but also illustrates that the trend of genre blending, especially literary fiction incorporating speculative fiction genre elements, is still going strong. You need to make sure you are aware of it.

Here is the link to the dozens of times I have mentioned Kelly Link on this blog to help get you up to speed on her and the many other authors who write like her.

I am so excited to see what she will be able to do with her original and exciting work and the press now that she has the money to really focus on her creative work.

Please click here to see all of the grant recipients. Congrats to all. And yay for all of us who will get to see more from all of these amazing people now that they can focus on their genius.

Finally, thank you to the MacArthur Foundation for giving your money to people who can decide how to use it to make the world better through their creativity.

Panorama Project Wants You

As I mentioned briefly in this post "...the Panorama Project,... is a large-scale, data-driven research project focused on understanding the impact of library holdings on book discovery, author brand development, and sales."

Well, that Panorama Project is finally launching and they have created a Readers' Advisory Impact Committee as part of it's work.  

And even better....I know the three people who they put in charge to facilitate this committee and I can tell you, this entire project is serious because they are GREAT RA people [they are also great people in general]. 

But let me back up.  First you need to even know why you would care about this new initiative. Basically, this project is going to attempt to do the first real study on how library use effects book sales. We have had anecdotal evidence that people who use the library buy more books, but now, libraries are going to try to prove it.

We need this data to help us stave off budget cuts. If the publishers are behind us, they will lobby for us. This is very important. People all over the country are asking why their tax dollars need to go to libraries. Some are already seeing major cuts. We need unconditional support from the publishing companies [and not just their library marketing teams], and the best way to get that is by proving with hard data how much money we make them.

Here is the official word from the Panorama Project from their extensive site:

Click here to read it

I know the Panorama Project will get to the bottom of how much public libraries help book sales because they are looking at the entire picture of what we do to help increase book sales at the library. This is evident in the Readers' Advisory Impact Committee. The work we do matching readers with books does have an ecominic impact.

Here is where all of you, my readers can make the most impact.

The committee wants all of you to join and help them. The more RA service people we have involved the better. Below is their charge and here is the link to get involved. Please consider joining.

Every single one of us who works with readers at any public library across this country has something to add. Don't think you aren't "important enough." If you are reading this post, the committee wants your help. Seriously.

All the info you need is here. Please join. I did. This is one of the biggest things you can do to help the entire institution of the Public Library which in turn will help all of our patrons.

I will be following the progress of the Panorama Project here on the blog and have created a new tag to make it easier to index all of these posts in the future.

Click here or on the link the image below to learn more and meet the committee facilitators.

Click here to read more and meet the facilitators

What I'm Reading: 6 Horror and Horror-esque Debuts

My annual Horror Debuts column a takeover of Neal Wyatt's Reader's Shelf in Library Journal, posted earlier this week.

You can click here to see my post about it on the horror blog. Or, you can click on the titles below to access each on Goodreads where I have pulled out the pertinent information for each title and added my three words.

But first, please don't be scared by the "horror" label I have placed on these titles. I choose these books for this column ever year based on how widely appealing they are. These are books you can confidently suggest to a wide range of readers, even those who don't classify themselves as horror readers. They are not as firmly entrenched in the horror genre as you might think. And, I know for a fact that there are readers who don't see many of these are "horror" at all because they have told me as much.

Becky's Goodreads Reviews:

• The Honey Farm by Harriet Alida Lye [unreliable narrator, lyrical, scary] 
• Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage [intense, alternating first person, constantly escalating]
• The Nightmare Room by Chris Sorensen [oppressive atmosphere, family secrets, perfectly paced]
• The Moore House by Tony Tremblay [flawed protagonists, violent, intense]
• The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste [unsettlingly beautiful, two time frames, atmospheric ]
• The People's History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal ["primary documents," thought provoking, methodically paced]

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellent in Fiction and Nonfiction 2019 Longlist

One of my favorite awards is the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. Why? Because it is picked by librarians. It is the Newbery for adult books basically.

Click here or see below for the current long list. It is a good one.

I have already read many of these books. They are all excellent book discussion titles and perfect choices for someone looking for a "good read" with a little depth. 

