Good Girl Cafe and Bookstore will open this summer in Englewood, Colo., the Denver Post reported.

Meg Garcia-Jahrman

Located at 2807 S. Broadway, Good Girl Cafe and Bookstore will carry an assortment of romance titles, including contemporary romance, romantasy, and romance featuring characters with disabilities, as well as assorted gifts and merchandise. The cafe will serve coffee sourced from a Colorado company, along with a variety of specialty drinks.

"I'm hoping to build more of a third space," owner Meg Garcia-Jahrman told the Denver Post. "I want people to be able to come and hang out and read their book or bring their craft--if they want to sit and crochet or cross-stitch--and sit for a while and not feel rushed. I just want people to feel at home, and like they're able to be who they are."

Between September 2024 and September 2025, Garcia-Jahrman lost both of her parents unexpectedly, and romance novels and coffee shops proved to be refuges for her. She recalled: "With the passing of my parents, I was able to inherit some money, and that's really kind of what was able to take Good Girl from a dream into a reality. My husband was like, ‘Why don’t you do what you really want to do?’ which has always been to open a coffee shop."

Garica-Jahrman noted that she's honoring both of her parents with the bookstore and cafe: her mother was a book lover, and her father was a supporter of small businesses and local community. "This wouldn’t have been possible without them," she said. "I would not have been able to do this without them, and all the support that they’ve given me up until they passed away."

Garica-Jahrman is eyeing a July grand opening.

For the Plot, a romance-focused bookstore "with curated subgenres and bookish gifts," is set to open by late June at 120 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, Mo., the Southeast Missourian reported.  

Owner Brianna "Bri" Biri said that she loves the attention her bookstore is already getting, whether it is passersby peeking through the front windows, messages she receives online or word-of-mouth that makes its way back to her. "I feel like people are already starting to connect with it," she noted.  

An avid reader of the romance genre, Biri visited similar stores in Charleston, S.C., Seattle, Wash., and Nashville, Tenn., which helped her feel "empowered to pursue the venture of opening her own bookstore geared toward those also taken with romance novels," the Southeast Missourian noted.

"Obviously, it's something that people are connecting to and sticking with," Biri said of the genre. In addition to For the Plot's curated collection of romance titles, she will also sell books by local authors.

She added that the new bookstore is coming together exactly as she envisioned it, with vibes for the space that are "romantic, whimsical, and cozy.... I just wanted it to feel welcoming. I didn't want it to feel cold and sterile. I really did want it to feel like you were just going to a friend's house or something."

Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, Celestial Books is looking to open a bricks-and-mortar location in San Francisco, Calif., the Richmond Review reported.

Chelsea Brown

Celestial Books sells predominantly used titles and grew out of a free lending library that creator Chelsea Brown launched in her driveway roughly four years ago. As the library grew increasingly popular, Brown started hosting children's storytime sessions, and eventually she decided she wanted to open a bookstore. She launched an Indiegogo campaign in February and raised more than $30,000, with nearly 200 donors contributing. 

"It's just been really emotional in that regard," Brown told the Richmond Review. "I really believe in grassroots movements, power of the collective, and I feel like this just demonstrated that." 

Brown hopes to open a bricks-and-mortar store in San Francisco's Outer Richmond neighborhood before the end of the year. She intends for it to be a "general neighborhood bookstore" with titles and programming for all ages. Alongside new and used books, she plans to sell loose leaf tea as well as journals, cards, bath salts, and other sidelines. 

Brown noted that she started the Celestial Library, the precursor to Celestial Books, essentially as a way to deal with an overabundance of books while also getting to know her neighbors. "Over time, it just grew," she said. "It was a very slow, organic process."

Booksellers and librarians, please join us this Thursday, June 11, at 4 p.m. Eastern, for an educational webinar on buying and merchandising holiday titles. Sponsored by Publisher Spotlight, Cottage Door Press, and Norton Young Readers, the webinar will kick off with a conversation between veteran booksellers Paul Hanson, co-owner of Village Books and Paper Dreams in Bellingham and Lynden, Wash., and Kim Brock of Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, Ohio, who will discuss the increasing bookselling opportunities from various holiday events. We will also discuss buying strategies and considerations for merchandising. Their conversation will be followed by a lively presentation of key titles from the sponsors, including a special offer for holiday titles, compelling sales data, and an appearance by author Alex Ritany.

Our presentation kicks off at 4 p.m. Eastern; the registration link is here. If you are unable to attend, all registrants will be sent a recording of the session. All who attend the webinar will be sent a certificate of completion for professional development.

