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Joy's first full day at Brazos Bookstore

By Joy Preble
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Last month, I became the new Children’s Specialist at Brazos Bookstore in Houston. I hadn’t planned on it, but when you stumble into your dream job, well, you take it!

It’s a balancing act: Selling books and buying books and merchandising and creating store events, while also writing and promoting my own novels. I’m not just an author anymore, but I’m not just a bookseller either, and this hybrid from means I’ve seen behind one curtain, and now I’m peeking behind another.

What have I learned in the past few weeks the job? Lots of things, and not so much that they are new but that I’m seeing them through a different prism.

And so the responsibility of hand-selling books I love by authors whose work I admire weighs heavy—and heavier because we are a small, highly curated independent store and space is a premium, especially so in the children’s area.

Our buyer’s philosophy is: "if two copies is good, then one is better." If I order three copies or four, then I better not only adore this book, but have made it clear to my co-workers why I love it, made sure they’re reading advanced copies and come up with a plan to sell it big. If I put a book face out or make it part of a special display or grace it with a shelf-talker that choice is mine. Already, I’ve seen how store love and hand-selling can quickly turn a small book from a small press into a bestseller.

It makes me all the more appreciative for the booksellers and librarians who’ve supported my career and talked up my books and kept copies on hand. Because I know now what happens when I see that a book hasn’t sold any copies in a month or two. I purge all or most of the copies from the shelves and replace it with something new.

Booksellers channeling Dorothy Parker

Of course I knew this before… in theory. But while the author part of me—the part that knows what it takes to write a book and bring it into the world—struggles with the idea, the bookseller part of me either has to come up with a plan or put it on the return shelf.

We return a lot of books each week. Stacks and stacks of them. The author part of me will probably always feel sad about this. But that is how it works.

On the other hand, one of the grand things about working at an independent bookstore is that while we respect the Kirkus Reviews recs and the Indie Next List and all the rest of it, we are under no obligation to promote only the books that the reps have pushed when we take meetings.

Oh, we want to predict the big titles as much as the next guy, but we also revel in finding that hidden gem of a book and giving it its due. But I know now that this takes more than just keeping it on the shelf. It means moving it around the store, making it visible, putting it in customers’ hands, crowing about why we love and why they should read it.

My new job has revived and broadened my reading tastes because of this and colleagues who put translated Latin American novels in my hands or find themselves shocked that I had not read Kelly Link’s latest short story collection.

I could go on and on and tell you how our particular store is owned by a co-op or how the reps often bring pizza. Or how I still have a weird series of reactions each time I see my own books in the store. Should I write a shelf-talker? Put them face out? Force my colleagues to read the latest?

Am I author/bookseller? Or bookseller/author?

Ringing up your own book for a random customer is, well, strange.

But this is enough for now.

Cynsational Notes

Joy Preble is the author of several young adult novels including the Dreaming Anastasia series (Sourcebooks), the first book of which was named an ABC Best Book in 2009; the quirky/humorous Sweet Dead Life series (Soho Press); a contemporary road trip/family drama, Finding Paris (Balzer and Bray/Harper Collins), which School Library Journal called, "An intricate guessing game of sisterly devotion, romance, and quiet desperatio.”

Her latest release is It Wasn't Always Like This (Soho Teen), which Kirkus Reviews called "a modern Tuck Everlasting with a thriller twist."

Joy lives in Texas with her family, including a sweet but slightly unhinged basset/boxer. In between writing and working at Brazos Bookstore as bookseller/Children’s Specialist, she teaches and lectures widely on writing and literacy and is currently on faculty at Writespace Houston.

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The Widow by Fiona Barton has joined the iBooks Bestsellers List this week at No. 2.

Apple has released the list of Bestselling iBooks from the week of 2/21/16. January by Audrey Carlan is No. 1 on the list and RoomHate by Penelope Ward held the No. 3 position.

We have the entire list for you after the jump.

iBooks US Bestseller List – Paid Books 02/21/16

1.	January by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
2.	The Widow by Fiona Barton – 9781101990469 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
3.	RoomHate by Penelope Ward – 9781942215370 – (Penelope Ward)
4.	February by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
5.	Find Her by Lisa Gardner – 9780698404229 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
6.	Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – 9781101606377 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
7.	March by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
8.	April by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
9.	When Breath Becomes Air by Abraham Verghese & Paul Kalanithi – 9780812988413 – (Random House Publishing Group)
10.	The Next Always by Nora Roberts – 9781101545782 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
11.	May by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
12.	June by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
13.	July by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
14.	August by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
15.	Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb – 9780698161481 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
15.	September by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
17.	Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer – 9781466867505 – (St. Martin’s Press)
18.	October by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
19.	November by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
20.	December by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)

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Humble Bundle has crafted a deal highlighting science fiction classics. It will be available from now until March 1.

