NEIBA News
October 9, 2019
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A Note from Executive Director Beth Ineson
Dear NEIBAfolk—

A quick word to thank everyone who participated in the Fall Conference in Providence last week. I hope you all had as much fun as I did. It’s such a joy to have (nearly) everyone under one roof, and it was so good to continue putting so many faces with so many names. Here’s a quick list of what made me happiest:

  1. The robust attendance at the by-booksellers, for-booksellers education sessions: our commitment this year was to program with a store’s bottom line in mind, and to provide you with hard-copy takeaways to which you could refer when you got home. If you weren’t at the show, these materials are now all on newenglandbooks.org. 
  2. The authors: Erik Larson, Erin Morgenstern, Tamsyn Muir by Skype from Australia…and the 26 wonderful authors at the Author Reception. Each moment was better than the next. And wasn’t it fun to have the Author Reception all in one room?  
  3. The Editor Buzz Panels: a nice respite on Exhibit Day…lunch and the chance to hear some pretty heavy hitters talk about what’s coming for Spring 2020. 
  4. And then there was the Awards Banquet, about which I’m still smiling. Ocean Vuong bringing us all to tears with his amazing speech (and song!) and then the incomparable outgoing Board President Laura Cummings making us laugh through those tears with her brilliant tribute to President’s Award Winner Stephen King.  The one question we’re left with: how on earth will Beth Wagner and Emily Russo top those brilliant costumes next year? Stay tuned…

Thanks again to all—I’m already actively looking forward to next year. Mark your calendars—September 22-24, 2020 in Providence. In the meantime, watch your email for our annual post-Conference survey. Your feedback is important for meeting our goal of making this event better every year. 

Beth Ineson
Executive Director
New England Independent Booksellers Association
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2019 Fall Conference Education Evaluations
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#NEIBA19 Round-Up
From left to right, top to bottom: The book (and chocolate!) haul by Gibson's Bookstore on exhibit day; a stunning NEIBA-inspired chalk sign by Books on the Square in Providence; a selfie submission for Macmillan's #EltonJohnNEIBA by Phoenix Books; Amy Rose Capetta with her title Sword in the Stars (co-written with partner Cori McCarthy) at Tuesday night's Author Reception; Jon Clinch, Nikki Grimes, Aarti Namdev Shahani, and Samantha Power outside Friday's Author Breakfast, captured by Wendy Hudson of Nantucket Books; Laura Cummings of White Birch Books with her selection for the President's Award, Stephen King.
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MIT Press Bookstore seeks Senior Bookseller

Join the all-new MIT Press Bookstore team! Bookstore Manager Clarissa Murphy has been putting together a great new crew of experienced booksellers, and we’re looking to quickly hire and install our new senior bookseller to round out our starting lineup. 

While this  job posting  is indeed for an experienced bookseller, please don’t be intimidated by the official MIT posting that seems to go on and on and include every single possible activity and process that might even be a small part of your work... The ideal candidate for the Senior Bookseller position at the MIT Press Bookstore is someone looking to help, grow, and lead.

Clarissa has a great plan, and now seeks someone with strong experience and fundamentals along with the positive and constructive outlook to complement ours. We’re looking for a professional bookseller who’s up for unique new challenges (including our Press/bookstore hybrid), who would appreciate our generous MIT salary and benefits, and who would enjoy working alongside and collaborating with their MIT Press colleagues.

As far as growth, not only are we looking to grow our revenue as we serve our communities, we very much want to grow this role into a potential Assistant Manager position.

Reach out to  Clarissa Murphy  or  David Goldberg  with any questions,
or apply  here   for the senior bookseller position ASAP!
To add a listing to the newsletter 
and website, e-mail  Ali@NEBA.org
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Meet your 2019-2020 NEIBA Board

After a vote by the membership, we are pleased to share
the following elections to the NEIBA Board.

Beth Wagner, Phoenix Books, Essex, VT (President)
Beth Wagner is the lead buyer and tech guru at Phoenix Books in Essex, VT. Like most career booksellers, she’s worn a lot of hats over the years since starting part-time at The Book Rack & Children’s Pages in 2000, including newsletter and website editor, manager, sidelines buyer, children’s buyer, and chief cardboard engineer. She studied English and Philosophy at Mount Holyoke College and the University of Vermont, proudly representing that A in STEAM. As an omnivorous reader, no genre is off limits, though she harbors a not-so-secret love for young adult fiction. When not reading, Beth can often be found baking something chocolatey, knitting lace, or steadfastly ignoring the weeds in her vegetable garden. She lives in a town with no stop lights with her spouse and their very opinionated rabbits. She served as NECBA co-chair from 2016-18.

