Rose Cafe, an online bookstore in Chicago, Ill., with a focus on Black authors and stories, will host a fundraiser early next year to help raise money toward opening a bricks-and-mortar location in the city's Roseland neighborhood, Block Club Chicago reported.

Rebecca Silverman (l.) and Iesha Malone

Co-founders Iesha Malone and Rebecca Silverman hope to raise around $10,000 through the event, which will take place on February 26 at the Discover Financial Services customer care center, and they could open the physical store as early as summer 2023. Through January 2, Rose Cafe will sell early-bird tickets for $30. After that, tickets will go up to $60.

"A lot of organizations have reached out to us and asked us what type of support we have," Malone told Block Club Chicago. "What we're learning is that after our two, almost three years of doing the groundwork, we have a lot of alliances and allies that 100% want to see these doors open. So we're at the point where we want to make sure everybody knows that we're still working on what we've been working towards."

At the same time, Malone is launching the Rose Cafe Foundation, a nonprofit that will work in tandem with the bookstore and cafe. She hopes to create a space in Roseland where kids "feel safe, seen, loved and heard," and where they will have access to literature as well as mentorship and role modeling.

She noted that there is an "alarming rate of violence" in Roseland and she doesn't know "if we can wait another summer" to open a physical space.

My Writing Shed, "a nonprofit created by writers, for writers," serving Central Illinois by offering space "to create and connect, learn and grow, and share their experience and work with others," opened recently at 716 W. Main St. in Peoria, Ill.

Last month, nearby Lit. on Fire Books said it would partner with the new venture on some projects, writing, "I am so proud of my neighbors and all of their hard work and dedication to this space."

In a q&a with WCBU, co-founders Jennifer Flaig, Cara Dossett and Destinee Wilson spoke about the opportunities the Shed currently offers and what is anticipated for the near future.

"We did a lot of research, when we were creating this and kind of coming up with how we were going to do it," Flaig said. "It's not very common to have a space actually designed for writers. You can go to coffee shops, you can go to bookstores, which I love, especially Lit. on Fire. But it's not the same as, you know, just having that environment. So we try to take the best of all the worlds and put it together in one space.... You pay what you can, you come in here, we'll have some writing times, people can come in and do their thing, we're going to partner with Lit. on some open mic nights and some other events, things like that."

Wilson noted that "after being, like, locked up for the last couple of years during quarantine I think that this is really like a haven for writers--where we don't have a place like this that exists outside of academia. And I think that what we're really giving people--and not just other people, like for me, as well--is worth so much more than anything else that we can offer. Just having that space where people can go as a safe haven."

Dossett added: "It's really been a lot of fun so far, with our soft opening, just being able to see people at work doing what they love to do--writing, creating. And so far people have really enjoyed it. They've just come here. They've let loose. They create. They relax. And we've already had regulars. We've had books written here. And that is so awesome."

Kidstop Toys & Books, Scottsdale, Ariz., is closing after 24 years in business. Noting that the shop has survived a recession and a pandemic, owner Kate Tanner told Arizona's Family: "This has been a labor of love from the beginning. In the last couple years we were all trying to learn how to do business with Covid in our faces.... Kidstop had been on the market for quite a few months and we got close, but with interest rates going up and things happening, I totally get why someone would be hesitant to jump into it."

A rent raise and inflation have been additional challenges. "The price of rent was shocking," Tanner said. "As a small business owner going against the rise, price increases, the shipping increases, I just saw on one of my invoices that if it's not paid in time, my freight penalty is over $3,000. Prices are rising faster than I care to pass on to customers."

Last week she put a sign outside the store announcing it would close soon. "It's pretty scary to announce you are closing shop," she said, adding that it is also scary knowing she is not the only small business owner facing hard times and hard decisions. "People need this kind of environment in the community. We are the ones that donate to your clubs, banquets at school."

