From Mountains & Plains
Association and Industry News You Can Use
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A Note from the Home Office
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Dear friends and colleagues,
Happy Children's Book Week, and I hope you all had a wonderful Independent Bookstore Day!
It has been another exciting month here in the MPIBA office(s)! I am busy with new member outreach and Kathy is busy helping all of our new stores (see below for a list with links) become official members. It is especially thrilling to have just-opened (or forthcoming) stores join our association. Isn't there a saying like "for every bookstore that opens, an angel gets its wings"?
I'm delighted to have my first Spring Conference as your E.D. under my belt and from all accounts it was a lovely success. There's a report with lots of photos below for all who couldn't join us, and to all who did join us, Thank You! I've always said that when you get a group of booksellers together a wonderful, instructive, creative time is had by all, and we proved that once again. The board and I will be taking the spring show on the road next year, and I can't wait to visit new stores, and meet many more of you in person.
The board, Kathy, and I are working on many projects and programs in support of our members. Keep reading to learn more about the work we're doing, the support we're offering, and the ways you can become involved.
I hope to see many of you in New York for BookExpo! As always, let me know if there is anything I can do for you or any question I can answer.
Cheers-
Heather
What I'm reading:
Whiskey When We're Dry, by John Larison (Viking, 8/21/18)
What I'm listening to:
The Oracle Year, by Charles Soule (HarperPerennial)
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Announcing the 2017 Reading the West Awards Shortlists
We are honored to announce the 2017 Reading the West Awards Shortlist selections! The Reading the West Book Awards winners will be announced on May 31, 2018, and the winning authors and their books will be celebrated at a special luncheon at the MPIBA 2018 Fall Discovery Show in October in Denver, Colorado.
These adult and children’s titles, chosen by our Adult and Children's Reading Committees, exemplify the best in writing and/or illustration whose subject matter is set in the MPIBA region or invokes the spirit of the region.
The Shortlist Titles (in no particular order):
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Adult Fiction
The Widow Nash, by Jamie Harrison, (Counterpoint Press: Hardcover $26.00. ISBN 9781619029286)
The Vengance of Mothers: The Journals of Margaret Kelly & Molly McGill, by Jim Fergus (St. Martin’s Press: Hardcover $26.99, ISBN 9781250093424)
Celine, by Peter Heller (Alfred A. Knopf: Hardcover $25.95, ISBN 9780451493897)
Days Without End, by Sebastian Barry (Viking: Hardcover $26.00, ISBN 9780525427360)
The Underworld, by Kevin Canty (W. W. Norton: Hardcover $24.95, ISBN 9780393293050)
Adult Nonfiction
Transplants: Eclectic Floral Design, by Antonio Bond (Blue Star Press: Hardcover $40.00, ISBN 9781944515539)
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, by David Grann (Doubleday: Hardcover $28.95, ISBN 9780385534246)
Texas Blood: Seven Generations Among the Outlaws, Ranchers, Indians, Missionaries, Soldiers, and Smugglers of the Borderlands, by Roger D. Hodge (Knopf: Hardcover $28.95, ISBN 9780307961402)
Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River, by David Owen (Riverhead Books: Hardcover $28.00, ISBN 9781594633775)
Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang, by David Philipps (W. W. Norton: Hardcover $27.95, ISBN 9780393247138)
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Children's
Grand Canyon, by Jason Chin (Roaring Brook Press. Hardcover Picture Book $19.99, ISBN 9781596439504)
The Survivor Tree: Oklahoma City’s Symbol of Hope and Strength, by Gaye Sanders; illustrated by Pamela Behrend
(The RoadRunner Press: Hardcover Picture Book $20.00, ISBN 9781937054496)
Just Dance, by Patricia MacLachlan (Margaret K. McElderry Books: Hardcover $15.99, ISBN 9781481472524)
The Chaos of Standing Still, by Jessica Brody (Simon Pulse: Hardcover $17.99, ISBN 9781481499187)
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, by Dusti Bowling (Sterling Children’s Books: Hardcover $14.95, ISBN 9781454923459)
Bookseller Resources
(Which would make a great display!)
(Which would ALSO make a great year-round display!)
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A Message from the President (of the Board)
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Hello fellow booksellers,
I am absolutely thrilled to have begun my term in January serving as the President of the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Board of Directors. When I opened my store, BookBar, five years ago (at the end of this month!), I immediately joined MPIBA. I am a believer in collaborations and associations, the power of networking, and the strength in numbers. I quickly learned just how necessary MPIBA was in an industry that, at times, can feel isolating. There were many retail businesses, restaurants and bars on the street where I set up shop but they couldn't relate to the unique challenges that face booksellers.