Three charities have been named as the beneficiaries of this venture. Customers can choose to have their money go to one of the following organizations: the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA), the Challenger Learning Center for Space Science Education, and Extra Life (Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals).

Here’s more from the press release: “Readers can pay what they want for The Last Defender of Camelot, Dragonworld, The Deceivers, Wild Cards Deuces Down, Roger Zelazny’s The Dawn of Amber Book 1, and Damnation Alley. Those who pay more than the average price will also receive The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth; Eye of Cat; The Computer Connection; Wild Cards Death Draws Five; Roger Zelazny’s Chaos in Amber Book 2; Roger Zelazny’s To Rule in Amber Book 3; and Robot Visions. In addition, readers who pay $15 more will receive all of that plus Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime 1, The Demolished Man, Roger Zelazny’s Shadows of Amber Book 4, Robot Dreams, and The Stars My Destination.”

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Dynamite Entertainment has established a new partnership with Humble Bundle. The two collaborators will offer a deal called the “Best-Selling Authors Bundle.”

Customers can choose between the publisher or a non-profit as the recipient of their money. They will have three charity options: the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Doctors Without Borders (a.k.a. Médecins Sans Frontières), and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Here’s more from the press release: “The ‘pay what you want’ model offers readers the chance to unlock over 120 comics, and over 3,500 pages of content. This will give graphic lit fans access to: Charlaine Harris’ Grave Sight Part 1 by Charlaine Harris, The Shadow Vol 1: Fire of Creation by Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thomson: Hopcross Jilly by Patricia Briggs, The Complete Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Leah Moore, and John Reppion, Sherlock Holmes: Year One by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Scott Beatty, The Spider Vol. 1: Terror of the Zombie Queen by David Liss and Francesco Francavilla, and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Echoes by Tom Clancy. As the bundle progresses, there will be a running average.”

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A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest continues to lead the Self-Published Bestsellers List this week.

To help GalleyCat readers discover self-published authors, we compile weekly lists of the top e-books in two major marketplaces for self-published digital books: Amazon and Smashwords. You can read all the lists below, complete with links to each book.

If you want more resources as an author, try our Free Sites to Promote Your eBook post, How To Sell Your Self-Published Book in Bookstores post and our How to Pitch Your Book to Online Outlets post.

If you are an independent author looking for support, check out our free directory of people looking for writers groups.

Amazon Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of February 10, 2016

1. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest: “On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.”

2. PS…You’re Mine by Alexa Riley: “Katie Lovely signs up her class for a project, writing letters to Marines serving overseas, but a calculation error means she has to participate along with the class. She isn’t prepared for what happens after she gets the first letter.”

3. Broken Wings by Abigail Graham: “Ten years ago, I had the perfect life. A happy family, a loving boyfriend, a bright future. Then the accident took everything away. I woke up broken and scarred, my family destroyed. My boyfriend, Jack, gone.”

4. A Shade of Vampire 2: A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest: “Having been delighted by the bestselling debut, A Shade of Vampire, readers are begging for more. In A Shade of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story. Prepare to be lost in its pages…”

5. A Shade of Vampire 3: A Castle of Sand by Bella Forrest: “What Sofia has with Derek feels like a sandcastle; temporary and something that the waves of life and time will soon ruin…Since the return of Gregor Novak, the island has turned several shades darker. His hatred toward Sofia and thirst for fresh blood lead to a brutal war igniting between father and son.”

6. Hold by Cora Brent: “They all said we were trash and would end up dead or in prison.
They were wrong. The three of us brothers endured hell together and somehow climbed out battle-scarred but whole.”

7. Vacation by Claire Adams: “Vivian Hall is soon to graduate from NYU, and she can’t wait. After being dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she’s looking forward to moving on with her life. Her best friend wants to have one more spring break trip, and though the circumstances aren’t at all ideal, Viv agrees.”

8. No More Secrets by Lucy Score: “In the small town of Blue Moon Bend, where everybody is a matchmaker, Carter wants to be left alone to tend the family farm. After returning from Afghanistan with scars, his only goal is recovery. He doesn’t need any distractions, and definitely not one with silver-blonde hair and lips that beg to be kissed.”

9. Wrong: A Bad Boy Romance by Katherine Lace: “Wrong? Hell yeah, it’s wrong. Wise guys never live by the rules, but there’s one you don’t break. I’m not a damn bit sorry. I’m done with one-night stands. I need a family to call my own. A wife. A kid.”