In an e-mail to customers, Tanner wrote: "It's not supposed to be this way but... my mom always said if handed lemons, make lemonade! So for now we have made the decision to retire and to remember only the good times. We have LOVED being part of your life and not seeing all of you will be a huge adjustment, but hopefully we'll see many of you along the way. Maybe at a coffee shop? Restaurant? Who knows, life is known for opening new chapters for all. Thank you for all your support and friendship!"

The Tidewater Community College bookstore in MacArthur Center, Norfolk, Va., is closing tomorrow, December 21, as it begins the move to a campus location, Daily Press reported. Managed by Barnes & Noble College, the store is moving to the Norfolk campus student center across the street at 310 Granby St. and will operate in a temporary space there until construction finishes on the new space. The bookstore opened on the second and third floors of the mall in 2007.

Karen Campbell, v-p of student affairs, said the change will make the bookstore more accessible to students. The move is part of a new contract between B&N College, which operates more than 770 campus stores nationwide, and TCC. The company has managed TCC bookstores since 2006. 

The bookstore on TCC's Virginia Beach campus will remain open while undergoing renovations. The Chesapeake and Portsmouth campus bookstore distribution centers will also continue operating. 

Each year Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Ill., hosts Naperville Reads, a city-wide celebration of one book/author that is free to attend. This year the featured author was Andrea Beatty and the Ada Twist series. Through community grants, Anderson's was able to provide lab coats for the kids in attendance and had local high school students running science experiments with attendees at several stations. Beatty spoke and signed books, followed by a showing of the Netflix Ada Twist series.

"Loving the look of our new awning and sign on a snowy day," Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, Vt.,  posted on Instagram. "The streets and sidewalks are plowed: WE'RE OPEN! (and there is no line)."

The American Booksellers Association showcased several bookshop Christmas trees on Instagram, noting: "Bookstore Christmas trees! Have you ever made a tree out of books? Pictured first is the giant book tree at @onceuponatime_books in Tontitown, Arkansas. Swipe to see a glimpse of the colorful tree trimmed with wrapped books at @bricklanerogers in Downtown Rogers, Arkansas, then swipe again to see the charming book tree at @thunderroadbooks in Spring Lake, New Jersey!"

"Last night's grown up holiday book fair was such a blast that we opened up even more tickets for tonight!" the Novel Neighbor Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo., posted on Instagram. "If you weren't able to get tickets before because they were sold out, we've got you! The Holiday Cheer (with ice cream and beer) Adult Book Fair is tonight at Perennial’s South City location from 5-9pm.... This event is one of our favorites of the year, it's so much fun helping you find the perfect book for your loved ones--or yourself! All our love to the best event partners anyone could ask for: @perennialbeer and @sugarwitchic! Did you attend the book fair last night/are you planning to come tonight?! Let us know!"

Tomorrow:
Drew Barrymore Show repeat: Ina Garten, author of Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, $35, 9781984822789).

Disney's Onyx Collective has announced that Hulu's upcoming six-part limited docu-series The 1619 Project, an expansion of the 2019 project created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine, will premiere January 26 with the first two episodes, followed by two additional episodes released each Thursday thereafter.

Hosted by Hannah-Jones, the series, in keeping with the original project, "seeks to reframe the country's history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative," Hulu noted. The episodes--"Democracy," "Race," "Music," "Capitalism," "Fear" and "Justice"--are adapted from essays in the book The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story and examine how the legacy of slavery shapes aspects of contemporary American life.

A Lionsgate Production in association with One Story Up Productions, Harpo Films and the New York Times, the series was executive produced by Hannah-Jones, director Roger Ross Williams, editor Caitlin Roper (an editor for The 1619 Project and Times exec producer for film and TV), Kathleen Lingo (Times editorial director for film and TV) and Oprah Winfrey. Shoshana Guy served as the showrunner.

The Saltire Society announced winners of 2022 Scotland's National Book Awards, with David Alston receiving the Book of the Year Award for Slaves and Highlanders: Silenced Histories of Scotland and the Caribbean. Alexander McCall Smith was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Scottish literature.