Through MPIBA, I met many others who could not only relate, but share, guide and (let's be honest) commiserate with one another on our journey to bring books to our communities. I came upon this business almost by accident when a bookstore closed in the space where my bookstore now thrives. I was distraught by the loss of this independent bookstore where my children and I could always find a great book to read or to give as a gift. I mourned the loss of the owners' hands-on approach to bookselling and the literary conversations I would always inevitably strike up with strangers and neighbors while shopping there. What started out as a casual conversation about 'what can I do to save our community bookstore' quickly turned into 'well, I suppose I'm a business owner now.' With no previous experience in bookselling or business owning, I made use of the resources provided by MPIBA: The Fall Discovery Show where I met publisher reps and discovered new titles and sidelines, while acquiring valuable education; The Spring Conference where I was able to add my voice to the others in the industry and meet regional authors; and, perhaps, most importantly, the friendships and mentorships that carried me through the doubts and struggles common to any business owner but certainly unique to bookselling.
Now, five years in, I can't imagine a more rewarding and fulfilling industry to be a part of. As a life-long reader who values the absolute necessity of independent stores that can provide a channel for local authors, give back to their communities, and provide a space for literary convening, I am so pleased to have the opportunity to give back to an association that has given so much to me.
Yours in bookselling,
Nicole Sullivan
MPIBA Board President
Owner, BookBar Denver
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Hearing tips for "A Year of Bookstore Profitability" from Oren Teicher, ABA
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Tanya Mills, The Book Bungalow; Phoenix Cantrell, Maria's Bookshop; Liane Davis-Kling, Downtown Books
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Marilyn Robbins, BookBar; Kate Cygan, BookBar: Sarah Dealy, BookBar; Liesel Freudenstein, Boulder Book Store; Abbey Paxton, BookBar
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Katie Rothery, Tattered Cover; Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books (ABA Board President); Bethany Strout, Tattered Cover; Mikaley Osley, Tattered Cover
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Andrea Phillips, Tattered Cover; Lainie Formby, Tattered Cover; Len Vlahos, Tattered Cover
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HearthFire owner Kappy Kling welcoming us to her store, and introducing our first author.
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To the right:
Kirk W. Johnson,
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
(Viking, On Shelves Now)
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The MPIBA Spring Conference took place in Evergreen, Colorado, on April 25, at the lovely Center for the Arts Evergreen. Nearly 60 bookseller attendees, from at least five states, spent their day surrounded by a local art exhibit, and enjoyed a lovely spring day in the Rockies (after a surprise spring blizzard on Tuesday, which caused more than a few travel headaches -- that is Colorado for you!).
We started our day with coffee and an educational session presented by Oren Teicher and Dan Cullen from the ABA, entitled "A Year of Bookstore Profitability." The presentation can be found on our
website, and the board and I, and Dan and Oren, are happy to answer questions.
Following the educational presentation, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, thanks to the support of the ABA, and a lively open forum conversation with Oren and Dan.
Brien McDonald, the Event Director for BookExpo, then took a few minutes to tell attendees about the newly imagined BookExpo and to remind everyone about the Introduce an Indie BookExpo scholarships (see below for our announcement of the MPIBA winners!).
During the MPIBA meeting, the board and I presented our current projects and plans, including information on newly formed advisory Committees, our new travel grants, the new digital holiday gift guide, and more. This newsletter covers everything, but it's more fun to get this information in person, just saying...
And, last but seriously not least, we had six amazing authors for a wonderful reception and signing at the beautiful
HearthFire Books & Treats!
Next year we hope to have three Spring Conferences, in multiple states, so even more wonderful booksellers can join us.
Stay tuned!
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MPIBA Volunteer Extraordinaire Eric Boss, post registration flurry.
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Miranda Berdahl, Wind City Books; Vicki Law Burger, Wind City Books; Meg Sherman, W.W. Norton; Nicole Sullivan, BookBar; Christopher Green, Bookworm of Edwards
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Joanna Luloff,
Remind Me Again What Happened
(Algonquin Books, June 26)
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John Branch,
The Last Cowboys: A Pioneer Family in the New West
(W.W. Norton, May 15)
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Not pictured: Kathy Parks,
Notes from My Captivity
(Katherine Tegen Books, July 10, Young Adult)
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To the left:
Maxim Loskutoff,
Come West and See: Stories
, (W.W. Norton May 8)
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Welcome to Our New MPIBA Member Stores
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We are delighted to announce the following new members since our last membership report:
Opening later this year by Alison Pinkston who we were delighted to meet at the Spring Conference:
Name TBD Books & Brews, Phoenix, AZ
Opening in 2019:
The Books of Wrath,
Hurricane, UT
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If you'll be in New York for BookExpo, we'd love to say hello. Several members of the board and I will have regular meeting hours in the ABA Lounge -- come and meet (and greet) us, ask us questions, and offer feedback. See you there!
Wednesday, May 30: 11:00 to 11:30 am
Thursday, May 31: 10:00 to 11:00 am
Friday, June 1: 11:00 to 11:30 am
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Apply Now: Give a Bookseller a Lift
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Each Give a Bookseller a Lift Travel Grant will include two nights at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton, $100 towards transportation expenses (mileage, bus fare, plane fare, etc.), and one ticket to a Discovery Show author meal event.
