"Until a drag queen walks into a school and beats eight kids to death with a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, I think you're focusing on the wrong shit."

The Houston Chronicle spoke with two Texas booksellers about the potential effect of HB 900, the bill that has passed the House and Senate and will likely be signed soon by Gov. Greg Abbott. Both Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, and Elizabeth Jordan, general manager of Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio, said that the bill was unworkable for bookstores.

If the measure becomes law, all companies selling to school libraries, librarians, and teachers in Texas, would have to assign ratings to books "based on the presence of depictions or references to sex," the Texas Tribune wrote. "A book would get a 'sexually relevant' rating if the material describes or portrays sexual activity and is part of the required school curriculum. A book would get a 'sexually explicit' rating if the material describing or portraying sexual behavior is 'patently offensive' and not part of required curriculum. State law defines 'patently offensive' as materials that are an affront to 'current community standards of decency.' "

The bill has a retroactive effect: by next April, all booksellers must submit to the Texas Education Agency a list of every book they've ever sold to a teacher, librarian, or school that qualifies for a sexual rating and is in active use. The stores also are required to issue recalls for any sexually explicit books. If the Agency finds that a bookstore has been incorrectly rating books, it can be banned from doing business with charter schools or school districts.

The Chronicle noted that "owners and employees of bookstores around the state have said they don't have the staff or expertise to read and rate every single book they are selling to an educator, and they have no records to retroactively rate every book they've ever sold to a school."

Koehler told the Chronicle, "The First Amendment person in me says, 'Why do we have to mark the books at all?' The business person in me says, 'That's going to be very hard to administer for the middle vendor,' which we are."

She added: "The way the bill is written right now is that not only can we get in trouble for what we sell to a school, we can get in trouble for something we sold 10 years ago to a school."

Jordan said her store had planned to increase its share of sales to schools to about 15% of its business, but that is not possible if the bill becomes law. "If I am selling a book to a school, I will have to have read the whole book to determine if it's sexually relevant or sexually explicit. And both of those things, I think, are pretty subjective, and I might rate them differently than others might," she said. "I don't see why I would put myself at risk to do that. If all the onus is on me, all the liability is on me, and it's not a job I'm trained to do or my employees are trained to do.

"I think that the ultimate end result is there's just going to be a lot fewer books in school libraries because there are going to be fewer bookstores willing to do the work to sell those books, and that's bad for all Texas students."

Jordan noted, too, "I'm a relatively new store, but even I don't have records of the books I've sold to libraries in the three to four years I've been active."

Observing that "many have expressed concerns that the bill is an effort to restrict books with LGBTQ themes or by Black authors," the Chronicle recalled that Rep. Jared Patterson, author of the measure, has said the bill was a reaction to Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, one of main targets of the current wave of book bannings across the country.

Sen. Angela Paxton, who shepherded the bill through the Senate, said, "We're not talking about a certain type of sexual activity. We're talking about sexually explicit of any sort. It doesn't belong in front of the eyes and in the minds of kids."

She asserted that the bill will "mostly affect large vendors," the Chronicle wrote, "as just 50 companies sell most books purchased by Texas public schools, and three giants are responsible for the bulk of titles in campus libraries."

"If vendors want to sell books in Texas, they certainly have a vested interest in making sure it's done properly," she continued.

Books Inc., which has 11 stores in the Bay Area, is restructuring its book fair program, launching Books Inc.'s Reading Bridge, a nonprofit that aims to expand accessibility to books by offering book fairs to schools in all socio-economic communities.

The new nonprofit will offer two book fair models. The first is a continuation of the traditional model, where the fair serves as a fundraising opportunity for the school's PTA or library with a portion of all sales donated back to the school. The second model will be offered to schools in underserved communities, "with the same attention to detail as the traditional fairs, and the added guarantee that every student will be able to go home with a book of their choosing."

Books Inc. will donate all the initial equipment and infrastructure necessary to get started and will assist in fundraising by taking personal donations in its 11 bookstores. Books Inc.'s Reading Bridge's 501(c)(3) application has been submitted, and approval is expected in the coming months.

Books Inc.'s Reading Bridge offers large-scale, on-campus, pop-up fairs that provide hundreds of titles ranging in ages and interests. The Reading Bridge team works closely with each school to bring a diverse and curated selection of titles that reflect the needs, lives, and interests of the school's community and children.

"This new model will allow us to contribute to a future where all kids in the Bay Area not only have expanded access to books but are able to select books for themselves from a broad and diverse range of titles," CEO Andy Perham said.

Matilda Bookshop, Stirling, South Australia, took home Bookshop of the Year honors recently at the Australian Book Industry Awards after being shortlisted for the third year in a row. Big W was named Book Retailer of the Year. Check out the complete list of ABIA awards winners here.

"Owned and staffed by book-lovers, Matilda Bookshop is a beloved independent bookshop, with a loyal following of customers whose tastes and interests they love to get to know," BookPeople, the Australian independent booksellers association, noted. "Their books are carefully and lovingly selected, so you can be sure to find something special when you come in for a browse. And if you can't find what you're looking for, their helpful staff will point you in the right direction, or will order in a particular title for you. Matilda Bookshop is simply just a beautiful place to be."