The judges described Alston's work, which also won the history category, as the "best book to date on Scottish involvement in chattel slavery and the impact of the gains from this on Highland Scotland. From his local, Cromarty, base the author engages forcefully with major historiographical debates relating to Scottish participation in the slave economy and challenges presentations of this in tourist literature and major heritage institutions. An informative book based solidly in research but immensely accessible."

This year's category winners also included Blood & Gold: A Journey of Shadows by Mara Menzies (fiction), Homelands: The History of a Friendship by Chitra Ramaswamy (nonfiction), IN by Will McPhail (first book), How to Burn a Woman by Claire Askew (poetry), and more. 

Publisher of the year honors went to 404Ink, described by the judges as "brave and honest publishers, working to ensure under-represented writers and works are published."

Literary category winners each receive £2,000 (about $2,430) and book of the year gets an additional £4,000 (about $4,860).  

LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 January titles public library staff across the country love:

Top Pick
Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn (Kensington, $16.95, 9781496737298). "When Georgie suddenly loses her job as a personal assistant, she heads home to her parents to regroup. While there, she comes across a teenage diary and uses it to explore her life. This is a sweet, fun novel about a genuine, competent person trying to discover her true self. For fans of The Authenticity Project." --Julie Heckert, Orem Public Library, Orem, Utah

All the Dangerous Things: A Novel by Stacy Willingham (‎Minotaur, $27.99, 9781250803856). "One year after Isabelle's son was taken from his bedroom in the middle of the night, the police still have no suspects or any idea of what became of her boy. The only thing Izzy knows for certain haunts her: because she's a chronic sleepwalker, did she have something to do with her child's disappearance? For fans of Gilly Macmillan and Lisa Jewell." --K.C. Davis, Fairfield Woods Library, Fairfield, Conn.

Back in a Spell by Lana Harper (Berkley, $17, 9780593336106). "Witch Nina Blackmoore must decide who she is and what matters most when her rocky date with 'normie' Morty Gutierrez results in a magical bond between the two. With solid pacing, tremendous feats of magic, and a sweet and passionate romance, this third installment of the Thistle Grove series will knock your socks off. For fans of Ann Aguirre." --Shannon Collins, Upper Dublin Public Library, Fort Washington, Pa.

Bad Cree: A Novel by Jessica Johns (Doubleday, $27, 9780385548694). "When Mackenzie's nightmares start to bleed into her waking hours, she knows that she'll need to return to family to get the help she needs. First Nations author Johns creates a unique combination of cryptid terror and family strength in the face of horror and trauma. For readers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Eden Robinson." --Erin Downey Howerton, Wichita Public Library, Wichita, Kan.

The Bandit Queens: A Novel by Parini Shroff  (Ballantine, $28, 9780593498958). "An amazing debut novel about a group of women who are part of a micro-loan community in an Indian village. Everyone thinks Geeta has killed her no-good, rotten, abusive husband, so the other women want her to kill their husbands too. A story full of humor, pathos, and suspense." --Ariel Zeitlin, Montclair Public Library, Montclair, N.J.

The Duke Gets Even: A Novel by Joanna Shupe (Avon, $9.99, 9780063045071). "The Duke of Lockwood is visiting America to find the perfect bride--rich and scandal-free. Nellie is a wealthy heiress who purposefully ruined her reputation long ago. She uses her wealth to discreetly distribute contraceptives to women. The chemistry between Nellie and Lockwood is present from page one." --Katie Curry, Guyandotte Branch of Cabell County Public Library, Huntington, W.Va.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey, $28, 9780593500132). "Grumpy professor Emily Wilde wishes that she did not have to 'people' while researching the first complete encyclopedia of faeries. However, a handsome rival and some quirky townsfolk conspire to crack open Emily's well-guarded heart. Readers will be enchanted with the Fae and cantankerous narrator found in this fantasy tale, like a cozy version of the Lady Trent series." --Jenna Zarzycki, King County Library System, Covington, Wash.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Novel by Benjamin Stevenson (Mariner, $30, 9780063279025). "Ernie Cunningham writes books on how to write mystery novels for a living and is part of a family where everyone has killed someone. But the story of how and why is unraveled in the pages, and there's another murderer in the midst. The narration is perfect--a retrospective that includes lots of misdirection and breaking the fourth wall. A must-read for mystery fans." --Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Twinsburg, Ohio