Emily Russo, Print: A Bookstore, Portland, ME (Vice President)
Emily Russo is the co-owner of Print: A Bookstore in Portland, ME. Emily began her bookselling career in 2007 as the events coordinator for the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. In 2011, she moved to Brooklyn, NY with her family and took a job at Greenlight Bookstore to help launch their First Editions Club program and assist in running their extensive events series. In 2015, she moved back home to Maine to pursue her dream of opening her own bookstore. In November 2016, together with Josh Christie (formerly of Sherman's Books and Stationery), she opened Print. She enjoys roasting her father, Pultizer Prize-winning author Richard Russo, in event introductions.

Emily Crowe, An Unlikely Story, Plainville, MA (Clerk/Treasurer)
Emily Crowe has been working for independent bookstores for much of her adult life. She started off at Lemuria Bookstore in Jackson, MS, in 1997 before moving on to work at Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA, in 2007 where she served as buyer and manager for over a decade. In between those stints she filled her time working for a used & rare bookstore and as a sales rep for David R. Godine. Now she is delighted to find a new home at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA, where she serves as a buyer, manager, and bookseller. Having worked closely with two stores’ collectors clubs for signed first editions, she primarily reads literary fiction and narrative nonfiction with occasional dips into most other genres. She studied English and Religious Studies at Millsaps College, followed by English Lit at Wake Forest University, originally planning to become a professor before stumbling into the joys of bookselling.
 
Peter Win, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA
Peter Win is co-owner and manager of Brookline Booksmith, where he has worked for a total of twelve years, over two different periods of time. Between times at Brookline Booksmith, Peter worked at the fondly recalled A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books in San Francisco, and The Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. He has always been a reader, since a very young age, and currently reads a lot of fantasy and science fiction, though his tastes vary. He strongly feels that David Mitchell is the finest writer alive today. When Peter was first hired at Brookline Booksmith by Dana Brigham, she warned him that once you get into bookselling, it can be very hard to get out. Fifteen plus years in bookselling later, that has happily proved to be true.

Stef Schmidt, Water Street Books, Exter, NH
Stef Schmidt has worked at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, NH since 2008. She began there as a frontline bookseller after graduating from Grove City College with a degree in English. She became Events Coordinator in 2009 and Manager in 2011. She is a buyer of books and sidelines and does social media and marketing for the store. Stef reads literary fiction, memoir, and books about social justice issues, and listens to thrillers with “girl” in the title. She lives with her husband and son in Kensington, NH.

Maureen Karb, Como Sales, Hopkinton, MA
Maureen Karb is the managing partner and New England rep for Como Sales, an independent sales rep company serving the entire East Coast. Her publishers include Workman, Sterling, teNeues, Chelsea Green, Peachtree and Litographs, among others. She’s worked with books off and on since 1999. Before joining Como she worked at Simon & Schuster, Workman and Barefoot Books and she’s had one bookselling gig (so far!) with Waldenbooks. She graduated from Vassar College and NYU and she has a soft spot for fantasy and literary fiction. When not reading, she’s home in the suburbs of Boston hanging out with her son or playing soccer.
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Congratulations to the
2019 NEIBA Book Award Winners!
Fiction:   On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous  by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press
Nonfiction:   Frederick Douglass  by David W. Blight (Simon & Schuster)
Children’s:   New Kid  by Jerry Craft (HarperCollins)
Young Adult:   Hey, Kiddo  by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Graphix)
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Bookstore Fixtures for Sale &
NEIBA Office Furniture for Donation

 Are you opening a new store or renovating an existing store? After 35 years in business, Mark Cheeseman of Concord, NH is closing the the Parable Bible Bookstore and looking to sell its furnishings. This includes fixtures, counters, bookshelves, and equipment. Pieces are priced to move before winter arrives. Photos of available offerings are available here.


If your store has any office furniture or supply needs, NEIBA also has you covered! We have bookshelves, office supply shelves, desks, filing cabinets, tables, chairs, and more. We also have crates, file organizers, file folders, binders, and other small items. Photos will soon be posted to the NEIBA Booksellers and Owners Facebook groups. (Haven't yet joined? E-mail Ali today! ) Items are for pick-up only, but free to those who make a donation to Binc .