Matilda Bookshop posted on Facebook: "Co-owners Joanna and Gavin, received the award (looking very very fine), and their colleagues and customers could not be more proud of the literary legacy they are creating in the (l'il old) Adelaide Hills. Recognized for our passion and energy in bookselling, community engagement, and the world of ideas and social change, Matilda Bookshop is privileged to have been shortlisted alongside the illustrious, @wherethewildthingsare_ bookshop @readingsbooks @boffinsbooks & Book Grove.

"This is an award voted by publishers, and we thank them heartily for this award, as well as for their collaboration and investment in us, especially when it comes to our rich and vital author events program. We cannot be a bookshop without authors and without a community of readers, so we thank them from our full to the brim bookshop hearts. Thank you ABIA. Here's to loving books and bookshops.

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Digital sales in Sweden are expected to offset a decline in volume of paper this year, according to a survey conducted by the Swedish trade publication Svensk Bokhandel. The European & International Booksellers Federation's Newsflash reported that the survey was conducted among the 26 largest players in bookselling, publishing and streaming services in the country, in an effort to create a forecast of the sales in 2023. 

The results show sales in the start of 2023 on par with the same period last year. However, the generally strong turnover is also explained by necessary price increases. Cost effectiveness and logistical adaptability will be a priority for the industry in the months ahead, with inflation remaining high and an uncertain demand for books.

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Small Bookshop Week was celebrated recently in Greece, "with the country's independent booksellers hosting a series of interesting events to acquaint readers with their important work and to share the joy of reading with the uninitiated," Kathimerini reported. This year's installment, which ran through Sunday, was celebrated by more than 100 bookstores and included more than 150 events, particularly presentations and talks by popular writers and illustrators.

"Apart from underscoring the passion and knowledge that independent booksellers bring to the business, and the way they bring together people who share the passion of reading, the event also seeks to showcase the work of a new generation of writers and illustrators, as well as reaching out to children," Kathimerini noted.

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With the recently announced closure of the Gunung Agung bookstore chain's remaining outlets in Indonesia by the end of 2023, Tempo.co featured "10 bookstores surviving the digital age in Indonesia," noting: "Gunung Agung is unfortunately likely to face the same fate as many bookstore brands in the world that are forced to close operations amid digitization and technological advancements. However, there are still stores that remain open in Indonesia, both large and smaller establishments."

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Bookshop wedding engagement: Canadian indie Upstart and Crow, Vancouver, B.C., shared some good news recently: "A bookstore betrothal! Congratulations to these sweethearts, Jacob and Morgan, who stopped by Upstart & Crow this weekend to get engaged! The best. They love books, we love love, everyone wins!" --Robert Gray

John Dunning

Author, rare bookseller, and "force of nature" John Dunning, "one of Colorado's most beloved bibliophiles," died May 23, the Denver Gazette reported. He was 81. "Some recall the Denver Post city-side reporter who would run through the newsroom on assignment with his shirt hanging out. Others knew Dunning as an old-time radio show collector and successful crime writer whose main character, an ex-Denver cop and expert on rare books, was awfully familiar," the Gazette noted.

"I could not read those books without seeing Dunning as Cliff Janeway," said his longtime friend Dan Danbom.

Dunning, co-owner of the now-defunct Old Algonquin Books, was also a respected antiquarian bookseller. "He lived in a world of books," said Marilyn Auer, who had dealings with Dunning when she was publisher of the Bloomberg Review. "If we were looking for an obscure book, John is one of the first people we would call." Auer added that Dunning was a book sleuth who could track down any publication and answer any question.

Dunning's books Looking for Ginger North and Deadline earned Edgar Award nominations in 1981 and 1982, and the novel Booked to Die won the Nero award and was nominated for Best Novel for the 1993 Anthony Award.

He was a newsman until 1970, when he retired to write his novels. Four years later, he and his wife, Helen, began running Old Algonquin Books on East Colfax for 10 years until 1984, when he started an online bookselling business. 

Danbom, who co-owns the Printed Page bookstore in Denver, said that Dunning is the reason he got into the antiquarian book business. Dunning made it seem like such a romantic lifestyle when he called Danbom on Mondays to brag about the rare books he bought at garage sales and flea markets. Dunning would lecture him not to keep the books he bought, telling him, "You cannot collect books." But that was exactly what he did, Danborn noted.

University Book Store in Seattle, Wash., hosted the launch for M.P. Woodward's thriller Dead Drop (Berkley); Woodward (r.) was in conversation with Boyd Morrison.

Simon & Schuster will handle sales and distribution of Meredith Wild LLC's Page & Vine imprint in the U.S. and Canada, beginning with Summer 2023 titles.

Founded by author Meredith Wild, Page & Vine has published romance authors Micalea Smeltzer and Julie Morgan and recently acquired print rights to the Hardy Billionaires and Tarnished Empire series by Shain Rose.

Page & Vine aims "to strengthen connection between readers and authors through the written word, and to expand author brands through traditional distribution channels," the company said. Founder Meredith Wild added, "In addition to helping our readers find joy and inspiration in the stories we publish, we aim to be a trusted partner to our authors."