Apply here
for a Give a Bookseller a Lift Travel Grant for the Fall 2018 Discovery Show (Oct. 11 - 13).
To qualify for a Give a Bookseller a Lift Travel Grant you must currently work for an MPIBA member bookstore that is located at least 50 miles from the event location (Renaissance Denver Stapleton). Please only apply if you are able to travel to the event, and if applicable, have permission from your store owner or manager to attend the Fall Discovery Show. Travel Grant winners will be drawn randomly from all qualified applicants at the summer MPIBA board meeting, and winners will be notified by August 1, 2018. Winners will not be eligible for another Travel Grant for five years.
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New: MPIBA Board Advisory Committees
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Help us create the very best MPIBA, and the most innovative and successful member programs! The MPIBA board has formed several ongoing, as well as project specific advisory committees and is looking for member booksellers to participate.
Committee communications and work will be conducted via email and conference call (and possibly meetings at the Discovery Show), and will be directed by a board member committee chair. The time commitment will vary by committee, but we are hoping volunteers will commit to serve at least a year, or in some cases, until the limited advisory committee has completed its task.
In order to participate on an advisory committee you must work for a current MPIBA member bookstore in good standing. Please let us know if you'd like to participate and share your expertise with our association! Click the links below to send the committee chair an email (and understand that, depending on interest, we may not be able to accept all volunteers).
- Bylaws Committee, Christopher Green, Board Vice President, Bookworm of Edwards
- Reading the West Committee, Chair Alison Senecal, Old Firehouse Books
- Education Committee, Chair Stephanie Schindhelm, Boulder Bookstore
- Board Recruiting & Nominating Committee, Chair Nicole Sullivan, Board President, BookBar
- Membership Development Committee, Chair Phoebe Gaston, Book Travelers West
- Holiday Gift Guide Catalog Committee, Chair Jeremy Ellis, Board Treasurer, Interabang Books
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Introduce an Indie
Announcing Our Winners!
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Thanks to everyone who entered for a chance to win one of two "Introduce an Indie" scholarships from our friends at BookExpo. We had eleven entries from our region, and we put the entries in a basket and drew two lucky winners.
Congratulations to:
Callie and Marcy will join the 16 additional winners from the other regional associations for a special, expenses paid trip to the reimagined BookExpo!
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New: Digital Holiday Gift Guide Catalog!
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We've added a digital component to our holiday gift guide catalog program, which will be powered by Shelf Awareness!
You'll sell even more books during the holidays with a four volume email newsletter, branded for your store and designed to match the print holiday catalog. The Holiday Gift Guide Catalog will be a direct-to-consumer marketing piece for all your book-loving customers, featuring the titles from the print catalog -- a wide selection of gift-worthy titles in a variety of subjects, for adults and children of all ages.
The four emails will be emailed to your store subscriber list through the months of November and December. The newsletter will link to your bookstore site and social media pages (if applicable) and the buy buttons can link directly to your e-commerce (if applicable).
You retain full ownership of your subscribers. Shelf Awareness safely stores your list in a dedicated application and automatically sends each catalog volume for you, using best email newsletter practices.
All you need to participate in the digital Holiday Gift Guide email program is a customer email database (of any size), a digital version of your store's logo, and a "reply to" email address.
Stay tuned for details on how to register for the MPIBA Holiday Gift Guide Catalog program -- print and digital!
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Maria’s Bookshop is for sale!
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A note from Andrea and Peter of Maria's Bookshop to their valued valued customers and friends...
Fear not: Maria’s Bookshop, along with Independent bookstores across the country, is thriving. In fact, thanks in large part to all of you, we just completed our best year ever in 2017. The future is bright for Independent Bookselling and especially for Maria’s Bookshop.
Maria’s will celebrate its 34th year of successful bookselling on Main Avenue this year. After 20 years of owning and operating this iconic business, we are ready to pass the opportunity on to the next shop owner. We have no doubt that with your continued support the next owners will take Maria’s Bookshop past the 50 year mark.
Durango will remain home to our family and we look forward to supporting the bookshop from the other side of the counter with all of you. We appreciate your help spreading the word.
Read more about this here.
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Ten Second Poll -- Let Us Know What You Think
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If we add a genre author event to the Fall Discovery Show, which event would you attend?
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Romance Authors: How to Sell to these Dedicated Readers
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Mystery Writers: Exploring the Many Types of Mysteries
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Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction: Reaching a Growing Fan Base
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Historical Fiction: Exploring People and Places from the Past
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I'd love to hear all about your stores and the amazing things you're doing! Please add me to your media release lists and subscribe me to your newsletters:
Or: MPIBA, Heather Duncan
2105 Union Drive
Lakewood, CO 80215
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Mark your calendars!
Fall Discovery Show, October 11-13, 2018
Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel
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Heather Duncan, MPIBA Executive Director
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