10. The Baller: A Down and Dirty Football Novel by Vi Keeland: “The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room. It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster. The famed quarterback decided to bare all. And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.”

Smashwords Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of February 10, 2016

 

1. Health Promotion Pathways: Applied Activities for the Collegiate Classroom by Jennifer J. Edwards, Ph.D.

2. Enhancing Performance: Mental Training for Coaches, Athletes, and Parents by Dan Yarmey

3. Neuropsychopharmacology: A Tutorial Study Guide (box set) by Nicoladie Tam, Ph.D.

4. Naturally Flawless: A holistic approach to clear skin by Andisheh Farahmand

5. Principles of Biology: Animal Systems: A Tutorial Study Guide (box set) by Nicoladie Tam, Ph.D.

6. Economics for Smart Citizenship by Mikel Cohick

7. Nonprofit Animal Law by Russ Mead

8. Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills by George J. Siedel

9. English Grammar and Essay Writing, Workbook 2 by Maggie Sokolik

10. Digital Media Skills by Donna Eyestone

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes has joined the iBooks Bestsellers List this week at No. 1.

Apple has released the list of Bestselling iBooks from the week of 2/7/16. January by Audrey Carlan is No. 2 on the list and The Choice by Nicholas Sparks held the No. 3 position.

We have the entire list for you after the jump.

iBooks US Bestseller List – Paid Books 02/7/16

1.	Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – 9781101606377 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
2.	January by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
3.	The Choice by Nicholas Sparks – 9780446401319 – (Grand Central Publishing)
4.	Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb – 9780698161481 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
5.	Breakdown by Jonathan Kellerman – 9780345541413 – (Random House Publishing Group)
6.	When Breath Becomes Air by Abraham Verghese & Paul Kalanithi – 9780812988413 – (Random House Publishing Group)
7.	April by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
8.	NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson & Marshall Karp – 9780316288729 – (Little, Brown and Company)
9.	July by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
10.	August by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
11.	February by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
12.	September by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
13.	Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell – 9780062325426 – (William Morrow)
14.	October by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
15.	November by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
16.	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – 9781466850606 – (St. Martin’s Press)
17.	December by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
18.	Blue by Danielle Steel – 9780804179652 – (Random House Publishing Group)
19.	The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – 9780698185395 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
20.	My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout – 9780812989076 – (Random House Publishing Group)

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Alexandria, Virginia is the most romantic city in America, according to Amazon.

The company has revealed its annual list of the Top 20 Most Romantic Cities in the U.S.

The company comes up with the list based on the sales data of romance novels, relationship books, as well as romantic movies and music from cities with more than 100,000 residents on a per capita basis.

Amazon’s Top 20 Most Romantic Cities 

1. Alexandria, Va.                                    11. Atlanta, Ga.
2. Miami, Fla.                          12. Salt Lake City, Utah
3. Knoxville, Tenn.                          13. Scottsdale, Ariz.
4. Orlando, Fla.                       14. Everett, Wash.
5. Vancouver, Wash.                          15. Gainesville, Fla.
6. Cincinnati, Ohio                           16. Seattle, Wash.
7. Columbia, S.C.                    17. Wilmington, N.C.
8. Pittsburgh, Pa.                    18. Rochester, N.Y.
9. Round Rock, Texas                          19. Dayton, Ohio
10. Ann Arbor, Mich.                          20. Bellevue, Wash.

 

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Maspeth High School in Queens, NY is reportedly pushing students to buy books from its in-house bookstore, a practice that goes against state and city rules.

According to a report in The New York Post, the school encourages kids to buy specific editions of books and suggests that they buy them from the school book stores. The Post has the scoop:

New York Maspeth sells 45 different books, mostly for English, plus several for other classes such as social studies and chemistry. Prices start at $2 for Machiavelli’s “The Prince” and $3 for Dickens’ “Tale of Two Cities.” Six books cost $10 each, including “Brave New World,” “Black Boy,” and “The Great Gatsby.”

A spokesperson for the school claims that students are not required to shop in the school’s store.

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From Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations


Kidlit TV:

"BookPeople, the leading independent bookstore in Texas since 1970, is proud to announce the BookPeople Modern First Library initiative. This initiative is all about pairing beloved picture books that will never go out of style along with other favorites that reflect the diverse, global society of the 21st century.

"Author Phil Bildner interviewed award-winning author Chris Barton and BookPeople's head buyer, Meghan Goel about the Modern First Library -- learn how you can start one of your own!"

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Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) announced that more than 1 million copies of A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park have been sold. The publisher first released this book back in 2010.