The short list will come out at the end of the month and it will be shortly followed by readalike lists and articles/interviews in Booklist. This award generates a lot of 

By the way, this award has also always been a good predictor of other major awards too.

Finally, click here and you can see past winners and all of the supplementary materials they create around it every year. 

Here is the announcement from the Booklist Reader:

The longlist for the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction has just been announced! There are 25 titles on the fiction longlist on 22 on the nonfiction list. See the full lists below, with links to Booklist reviews. The six-title shortlist—three each for the fiction and nonfiction medals—will be announced on October 24, 2018. The two medal winners will be announced at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards (BMAs) event at the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Seattle on Sunday, January 27, 2019, 5-7 p.m.

The Carnegie Medals are cosponsored by Booklist and RUSA and supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Fiction

Ackerman, Elliot. Waiting for Eden. (Knopf)

Adjei-Brenyah, Nana Kwame. Friday Black. (HMH/Mariner)

Ball, Jesse. Census. (Ecco)

Edugyan, Esi. Washington Black. (Knopf)

Emezi, Akwaeke. Freshwater. (Grove)

Enger, Leif. Virgil Wander. (Grove/Atlantic)

Evans, Diana. Ordinary People. (Norton/Liveright)

Faye, Gaël. Small Country. (Hogarth)

House, Silas. Southernmost. (Algonquin)

Jones, Tayari. An American Marriage. (Algonquin)

Kingsolver, Barbara. Unsheltered. (Harper)

Kushner, Rachel. The Mars Room. (Scribner)

Kwon, R.O. The Incendiaries. (Riverhead)

Makkai, Rebecca. The Great Believers. (Viking)

Miller, Madeline. Circe. (Little, Brown)

Mosley, Walter. John Woman. (Grove)

Ondaatje, Michael. Warlight. (Knopf)

Orange, Tommy. There There. (Knopf)

Powers, Richard. The Overstory. (Norton)

Shteyngart, Gary. Lake Success. (Random)

Sittenfeld, Curtis. You Think It, I’ll Say It. (Random)

Tamirat, Nafkote. The Parking Lot Attendant. (Holt)

Tyler, Anne. Clock Dance. (Knopf)

Winman, Sarah. Tin Man. (Putnam)

Winthrop, Elizabeth. The Mercy Seat. (Grove)

Nonfiction

Albright, Madeleine. Fascism: A Warning. (Harper)

Anderson, Sam. Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding, Its Apocalyptic Weather, Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-Class Metropolis. (Crown)

Austen, Ben. High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing. (Harper)

Cantú, Francisco. The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border.(Riverhead)

Chee, Alexander. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel. (HMH/Mariner)

Clark, Anna. The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy.(Holt/Metropolitan)

De Hart, Jane Sherron. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (Knopf)

Gerald, Casey. There Will Be No Miracles Here. (Riverhead)

Haygood, Wil. Tigerland, 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing. (Knopf)

Hilsum, Lindsey. In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin. (FSG)

Hinton, Anthony Ray and Lara Love Hardin. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. (St. Martin’s)

Johnson, Kirk Wallace. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century. (Viking)

Laymon, Kiese. Heavy: An American Memoir. (Scribner)

Levy, Deborah. The Cost of Living. (Bloomsbury)

Klinenberg, Eric. Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. (Crown)

Macy, Beth. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America. (Little, Brown)

McNamara, Michelle. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. (Harper)

Mohr, Tim. Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall. (Algonquin)

Orlean, Susan. The Library Book. (Simon & Schuster)

Perry, Imani. Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry. (Beacon)

Wamariya, Clemantine and Elizabeth Weil. The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After. (Crown)

Westover, Tara. Educated. (Random)

Let October Begin...On the Horror Blog and with STOCKERCON Announcements!

Long time readers know that October is a busy month for me as I move to publishing every single day, for 31 Days, on RA for All: Horror.

In years' past, I have tried very hard to continue to publishing here every day too. However, this year I decided that the only one forcing me to double up on my work this month is me, and I have decided to give myself a little bit of a break this year.