David C. Nelson, who held a variety of positions in the book world, died earlier this spring from complications of dementia.

David C. Nelson

He began his publishing career at Micawber's Books and the wholesaler Bookman in the Twin Cities before joining Viking Penguin as a Midwest sales representative in 1978. After moving to New York City in 1988, he became national sales manager at Viking Penguin, v-p of national accounts, and in 1991, v-p, director of sales for adult hardcover and children's books, a role he held until 1997. 

From 1997 to 2002, Nelson served as v-p, director of sales at Harcourt Brace, overseeing all adult and children's book sales. He later took on broader publishing roles, including establishing and running Midpoint's Beaufort Books as v-p and publisher, and serving as executive editor at Sterling Publishing, where he founded the Ethos imprint dedicated to spirituality and wellness. He ended his career as a literary agent with Waterside before retiring in 2018.

Nelson worked with many celebrated and award-winning authors, including Stephen King, Garrison Keillor, Umberto Eco, Jose Saramago, Ken Kesey, Salman Rushdie, Don Delillo, Pete Seeger, Mary Karr, Ann Patchett, Roger Clemens, Bill Maher, Paul Auster, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

He was deeply committed to the literary world, serving as vice-president of the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association; on both the trade executive and trade international executive committees of the Association of American Publishers; and on the Milkweed Editions Advisory Board. He also served on the board of Compassion & Choices, supporting people in making end-of-life decisions with dignity and care.

Nelson was beloved by many of his fellow book publishing professionals, and his big personality, generous heart, and legendary sense of humor will be missed. A celebration in his memory will be announced.

In remembrance, a memorial donation to Alley Cat Allies, a cause dear to his heart, would be appreciated. Contributions can be made online.

Congratulations to House of Books, Kent, Conn., which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this Saturday, June 13, at 6 p.m. with a party that will include "a toast, refreshments, lots of books, and YOU!" as it wrote to customers. 

In addition, the store is celebrating its anniversary by highlighting books published in 1976, the year it was founded. On Wednesday, June 17, at 6 p.m., its June Book Club meeting, led by general manager Benjamin Rybeck, will discuss Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins, first published in 1976. The July Book Club will focus on Eva's Man by Gayl Jones, another 1976 title. And the August Book Club will read Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, also first published in 1976.

Fiction Bookshop in Wiscasset, Maine, hosted the launch event for Ellen Baker's Midcoast Maine-set novel Summerland Cove (HarperCollins). The immersive event, held at the Wiscasset Yacht Club, featured a menu inspired by the book, a scene brought to life from its pages, signed books, and special giveaways. Pictured: Baker (l.) with Fiction Bookshop owner Toni Chappell (c) and bookseller Nathalie Paulino. (photo: Katie Kelley Creative)

Lakeside Book Company has added four publisher clients for full sales and distribution, two of which are also partnering for book manufacturing:

Red Racer Books, a publisher of books for children showcasing the world of motorsports. Through fun and engaging stories, the publisher makes STEM education easy and accessible for children from 0 to 10 years old. Red Racer Books also has published officially licensed titles with NASCAR, IndyCar, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Print and e-books in the U.S. and Canada, effective July 1.)

Voices of Tomorrow Press, a new creative community built by young authors for young readers to share stories that foster positive change in the world. The press aims to empower aspiring authors with the tools they need to bring their words to life and help a new generation of voices shine one story at a time. (Printing, sales, and distribution in the U.S. and Canada.)

WarGate Books, which publishes military fantasy and high-action science fiction titles by contemporary authors. WarGate began with a publishing program balancing the release of digital and physical formats with audiobooks, but now seeks to expand its presence in the print world and grow its market base. Their current list includes works by New York Times bestselling authors Blaine L. Pardoe and Brent Evans as well as Eisner Award-winning comic creator Mike Baron, among many others. (Printing, sales, and distribution of print and e-books in the U.S. and Canada, effective September 1.)

Calla Press Publishing, a Christian publishing house with headquarters in North Texas. Calla is dedicated to creating beautiful, biblically grounded books for readers of all ages that blend rich storytelling, timeless visual appeal, and enduring Christian value. (Sales and distribution of printed titles in the U.S. and Canada, effective September 1.)

At Bloomsbury Academic:

Andrew Lee is joining the company as senior marketing manager.

Emi Herman has been promoted to associate marketing manager.

Annie Lee has been promoted to marketing manager.

Tomorrow:
Kelly Clarkson Show: Jared Freid, author of Walking Red Flag: Dating Advice from Your Favorite Guy Friend (S&S/Simon Element, $29, 9781668061800).