The two-time Newbery Medal winner drew inspiration from the life story Salva Dut, one of the lost boys of Sudan, to write this novel. In honor of this momentous occasion, the publisher will donate $15,000 to Dut’s nonprofit organization, Water for South Sudan (WFSS).

Here’s more from the press release: “This source will provide fresh, accessible water to thousands of South Sudanese and allow hundreds of children (especially girls) to attend school regularly, rather than spending their days walking to and from the nearest well. HMH is also launching a matching gift campaign for employees in order to raise an additional $15,000 to furnish another well.” To learn more about Park’s book, watch her talk given at the TEDxBeaconStreet conference: “Can a Children’s Book Change the World?”

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Rumors have ignited that Amazon may launch hundreds of brick-and-mortar bookstores. The online retailer’s first shop, located at Seattle’s University Village shopping center, opened its doors in late 2015.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Sandeep Mathrani, chief executive of General Growth Properties, publicly stated that Amazon has plans to open 300 to 400 bookstores. At this point in time, no announcement has been made by Amazon executives.

Here’s more from The New York Times: “Even if Amazon is not planning to go nationwide with its stores anytime soon, any expansion of its brick-and-mortar presence is likely to send shivers down the spines of other booksellers. Amazon’s success as an online retailer of physical and electronic books has already devastated chains like Borders and seriously wounded Barnes & Noble. Independent booksellers, though, are seeing sales growth in many parts of the country, showing how reluctant some book fans have been to give up browsing store shelves.” (via BuzzFeed)

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McDonald’s is giving away children’s books in its Happy Meals through Feb. 15.

Customers will get one of four books including: Paddington by Michael Bond, illustrated by R. W. Alley; Clark the Shark Takes Heart by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy Francis; Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond; and Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day Is Cool by Kimberly and James Dean.

The corporation will distribute more than 17 million books through this promotion.

(Via The Los Angeles Times).

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Online books retailer Abe Books has made a list of its most expensive books sold in 2015.

The site, which deals in many rare and out of print titles, sold a Natural History of Birds, a Italian work from 1765, for $191,000. This was the bookseller’s largest book sale ever.

The bookseller earned $34,245 on an 1865 print of Pangeometria by Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky. In addition, a first edition copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl fetched $25,000. Follow this link to see the whole list.

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ABRAMS has established a new partnership with Humble Bundle. All six of Tom Angleberger’s Origami Yoda books have been made available in a special eBook package.

Buyers can choose between the publisher or a non-profit as the recipient of their payment. They have two options: Doctors Without Borders (a.k.a. Médecins Sans Frontières) or a second charity that will receive the money through the PayPal Giving Fund.

Here’s more from the press release: “Customers can pay what they want for The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Those who pay more than the average price will also receive The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, and Darth Paper Strikes Back. Customers who pay $15 receive all of that plus Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus and Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue.”

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A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest continues to lead the Self-Published Bestsellers List this week.

To help GalleyCat readers discover self-published authors, we compile weekly lists of the top e-books in two major marketplaces for self-published digital books: Amazon and Smashwords. You can read all the lists below, complete with links to each book.

If you want more resources as an author, try our Free Sites to Promote Your eBook post, How To Sell Your Self-Published Book in Bookstores post and our How to Pitch Your Book to Online Outlets post.

If you are an independent author looking for support, check out our free directory of people looking for writers groups.

Amazon Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 28, 2016

1. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest: “On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.”

2. Leighann Dobbs Cozy Mystery Collection by Leighann Dobbs: “From the culinary capers of Lexy Baker and her posse of amateur sleuth grandma’s to the ghosts and mystical cats of Mystic Notch to the four magical Blackmoore sisters of Noquitt Maine to the traditional mysteries of retired police consultants Claire Watkins and Dominic Benedetti on Mooseamuck Island.”

3. The Baller: A Down and Dirty Football Novel by Vi Keeland: “The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room. It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster. The famed quarterback decided to bare all. And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.”

4. Just This Once by Jill Gregory: “Sailing from the saloons of the American West to the glittering salons of Victorian England, a charming pickpocket is forced into a marriage bargain by a steely Earl determined to fulfill the terms of his father’s will — only to discover that her pretend marriage is beginning to feel all too real.”

5. A Shade of Vampire 2: A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest: “Having been delighted by the bestselling debut, A Shade of Vampire, readers are begging for more. In A Shade of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story. Prepare to be lost in its pages…”

6.  A Shade of Vampire 3: A Castle of Sand by Bella Forrest: “What Sofia has with Derek feels like a sandcastle; temporary and something that the waves of life and time will soon ruin…Since the return of Gregor Novak, the island has turned several shades darker. His hatred toward Sofia and thirst for fresh blood lead to a brutal war igniting between father and son.”