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NEIBA 
Best Sellers   
for the week ended
Sunday October 6, 2019

Based on reporting from the independent booksellers of
NEIBA and IndieBound  

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. The Dutch House
Ann Patchett, Harper, $27.99, 9780062963673
2. The Testaments
Margaret Atwood, Nan A. Talese, $28.95, 9780385543781
3. The Water Dancer
Ta-Nehisi Coates, One World, $28, 9780399590597
4. Where the Crawdads Sing
Delia Owens, Putnam, $26, 9780735219090
5. The Institute
Stephen King, Scribner, $30, 9781982110567
6. Red at the Bone
Jacqueline Woodson, Riverhead Books, $26, 9780525535270
7. The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead, Doubleday, $24.95, 9780385537070
8. The World That We Knew
Alice Hoffman, S&S, $27.99, 9781501137570
9. A Better Man
Louise Penny, Minotaur, $28.99, 9781250066213
10. Chances Are . . .
Richard Russo, Knopf, $26.95, 9781101947746
11. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
Ocean Vuong, Penguin Press, $26, 9780525562023
12. Imaginary Friend New!
Stephen Chbosky, Grand Central, $30, 9781538731338
13. This Tender Land
William Kent Krueger, Atria, $27, 9781476749297
14. The Secrets We Kept
Lara Prescott, Knopf, $26.95, 9780525656159
15. The Topeka School New!
Ben Lerner, FSG, $27, 9780374277789

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth New!
Rachel Maddow, Crown, $30, 9780525575474
2. Talking to Strangers
Malcolm Gladwell, Little Brown, $30, 9780316478526
3. Educated
Tara Westover, Random House, $28, 9780399590504
4. The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience New!
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, S&S, $35, 9781501178412
5. Permanent Record
Edward Snowden, Metropolitan Books, $30, 9781250237231
6. Year of the Monkey
Patti Smith, Knopf, $24.95, 9780525657682
7. The Education of an Idealist
Samantha Power, Dey Street Books, $29.99, 9780062820693
8. She Said
Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey, Penguin Press, $28, 9780525560340
9. The Pioneers
David McCullough, S&S, $30, 9781501168680
10. Know My Name
Chanel Miller, Viking, $28, 9780735223707
11. How To
Randall Munroe, Riverhead Books, $28, 9780525537090
12. Toil & Trouble: A Memoir New!
Augusten Burroughs, St. Martin's, $27.99, 9781250019950
13. Inside Out
Demi Moore, Harper, $27.99, 9780062049537
14. On Fire
Naomi Klein, S&S, $27, 9781982129910
15. How to Be an Antiracist New!
Ibram X. Kendi, One World, $27, 9780525509288

TRADE PAPERBACK FICTION
1. The Overstory
Richard Powers, Norton, $18.95, 9780393356687
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Heather Morris, Harper, $16.99, 9780062797155
3. The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah, St. Martin's Griffin, $17.99, 9781250229533
4. The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood, Anchor, $15.95, 9780525435006
5. Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng, Penguin, $17, 9780735224315
6. The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt, Back Bay, $20, 9780316055444
7. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman, Penguin, $16, 9780735220690
8. Nine Perfect Strangers New!
Liane Moriarty, Flatiron Books, $17.99, 9781250069832
9. There There
Tommy Orange, Vintage, $16, 9780525436140
10. A Gentleman in Moscow
Amor Towles, Penguin, $17, 9780143110439
11. A Well-Behaved Woman New!
Therese Anne Fowler, St. Martin's Griffin, $16.99, 9781250095480
12. The Best American Short Stories 2019 New!
Anthony Doerr, Heidi Pitlor (Eds.), Mariner, $15.99, 9781328484246
13. Before We Were Yours
Lisa Wingate, Ballantine, $17, 9780425284704
14. Killing Commendatore New!
Haruki Murakami, Vintage, $17, 9780525435761
15. A Spark of Light
Jodi Picoult, Ballantine, $17, 9780345545008

TRADE PAPERBACK NONFICTION
1. The Old Farmer's Almanac 2020
Old Farmer's Almanac, $8.95, 9781571988102
2. The Library Book New!
Susan Orlean, S&S, $16.99, 9781476740195
3. Sapiens New!
Yuval Noah Harari, Harper Perennial, $22.99, 9780062316110
4. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century New!
Yuval Noah Harari, Spiegel & Grau, $18, 9780525512196
5. White Fragility
Robin DiAngelo, Beacon Press, $16, 9780807047415
6. Leadership: In Turbulent Times New!
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Simon & Schuster, $18, 9781476795935
7. These Truths: A History of the United States New!
Jill Lepore, Norton, $19.95, 9780393357424
8. Calypso
David Sedaris, Back Bay, $17.99, 9780316392426
9. Born a Crime
Trevor Noah, Spiegel & Grau, $18, 9780399588198
10. The Best American Food Writing 2019 New!
Samin Nosrat, Sylvia Killingsworth (Eds.), Mariner, $15.99, 9781328662255
11. The Spy and the Traitor
Ben Macintyre, Broadway Books, $18, 9781101904213
12. The Best American Essays 2019 New!
Rebecca Solnit, Robert Atwan (Eds.), Mariner, $15.99, 9781328465801
13. How to Change Your Mind
Michael Pollan, Penguin, $18, 9780735224155
14. If These Walls Could Talk: Boston Red Sox
Jerry Remy, Nick Cafardo, Triumph Books, $17.95, 9781629375458
15. Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World New!
Anand Giridharadas, Vintage, $16, 9781101972670