Here is the October plan for RA for All, the mothership. I will be focusing on catching up on reviews of the books I have read for fun [I have an update with 12 titles in the works] and doing some Call to Action Posts that I have had in draft mode for awhile. I also have multiple in person training appearances and 2 state library conferences to report on. But here is the thing, some weeks I may still publish every day, but others, I won't.

Rest assured though, I will be providing amazing, original, and brand new horror related content on the horror blog every single day. I also already know of a few days that I will cross post [like today] because I will be talking about resources or posting reviews, lists, etc..., that need to be archived and searchable on both blogs.

But, if you don't see a blog post here one day this month, don't worry, I am fine. I am just exploring my dark side.

Let's begin today with a cross post from RA for All: Horror:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2018

31 Days of Horror: Day 1- Welcome and Announcing the StokerCon Librarians' Day Schedule

Here it is, my annual blog-a-thon for the month of October. I know that in the library world when it comes to providing RA and Collection Development information for Horror that you turn to me. I take this power very seriously and make every effort to use it only for good.

While I wish that more of you spent time outside of the fall cultivating your horror collections, as a former manager of an Adult Fiction department, I totally get why you can't. 

So because I understand how you work, I go out of my way every October to provide you with information on this blog every single day. Starting today I will have expanded reviews, guest posts by authors on why they love horror, resources worth your time, and lots of other useful and fun links.

You can check back here every single day in October to see what is new, but also, don't forget that I have also cataloged and indexed the previous 6 [!] years of 31 Days of Horror. You can pull them all up with the 31 Days of Horror tag or go to my Features Archive to access a specific year as seen below:

31 Days of Horror: A post a day each October

• October 2011
• October 2012
• October 2013
• October 2014
• October 2015
• October 2016

But back to 2018! Today, to kick off this month of scares, I am happy to present the schedule for Librarians' Day 2019 at StokerCon. This is a full day, RA focused conference with programming that is not just horror specific. We will have panels on fandom programs and how to podcast or book tube, for example, as well welcoming best selling horror authors and horror publishers talking about their upcoming titles.

This is merely the tip of the iceberg however, as I have a few other announcements about the day coming soon, including some special one on one interviews with authors. But, for now, I have the schedule here on the blog below.

We will be having sign-up via EventBrite soon, but the link is not ready because so many people have already contacted us asking how they can attend both the full StokerCon AND the Librarians' Day that we are working on a pricing discount for both. Basically, if you sign up for all of StokerCon, you can come to Librarians' Day for the cost of the buffet lunch! But, we have to get EventBrite to do it properly, so for now, start figuring out if you can go. Ask your bosses, make you plans, and once you are ready to commit, we will have the link up.  [Ed note... It's up CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE]

Just Librarians' Day is also a great deal. $65 gets you there for the whole day [a Friday] and includes free books, swag, and lunch. Plus, due to feedback from last year, I have added 15 min breaks between sessions and have asked out panelists to be available during those breaks for the library workers to have time to network and chat with them privately. Many of the panelists will be there for the entire day. This also give you more time to network with each other.

The schedule also includes a HUGE teaser on a brand new library reading program that I am spearheading for the HWA, but the full details on that one and our big time partners will not be revealed until 10/30. Sorry, one big announcement at a time.

So let's get this 31 Day party started. From the Librarians' Day page:

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠

StokerCon™ 2019 Librarians’ Day

LOCATION – Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Friday May 10, 2019

9am – 5pm

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE

Check in begins at 8:30am

Join StokerCon™ 2019 for a special day-long program of panels and presentations for librarians! Becky Spratford and Emily Vinci are excited to bring you a full day of learning, networking, and fun. This is an invaluable continuing education event whether you are a fan of horror or not. We have something for everyone, including presenters from local libraries, publishers, and authors from up and comers to household names. Won’t you join us?

$65 before 3/1/19

$75 After

• Price includes lunch, free books, and other swag.
• All panelists will also be available to chat with attendees in smaller groups throughout the day.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE

Schedule with confirmed panelists:

9am-10am: Even Immortals Have Their Beginnings: The Research and Writing of Dracul. Co-authors Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker reveal the story and images behind the research and writing of Dracul. This multimedia presentation contains Bram Stoker’s own notes, insight into the 101 missing pages from the Dracula manuscript, the recently discovered “sister edition” of Dracula in Iceland and Sweden, and Stoker family tales that function as a backdrop for the fictional plot.