7. No Time to Run by J.D. Trafford: “Michael Collins burned his suits and ties in a beautiful bonfire before leaving New York and taking up residence at Hut No. 7 in a run-down Mexican resort. He dropped-out, giving up a future of billable hours and big law firm paychecks. But, there are millions of dollars missing from a client’s account and a lot of people who want Michael Collins to come back.”

8. A Shade of Vampire 4: A Shadow of Light by Bella Forrest: “Since the implosion at The Oasis and Derek’s stay at Hawk Headquarters, The Shade has fallen into a state of utter chaos. To make matters worse, the citizens of Derek’s kingdom have become suspicious of his loyalties and accuse him of siding with the enemy… At a time when Derek desperately needs full cooperation from his subjects, they wish to put their own King on trial.”

9. The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle: “Read the novel that started it all: The Atlantis Gene is the first book in A.G. Riddle’s bestselling Origin Mystery trilogy, which has sold OVER ONE MILLION COPIES, is being translated into eighteen languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture!”

10. A Shade of Vampire 5 by Bella Forrest: “Ever since his brief encounter with Emilia at The Shade, Derek’s thoughts and dreams have been haunted with images of the mysterious, beautiful brunette. Plagued with guilt, he struggles to understand why he is so drawn to this dark stranger from his past.”

Smashwords Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 28, 2015

1. Enhancing Performance: Mental Training for Coaches, Athletes, and Parents by Dan Yarmey

2. Health Promotion Pathways: Applied Activities for the Collegiate Classroom by Jennifer J. Edwards, Ph.D.

3. Naturally Flawless: A holistic approach to clear skin by Andisheh Farahmand

4. Neuropsychopharmacology: A Tutorial Study Guide (box set) by Nicoladie Tam, Ph.D.

5. Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills by George J. Siedel

6. Principles of Biology: Animal Systems: A Tutorial Study Guide (box set) by Nicoladie Tam, Ph.D.

7. Strong Brains, Sharp Minds: The Definitive Guide to the MINDRAMP Method For Brain Health & Mental Developmentby Michael C. Patterson & Roger Anunsen

8. Nonprofit Animal Law by Russ Mead

9. Economics for Smart Citizenship by Mikel Cohick

10. English Grammar and Essay Writing, Workbook 2 by Maggie Sokolik

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The Baller by Vi Keelands has joined the iBooks Bestsellers List this week at No. 4.

Apple has released the list of Bestselling iBooks from the week of 1/24/15. January by Audrey Carlan is No. 1 on the list and Carlan’s February held the No. 2 position.

We have the entire list for you after the jump.

iBooks US Bestseller List – Paid Books 01/24/16

1.	January by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
2.	February by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
3.	March by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
4.	The Baller by Vi Keeland – 9781942215271 – (C. Scott Publishing Corp.)
5.	April by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
6.	The Choice by Nicholas Sparks – 9780446401319 – (Grand Central Publishing)
7.	May by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
8.	The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – 9780698185395 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
9.	June by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
10.	July by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
11.	Blue by Danielle Steel – 9780804179652 – (Random House Publishing Group)
12.	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – 9781466850606 – (St. Martin’s Press)
13.	When Breath Becomes Air by Abraham Verghese & Paul Kalanithi – 9780812988413 – (Random House Publishing Group)
14.	August by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
15.	September by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
16.	Scandalous Behavior by Stuart Woods – 9780698195059 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
17.	October by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
18.	November by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
19.	December by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
20.	My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout – 9780812989076 – (Random House Publishing Group)

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A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest continues to lead the Self-Published Bestsellers List this week.

To help GalleyCat readers discover self-published authors, we compile weekly lists of the top e-books in two major marketplaces for self-published digital books: Amazon and Smashwords. You can read all the lists below, complete with links to each book.

If you want more resources as an author, try our Free Sites to Promote Your eBook post, How To Sell Your Self-Published Book in Bookstores post and our How to Pitch Your Book to Online Outlets post.

If you are an independent author looking for support, check out our free directory of people looking for writers groups.

Amazon Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 20, 2016

1. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest: “On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.”

2. The Baller: A Down and Dirty Football Novel by Vi Keeland: “The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room. It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster. The famed quarterback decided to bare all. And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.”

3. Never Never: Part Three of Three by Cooleen Hoover: “New York Times bestselling authors Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher are back with the much-anticipated final installment in the Never Never novella series. Together, Silas Nash and Charlize Wynwood must look deeper into the past to find out who they were and who they want to be.”