MASS MARKET
1. Good Omens
Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Morrow, $9.99, 9780062836977
2. 1984
George Orwell, Signet, $9.99, 9780451524935
3. The Name of the Wind New!
Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, $9.99, 9780756404741
4. The Shining New!
Stephen King, Anchor, $8.99, 9780307743657
5. The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt, Little Brown, $10.99, 9780316055420
6. Dune
Frank Herbert, Ace, $10.99, 9780441172719
7. Holy Ghost New!
John Sandford, Putnam, $9.99, 9780735217348
8. A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin, Bantam, $9.99, 9780553593716
9. The Left Hand of Darkness
Ursula K. Le Guin, Ace, $9.99, 9780441478125
10. Animal Farm New!
George Orwell, Signet, $9.99, 9780451526342

CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATED
1. Room on the Broom
Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler (Illus.), Puffin, $7.99, 9780142501122
2. Bruce's Big Storm
Ryan T. Higgins, Disney/Hyperion, $17.99, 9781368026222
3. Dinosnores
Sandra Boynton, Workman, $6.95, 9781523508136
4. Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd (Illus.), Harper, $8.99, 9780694003617
5. Make Way for Ducklings
Robert McCloskey, Puffin, $7.99, 9780140564341
6. Three Cheers for Kid McGear! New!
Sherri Duskey Rinker, AG Ford (Illus.), Chronicle, $17.99, 9781452155821
7. Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Sonia Sotomayor, Rafael López (Illus.), Philomel Books, $17.99, 9780525514121
8. Peppa's Giant Pumpkin New!
Samantha Lizzio, Eone (Illus.), Scholastic, $7.99, 9781338339222
9. Snowmen at Halloween New!
Caralyn M. Buehner, Mark E. Buehner (Illus.), Dial Books, $17.99, 9780525554684
10. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? New!
Bill Martin, Eric Carle (Illus.), Henry Holt and Co., $8.99, 9780805047905

CHILDREN'S INTEREST
1. Guts
Raina Telgemeier, Graphix, $12.99, 9780545852500
2. A Tale of Magic... New!
Chris Colfer, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780316523479
3. Best Friends
Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham (Illus.), First Second, $12.99, 9781250317469
4. White Bird: A Wonder Story New!
R.J. Palacio, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $24.99, 9780525645535
5. Dog Man Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D New!
Kate Howard, Dav Pilkey (Illus.), Scholastic, $10.99, 9781338568844
6. Beverly, Right Here
Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick, $16.99, 9780763694647
7. The Fountains of Silence New!
Ruta Sepetys, Philomel Books, $18.99, 9780399160318
8. Drama New!
Raina Telgemeier, Graphix, $10.99, 9780545326995
9. New Kid New!
Jerry Craft, Harper, $12.99, 9780062691194
10. Frankly in Love
David Yoon, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9781984812209

CHILDREN'S SERIES TITLES
1. Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls
Dav Pilkey, Graphix, $12.99, 9781338236590
2. The Secret Commonwealth (Book of Dust, Volume 2) New!
Philip Pullman, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $22.99, 9780553510669
3. The Tyrant's Tomb (The Trials of Apollo, Book Four)
Rick Riordan, Hyperion, $19.99, 9781484746448
4. Wayward Son (Simon Snow Series, #2)
Rainbow Rowell, Wednesday Books, $19.99, 9781250146076
5. Boy-Crazy Stacey (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel, #7)
Ann M. Martin, Gale Galligan (Illus.), Graphix, $10.99, 9781338304510
6. The 117-Story Treehouse: Dots, Plots & Daring Escapes! (The Treehouse Books, #9) New!
Andy Griffiths, Terry Denton (Illus.), Feiwel & Friends, $13.99, 9781250317209
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone New!
J.K.Rowling, Scholastic, $10.99, 9780590353427
8. Dog Man New!
Dav Pilkey, Graphix, $9.99, 9780545581608
9. Dog Man and Cat Kid New!
Dav Pilkey, Graphix, $9.99, 9780545935180
10. Rebel: A Legend Novel New!
Marie Lu, Roaring Brook Press, $18.99, 9781250221704
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