At Riverhead Books:

Nora Alice Demick has been promoted to marketing director. She was formerly assistant director of marketing.

Michelle Waters has joined Riverhead as marketing manager. She was formerly associate marketing manager at Norton, where she worked for six years.

Cinda Meets Ella: A Fairly Queer Tale by Wallace West (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers).

Today:
Good Morning America: Bruce Feiler, author of The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World (Penguin Press, $29, 9780593298916).

Also on GMA: Hayley Kiyoko, author of Girls Like Girls (Wednesday Books, $20, 9781250817631).

CBS Mornings: Geena Rocero, author of Horse Barbie: A Memoir (The Dial Press, $28, 9780593445884).

NPR's All Things Considered: James Comey, author of Central Park West: A Crime Novel (Mysterious Press, $30, 9781613164037). He will also appear today on Morning Joe, MSNBC's Deadline White House with Nicolle Wallace, and CNN's Anderson Cooper. He will appear tomorrow on CNN This Morning.

Tomorrow:
Today Show: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of Chain Gang All Stars: A Novel (Pantheon, $27, 9780593317334).

Across the River and Into the Trees, the long-awaited Ernest Hemingway adaptation starring Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing), Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right), and Danny Huston (The Aviator), has set North American release plans with Bleecker Street, Deadline reported.

Based on the last full-length novel published by Hemingway in his lifetime, the film is directed by Paula Ortiz (The Bride) and will bow exclusively in theaters this fall. It was adapted for the screen by BAFTA Award winner Peter Flannery (The Devil's Mistress).

The shortlist for the £10,000 (about $12,350) 2023 Royal Society of Literature Christopher Bland Prize has been released. The prize honors "outstanding achievements for a debut novelist or non-fiction writer first published aged 50 or over." The winner will be announced June 8. The shortlist:

Freedom to Think by Susie Alegre
A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph
Love from the Pink Palace by Jill Nalder
I Am Not Your Eve by Devika Ponnambalam

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The shortlists for this year's £10,000 (about $12,350) James Tait Black Prizes, presented by the University of Edinburgh for the best work of fiction and biography written in or translated into English published in the previous 12 months, have been selected. The winners will be announced in July. The shortlists:

Fiction:
Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi, translated from Arabic by Marilyn Booth
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Bolla by Pajtim Statovci, translated from Finnish by David Hackston
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

Biography:
Homesick by Jennifer Croft
A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast by Dorthe Nors, translated from Danish by Caroline Waight
Come Back in September: A Literary Education on West Sixty-Seventh Street, Manhattan by Darryl Pinckney
A History of Water: Being an Account of a Murder, an Epic and Two Visions of Global History by Edward Wilson-Lee

Debut novelist Lindsay Lynch takes readers to the early days of Hollywood glitz and glamour in Do Tell, a story that highlights the many ways fame has always shaped the famous--and their fans--long before the age of social media.

Edie O'Dare is scrappy: the eldest daughter of a poor family living in New York, she's worked to put food on the table for herself and her family, supported her younger siblings through their educations, and taken every step possible to grasp at a better life for herself. As a teenager, she finagles her way into a Hollywood studio tour and never looks back, securing a contract with the prestigious FWM Studios. She acts in bit parts for the duration of her seven-year stay and, to supplement her income, sells insider tales of industry parties and fêtes to the Hollywood columnists.

When the final months of her acting contract coincide with a startling account of the assault of a young actress by a much older, more famous actor, Edie's attempts to help the girl rail against the elite and powerful of Hollywood end up launching Edie into a new career--this time as a gossip columnist herself, carving out a life for herself that frequently comes at the expense of those she reports on. "People like us," a colleague advises her, "ought to be smart enough to make a profit off of it if we can."

Lynch brings the golden age of Hollywood to life with vivid detail on every page of Do Tell: glittering galas and awards nights, rambunctious house parties, whispered-about on-set affairs, and back-alley shenanigans at bar-closing times. As Lynch reflects these details through Edie's perspective, though, Do Tell becomes more than a recounting of an idealized time in the film industry, probing into questions of fame and notoriety, patriarchal structures and sexism, and the power of story to create--or ruin--a life in one fell swoop. "The paradox of becoming 'the most feared woman in Hollywood' was not lost on me," notes Edie. "I was terrified all the time. Even the most innocuous of observations on my part could cause the end of someone's career." Lynch perfectly captures that paradox in her stunning debut, as Edie's exploitation of Hollywood's secrets forces her (and readers along with her) to ask the price we pay for a life worth living. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Shelf Talker: Do Tell is a vivid novel of the early days of Hollywood glitz and glamour, and tells the story of one woman making her way in a world dominated by fame, power, secrets--and men.

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

1. Billions Under Pressure by Jarrett Preston
2. The Inmate by Freida McFadden
3. Ward D by Freida McFadden
4. The Worst Wedding Date by Pippa Grant
5. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
6. Pucking Around by Emily Rath
7. Liars Like Us by J.T. Geissinger
8. The Pucking Wrong Number by C.R. Jane
9. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
10. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]