4. A Shade of Vampire 2: A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest: “Having been delighted by the bestselling debut, A Shade of Vampire, readers are begging for more. In A Shade of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story. Prepare to be lost in its pages…”

5. The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle: “Read the novel that started it all: The Atlantis Gene is the first book in A.G. Riddle’s bestselling Origin Mystery trilogy, which has sold OVER ONE MILLION COPIES, is being translated into eighteen languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture!”

6.  A Shade of Vampire 3: A Castle of Sand by Bella Forrest: “What Sofia has with Derek feels like a sandcastle; temporary and something that the waves of life and time will soon ruin…Since the return of Gregor Novak, the island has turned several shades darker. His hatred toward Sofia and thirst for fresh blood lead to a brutal war igniting between father and son.”

7. A Shade of Vampire 4: A Shadow of Light by Bella Forrest: “Since the implosion at The Oasis and Derek’s stay at Hawk Headquarters, The Shade has fallen into a state of utter chaos. To make matters worse, the citizens of Derek’s kingdom have become suspicious of his loyalties and accuse him of siding with the enemy… At a time when Derek desperately needs full cooperation from his subjects, they wish to put their own King on trial.”

8. The Conviction: A David Sloane Novel by Robert Dugoni: “As David Sloane continues to piece his life back together in the wake of his wife’s vicious murder, he also struggles to handle his difficult teenage son, Jake. Reeling from the loss of his mother, Jake’s bad behavior escalates and his relationship with Sloane is pushed to the brink.”

9. Obsessed by R.J. Lewis: “Elise I’m obsessed with Aston. He became my addiction the moment I met him at 10 years old. He was my best friend from childhood. He protected me and guided me.”

10. RIDE: The Complete Delancey Brother Trilogy by Joanna Blake: “I do whatever I want, when I want to. Chasing women doesn’t interest me. Not with the responsibility of running the famed Delancey Stables falling squarely on my shoulders. Until I meet her. Or rather, until she slams into me hollering about some tree that’s on the border between our property lines. Oh yeah, my new next door neighbor is hell on wheels.”

Smashwords Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 20, 2015

 

1. Enhancing Performance: Mental Training for Coaches, Athletes, and Parents by Dan Yarmey

2. Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills by George J. Siedel

3. Naturally Flawless: A holistic approach to clear skin by Andisheh Farahmand

4. Strong Brains, Sharp Minds: The Definitive Guide to the MINDRAMP Method For Brain Health & Mental Developmentby Michael C. Patterson & Roger Anunsen

5. Daughter of The Sun by Michael Lane

6. Nonprofit Animal Law by Russ Mead

7. English Grammar and Essay Writing, Workbook 2 by Maggie Sokolik

8. Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide by Mohammed Musthafa Soukath Ali

9. A Simple Cup by Michael Lane

 

10. Chaos Of A Demon War – Book Three of The Nexus Of Kellaran Trilogy – USA Edition by Wayne Edward Clarke

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Scandalous Behavior by Stuart Woods has joined the iBooks Bestsellers List this week at No. 9.

Apple has released the list of Bestselling iBooks from the week of 1/17/15. January by Audrey Carlan is No. 1 on the list and Carlan’s February held the No. 2 position.

We have the entire list for you after the jump.

iBooks US Bestseller List- Paid Books Week 01/17/16

1.	January by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
2.	February by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
3.	March by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
4.	The Score by Elle Kennedy – 9780994054425 – (Elle Kennedy)
5.	April by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
6.	May by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
7.	June by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
8.	The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – 9780698185395 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
9.	Scandalous Behavior by Stuart Woods – 9780698195059 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
10.	The Choice by Nicholas Sparks – 9780446401319 – (Grand Central Publishing)
11.	July by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
12.	August by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
13.	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – 9781466850606 – (St. Martin’s Press)
14.	September by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
15.	A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable – 9781466849624 – (St. Martin’s Press)
16.	October by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
17.	Big Rock by Lauren Blakely – No ISBN Available – (Lauren Blakely Books)
18.	November by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
19.	The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey – 9781101598962 – (Penguin Young Readers Group)
20.	The Revenant by Michael Punke – 9781250066633 – (Picador)

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A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest continues to lead the Self-Published Bestsellers List this week.

To help GalleyCat readers discover self-published authors, we compile weekly lists of the top e-books in two major marketplaces for self-published digital books: Amazon and Smashwords. You can read all the lists below, complete with links to each book.

If you want more resources as an author, try our Free Sites to Promote Your eBook post, How To Sell Your Self-Published Book in Bookstores post and our How to Pitch Your Book to Online Outlets post.