Late Night with Seth Meyers: Mike Schur and Joe Posnanski, authors of Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love (Dutton, $35, 9798217045112).

ABC is in development on A Forgotten Kill, a TV adaptation of Isabella Maldonado's 2024 novel, the second in her FBI Special Agent Daniela Vega series (A Killer's Game, A Killer's Code). Deadline reported that Justin Hartley (Change Up Productions) will executive produce through his overall deal at 20th Television. Diana Son (Line of Fire, Butterfly) is writing and executive producing alongside fellow exec producers Ken Olin, who will also direct, and Maldonado.

The show is "centered on ex-Army Ranger Dani Vega, a Nuyorican from the Lower East Side and dauntless FBI agent whose specialty is breaking codes and detecting patterns. As part of a task force, Dani is partnered with NYPD Detective Mark Flint. Their clashing styles give them an edge in solving crimes and expose an undeniable chemistry, but Dani is haunted by a secret: a family tragedy in her past that comes back to put her career and life at risk," Deadline noted.

Kevin Young won the 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize, which is designed to "encourage and celebrate excellence in poetry," for Night Watch (Knopf). The prize is for first edition books of poetry written in, or translated into, English and submitted from anywhere in the world. Each of the other finalists receives C$10,000 (about US$7,170).

The judges called the book "a melancholic and haunting collection of sequence poems that layers multiple literary traditions with a dexterity that amounts to a provocation of sonic and epic proportions."

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Konstantin Richter has won the 2026 German Non-Fiction Prize for Dreihundert Männer. Aufstieg und Fall der Deutschland AG (Three Hundred Men: The Rise and Fall of Germany Inc.). Richter receives €25,000 (about $28,900). The prize is awarded by the Börsenverein's Foundation for Book Culture and the Promotion of Reading, the Deutsche Bank Foundation, the City of Hamburg, and the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The jury wrote: "To this day, the concept of 'Germany Inc.' continues to shape our conception of ourselves as a successful economic nation. In his history of the German economy from the early days of industrialisation to the present, Konstantin Richter shows just how little the ideas and assumptions associated with this model still correspond to contemporary realities. Through a skillfully constructed narrative, he reveals how the network of the '300 men' shaped Germany on a personal, economic and political level. One thing becomes clear: this came at a cost. Nostalgia offers no way forward. Konstantin Richter exposes what lies behind the abstract notion of the 'German economy,' providing a foundation for drawing the right conclusions for the future."

Stacey Yu's first novel, Kitten, is a peculiar, endearing fable about a young woman who identifies with her boyfriend's cat as she works to overcome codependency issues with him and her mother.

Chinese American Katie is a recent college graduate in Manhattan. Her work-study job has ended--leaving her with less than $50 in her bank account--and her roommate keeps reminding her the utilities payment is overdue. When Katie's boyfriend, James, invites her to stay at his parents' second home by the ocean for two weeks, it presents an opportunity to delay her job search. James is white and four years older, comes from money, and has a corporate job. That privilege cushions her, too. On vacation, he cooks for her and does all the driving, and when he learns about her rental crisis, he encourages her to move in with him. Katie bluntly admits her unhealthy attitude to herself: "I liked being with James because he made it easier for me to be alive."

Katie grew up the cosseted only child of a single mother. James is her first boyfriend, and the first time she sees the ocean is with him. James's family pet, Silver, is also the first cat she meets. James found Silver on the beach a decade before, and the cat regularly swims in the sea with her owners. Katie is "struck by the intensity of my affection for her"--somewhere between maternal instinct and envy of the cat's comfort and security. But she doesn't know how to care for a pet, and there are several near disasters when Silver eats things she shouldn't. At the same time, Katie starts to almost imitate Silver, such as by lapping at a bowl of milk and licking James during foreplay. "He wanted me to be his equal, and I wanted to be his pet," she thinks.

Yu maintains the uncomfortable ambiguity of the central relationships as literal realities and psychological explanations coalesce. That Katie's estranged mother's nickname for her is "Kitten" connects the novel's major elements. Katie begins to realize that she's not responsible for her mother's ill mental health (anorexia, extreme resistance to aging). By the end, she's cultivating independence and kick-starting her arrested emotional development. "I didn't want to be helpless anymore," she asserts.

A cross between If You Love It, Let It Kill You by Hannah Pittard and Rental House by Weike Wang, this debut is an offbeat charmer. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader, and blogger at Bookish Beck

Shelf Talker: In Stacey Yu's unconventional debut novel, a young woman starts to come to terms with her unhealthy relationships while on a beach vacation with her boyfriend and his cat.