10:15am-11:15am: Fandom Programs @ Your Library. Emily Vinci leads a panel of experts, including local library workers, authors, and publishers, as they share their secrets to providing programming for fandom communities, regardless of genre and across all age ranges.

11:30am-12:30pm: Introducing Summer Scares a horror reading program for libraries presented by the Horror Writers Association in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Library Journal/School Library Journal. Join Summer Scares committee members Becky Spratford and author Grady Hendrix as we introduce you to both the titles and some of the authors identified as official 2018 inaugural “Summer Scares Selections.” Three titles will be named in each reading level (middle grade, YA, and adult). Selected authors will make themselves available in person and virtually to public and school libraries and their patrons. More information about the Summer Scares program, committee members and the selected titles will be available beginning on October 30, 2018 at horror.org.

12:30pm- 2pm: LUNCH Please enjoy a buffet lunch, included in your registration, and take some time to network with your colleagues and our panelists.

2:15pm-3:15pm: Podcasting and Booktubing 101. Join award winning Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror writer and editor, as well as podcaster (Eating the Fantastic), Scott Edelman as he moderates a panel of authors and library workers who have started their own successful podcasts and YouTube book channels. Already confirmed to appear is technical expert Dave Thomas, podcast producer for The Project Entertainment network and co-host of The Horror Show with Brian Keene (and a Twitch streamer!), as well as Lisa Quigley and Mackenzie Kiera, the team behind the popular Ladies of the Fright podcast.

3:30-5: Small Publishers, Big Voices. Becky moderates a panel of some of her favorite small presses whose books you should consider carrying in your libraries. This panel will present the upcoming titles for each publisher and highlight some of the authors. These presses may be small but they are attracting big name and award-winning talent. If you are only ordering your horror from the “Big 5,” you are missing out.  Confirmed to appear:

• Will Errikson and Grady Hendrix talk about their “Paperbacks From Hell” line, debuting in 2019 from Valancourt Books.
• StokerCon™ 2019 Guest of Honor Josh Malerman and Erik Johnson talk about their upcoming book for publisher Written Backwards.
• StokerCon™ 2019 Guest of Honor Stephanie Wytovich and a representative from Raw Dog Screaming Press discuss their upcoming titles.
• Christopher Payne and a yet to be determined author discuss JournalStone’s upcoming titles.
• Don D’Auria of Flame Tree Press and author Jonathan Janz discuss their upcoming titles.

Please note, as more panelists are confirmed, this schedule will be updated.

Questions? Email Becky at bspratford [at] hotmail [dot] com

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE

Becky Spratford is a Readers’ Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up.  She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library.  She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All and it’s evil twin RA for All: Horror., and is on the Steering Committee of the Adult Reading Round Table. She is under contract to provide content for EBSCO’s NoveList database and writes reviews for Booklist. Becky is also known for her work with horror readers as the author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Second Edition [ALA Editions, 2012] and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association who honored her as a special guest of honor at StokerCon™ 2017 for her contribution to the genre. This is Becky’s second year organizing StokerCon™’s Librarians’ Day. She was also recently elected to the HWA Board in the role of Secretary. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAforAll.

Emily Vinci is the fiction manager at the Schaumburg Township District Library in Schaumburg, Illinois. Her professional interests are promoting the acquisition and appreciation of comics and graphic novels in libraries as well as creating programming that targets patrons in their 20s and 30s. She presents frequently about pop culture and millennial-targeted programming and coauthored the books A Year of Programs for Millennials and More (ALA Editions, 2015), 50+ Fandom Programs (ALA Editions, 2017), and Pop Culture-Inspired Programs for Tweens, Teens, and Adults (ALA Editions, 2018). A lifelong lover of all things pop culture and an avid collector, currently has more than two hundred copies of the Jurassic Park films on VHS and is always looking for more.