If you are an independent author looking for support, check out our free directory of people looking for writers groups.

Amazon Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 13, 2016

1. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest: “On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.”

2. Misfortune Series Boxset 1 by Jana DeLeon: “With over eight thousand reviews and an average rating of 4.7, the New York Times bestselling Miss Fortune series is a fan favorite. This set includes the first three books in series.”

3. Thief by Alexa Riley: “Sean Sparrow has one more job to pull: break into the bank, steal what he was hired to take, and get out. He plans everything to the very last detail, sure of success… until he sees Tessa.”

4.  The Score by Elle Kennedy: “Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship.”

5. Big Rock by Lauren Blakely: “And I’ve got both firing on all cylinders. In fact, I have ALL the right assets. Looks, brains, my own money, and a big c&$k. You might think I’m an as%*$le. I sound like one, don’t I? I’m hot as sin, rich as heaven, smart as hell and hung like a horse.”

6. Full Domain by Kindle Alexander: “Honor, integrity, and loyalty are how Deputy US Marshal Kreed Sinacola lives his life. A former SEAL now employed by the Special Operations Group of the US Marshal Service, Kreed spent most of his life working covert operations and avoiding relationships.”

7. A Very Dirty Wedding by Sabrina Paige: “Caulter Sterling is the tattooed, pierced bad boy I used to hate. Now, he’s cockier and filthier than ever. And now that I’m knocked up, this bad boy can’t keep his hands off me. It’s going to be a very dirty wedding.”

8. A Shade of Vampire 2: A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest: “Having been delighted by the bestselling debut, A Shade of Vampire, readers are begging for more. In A Shade of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story. Prepare to be lost in its pages…”

9. The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle: “Read the novel that started it all: The Atlantis Gene is the first book in A.G. Riddle’s bestselling Origin Mystery trilogy, which has sold OVER ONE MILLION COPIES, is being translated into eighteen languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture!”

10. RIDE: The Complete Delancey Brother Trilogy by Joanna Blake: “I do whatever I want, when I want to. Chasing women doesn’t interest me. Not with the responsibility of running the famed Delancey Stables falling squarely on my shoulders. Until I meet her. Or rather, until she slams into me hollering about some tree that’s on the border between our property lines. Oh yeah, my new next door neighbor is hell on wheels.”

Smashwords Self-Published Bestsellers for the Week of January 13, 2015

1. Daughter of The Sun by Michael Lane

2. Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills by George J. Siedel

3. Enhancing Performance: Mental Training for Coaches, Athletes, and Parents by Dan Yarmey

4. A Simple Cup by Michael Lane

5. Social Security Sense by Dana Anspach

6. Naturally Flawless: A holistic approach to clear skin by Andisheh Farahmand

7. Research Methods: Functional Skills by James H Cauraugh

8. Strong Brains, Sharp Minds: The Definitive Guide to the MINDRAMP Method For Brain Health & Mental Developmentby Michael C. Patterson & Roger Anunsen

9. The Generous Qur’an: An accurate, modern English translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s holiest book. by Usama Dakdok

10. Chaos Of A Demon War – Book Three of The Nexus Of Kellaran Trilogy – USA Edition by Wayne Edward Clarke

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An annotated edition of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf has sold out in Germany. The Telegraph reports that the Munich Institute for Contemporary History only had 4,000 copies made in the first printing; it has received 15,000 advance orders for this book.

Here’s more from The New York Times: “Despite the edition’s heft — the two volumes together weigh more than 10 pounds — and an announced price of 59 euros, or about $64, sales have already exceeded expectations…Even so, the book sold out within hours on Amazon’s German site, where it was listed as ‘not available, due to limited publication.'”

The organization released Hitler’s two-volume autobiography on Jan. 8. The publication of this new edition marks the first time this book has been made available in Germany in 70 years. (via International Business Times)

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Big Rock by Lauren Blakely has joined the iBooks Bestsellers List this week at No. 3.

Apple has released the list of Bestselling iBooks from the week of 1/10/15. January by Audrey Carlan is No. 2 on the list and Carlan’s February by Carlan held the No. 3 position.