Exes and O's by Amy Lea (Berkley, $16.99, 9780593336595). "Tara Chen believes one of her 10 exes must be her true love, so she enlists new roommate Trevor to help her reconnect with all of them. Cleverly written with all the tropes found in romance novels, but especially second-chance romance. Recommended for anyone wanting a feel-good story with a delightful heroine and handsome love interest! For Jayci Lee and Jackie Lau fans." --Elizabeth Qualls, Blackwater Regional Library, Courtland, Va.

The House in the Pines: A Novel by Ana Reyes (‎Dutton, $27, 9780593186718). "Maya sees a viral video of a woman in a diner dropping dead while seated across from her boyfriend. Maya knows this man, as years ago her friend also died suddenly in front of him. Reyes keeps readers guessing, creating a wonderfully sinister undertone while enriching the suspense by incorporating elements of Guatemala's history. For fans of Behind Her Eyes." --Blinn Sheffield, Greenwood-Leflore Public Library, Greenwood, Miss.

Bram Stoker Award-winner Christopher Golden (Dead Ringers; Road of Bones) blends 1980s nostalgia with eldritch horrors in Halloween terror-fest All Hallows. This ensemble cast horror story is a bloody race against the clock to survive the night set against a backdrop of family and neighborhood drama.

"Tonight, the woods would be full of screams, and he intended to cherish every last one." It's Halloween night in 1984 Massachusetts, and Tony Barbosa and his teen daughter Chloe have put extra effort into their annual homegrown Haunted Woods attraction. Financial troubles and an impending move are sounding a death knell for the tradition. Their neighbors on Parmenter Road face their own struggles. Barb Sweeney fights to stay strong for her kids in the face of her husband's constant infidelity. Everyone whispers rumors that the Burgess couple ran a brothel in their last town and abducted children. While conflict distracts the adults, the kids on Parmenter Road notice something odd while trick-or-treating. Unknown, unkempt children in costumes that look like they came from bygone decades are appearing around the neighborhood. Tween Rick Barbosa and his best friend Billie are trailed by a little boy in a scarecrow costume whom they later must rescue, but Rick is sure something about the child is off. Other creepy children beg kids in the neighborhood for help hiding from "the Cunning Man," the monstrous being hunting them. His coming spells gruesome disaster as well as some surprising twists.

Golden captures the flavor of the 1980s suburb through accurate social dynamics and pop culture references, much as the hit Netflix horror series Stranger Things has done. The chills and kills horror fans expect are certainly here, but Golden also leverages the "selfish cruelty of ordinary people" to create that prickly, on-edge feeling needed to set up a good scare. One particularly emotional plot thread is that of Vanessa, a teen lesbian keeping her sexual orientation secret for fear of backlash and hate. Her closeted-by-necessity status creates an immediate layer of jeopardy before the Cunning Man ever arrives. The story's sense of sliding back and forth from reality into nightmare is evocative of traditions that hold Halloween as a thinning of the veil. The Cunning Man and his child harbingers also have the feel of folklore come to life. Readers looking for supernatural scares dressed up in vintage garb will find both tricks and treats here. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

Shelf Talker: Christopher Golden's bloody, folkloric ensemble horror story is set in 1980s suburbia.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. Zodiac Academy 8 by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
2. Tis the Season for Revenge by Morgan Elizabeth
3. He Who Fights with Monsters 8 by Shirtaloon and Travis Deverell
4. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
5. How the Grump Saved Christmas by Claire Kingsley
6. Untying the Knot by Meghan Quinn
7. Magical Midlife Challenge by K.F. Breene
8. Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews
9. Tangled in Tinsel by Trilina Pucci
10. Magic Tides by Ilona Andrews

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]