We have the entire list for you after the jump.

iBooks US Bestseller List- Paid Books Week 01/10/16

1.	January by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
2.	February by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
3.	Big Rock by Lauren Blakely – No ISBN Available – (Lauren Blakely Books)
4.	March by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
5.	The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – 9780698185395 – (Penguin Publishing Group)
6.	April by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
7.	May by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
8.	The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey – 9781101598962 – (Penguin Young Readers Group)
9.	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – 9781466850606 – (St. Martin’s Press)
10.	June by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
11.	Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham – 9780385539449 – (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
12.	July by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
13.	August by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
14.	September by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
15.	The Guilty by David Baldacci – 9781455586417 – (Grand Central Publishing)
16.	October by Audrey Carlan – No ISBN Available – (Waterhouse Press)
17.	Cross Justice by James Patterson – 9780316407144 – (Little, Brown and Company)
18.	The Martian by Andy Weir – 9780804139038 – (CrownArchetype)
19.	The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo – 9781607747314 – (PotterTenSpeedHarmony)
20.	All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – 9781476746609 – (Scribner)

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Ariell R. Johnson has opened a diversity-centered comic bookstore and coffee shop called Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse. In an interview with the Philadelphia City Paper, she spoke about her passion for geek culture, comics, and baking.

Johnson plans to stock her store with comics from both high-profile publishers and smaller independent publishers. According to Philly.com, she “hopes to build community around comics, coffee, and relaxing with friends, and also through hosting geeky and diversity-themed workshops, movie/TV screenings, book signings, and BYOB nights.”

This business has the distinction of being “the first black female-owned comic book shop to open its doors on the East Coast.” It can be found in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. (via The Mary Sue)

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It’s a bicoastal book-to-book battle, but it’s an everybody-wins sort of thing.

Beginning in the fall and running through the end of 2015, the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Children’s Alliance (NCIBA) and the New England Children’s Booksellers Advisory Council (NECBA) were competing to see which coast’s booksellers can sell the most copies of certain titles with diverse characters.

NCIBA was touting One Word from Sophia (Atheneum, June 2015) by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail; and The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher (Delacorte, September 2014) by Dana Alison Levy. NECBA was promoting Last Stop on Market Street (Putnam, January 2015) by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson — which just yesterday received the Newbery Medal, a Caldecott Honor, and a CSK Illustrator Award Honor.

The idea was to “provide hard evidence to publishers that diverse books sell,” according to a statement from NCIBA’s new Diversity Committee.

Brookline Booksmith participated in a similar campaign while I worked in the children’s section there. The Great Greene Challenge of 2014 was a competition to see which bookstore could sell the most copies of Varian Johnson’s The Great Greene Heist (Scholastic/Levine), a funny caper with a diverse cast pictured clearly on the cover. The most challenging part of handselling this book was its lack of wildly popular comp titles. The easiest way to sell a book from Intermediate Fiction was to say, “If you liked Percy Jackson/Harry Potter/Diary of a Wimpy Kid…” Recommendations for a middle-school caper novel often sounded a little out-of-the-blue. The solution? Honesty. When I explained to customers that we were competing to sell this title to prove to publishers that a book with kids of color on the cover could sell, it often piqued their interest. “That needs proving?” one customer asked. Some did walk away with copies of The Great Greene Heist. Others picked different books, but in at least a few cases, they picked different diverse books. The exchange almost always led to some discussion about the need for more diversity in children’s literature.

Let’s hope the same happened with this initiative! We’re looking forward to seeing the results announced. (And far be it from this New England bookselling alum to say which reason is the best region, but may the best region win!)

The post Go, indies, go! appeared first on The Horn Book.

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Colorado-based Isis Books & Gifts has changed its store signage, after being vandalized for having a name similar to the terrorist group.

The New Age bookstore posted a photo of its damaged sign on Facebook back in November. Since then the bookseller has redesigned its sign to prominently highlight a drawing of the store’s namesake, Isis, the Egyptian Goddess of women.

“We have changed our sign to a gorgeous one with a huge image of Isis and her most honorific title: Goddess of 10,0000 Names,” the bookseller said in a Facebook post on New Year’s Eve. “You know who Goddess of 10,000 Names is, but we are deflecting the attention of folks who flunked their 6th grade basic mythology class (and have anger issues) away from us and our signage.” (Via The Guardian).

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Barnes & Noble saw sales increase 1.6 percent during the nine-week holiday period ending Jan. 2, 2016, as compared to the same time period last year.

The company’s retail sales, which includes revenues from in-stores and BN.com, were $1.1 billion, down 0.8 percent during the time frame, which the company attributed to lower online sales and store closures. The results exclude Nook products. Nook sales were $41.2 million, representing a 25.8 percent decrease year-over-year. Here is more from the press release:

Based on the holiday sales results, the Company continues to expect fiscal 2016 core comparable store sales to increase approximately 1%, and comparable store sales to be approximately flat. The Company also continues to expect full fiscal year EBITDA losses in the NOOK segment to decline versus the prior year.

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