"There's no question within a very short period of time, you'll have a massive amount of AI content vomited forth right at you," said Richard Sarnoff, chairman of media for private equity firm KKR, during the CEO Talk at the Frankfurt Book Fair Wednesday afternoon.

Sarnoff took the stage with Simon & Schuster global CEO Jonathan Karp and publishing consultant Ruediger Wischenbart, who moderated the discussion. Topics included AI, growth, and emerging business models. Karp and Sarnoff also fielded questions from four journalists representing an assortment of international industry publications.

Jonathan Karp (l.) and Richard Sarnoff

Amid a "morass of AI content that is okay but not great," Sarnoff continued, there will be readers who care enough and are discerning enough to "want to have material that is human created and edited, so they know it's high quality." In that landscape, he added, S&S will distinguish itself by endeavoring to be a great publisher of "things that are not spit out by machines ad nauseam."

Karp agreed, saying that S&S's "curatorial prowess" will be crucial "in separating us and elevating us from the glut of AI product that's going to be out there." Particularly, the company's employees "are going to distinguish our books in the marketplace and they're ultimately going to be the reason why readers prefer our books."

While they were not at all bullish on the idea of AI authorship, Karp and Sarnoff appeared more optimistic about other applications for AI, including translation and audiobook narration. For translation, Karp remarked that "as the AI gets better, the translation will get easier," and those advancements "could be a very exciting thing for all of our publishing companies." He added that the key to managing these sorts of changes is "servicing the authors in a really clear, fair-minded way and communicating with them well enough so they trust us when the opportunity arises."

When it comes to AI narration, Sarnoff said the question is about serving the author and the book "the best way we can," and today, in S&S's core languages, human voice is the best way to do that. But there may be instances where that is no longer the case, such as trying to publish an audiobook "in 12 different Indian dialects"; in those circumstances, "the author I think comes right along with us."

Karp and Sarnoff both expressed a lot of optimism regarding audiobooks, with Karp calling the format "particularly exciting." There are myriad opportunities for digital distribution, and that will only increase as S&S is able to translate more easily. Audio also presents a different kind of "literacy opportunity" and has the potential to bring in consumers who might not "automatically come to books." Sarnoff pointed out that audiobooks are unique in that they create additional time for reading because they can be listened to while cooking, cleaning, driving, or exercising. That is "something we haven't had as an industry" until the advent of audiobooks.

After Wischenbart brought up subscription models, Sarnoff noted that for consumers, they can "lead to a far greater market," but from an author and publisher perspective, they have "a lot of things freighting it down and making it difficult." The goal is to "end up in a place where subscription models can work at consumer level without affecting the amount of money an author and publisher make from that work." It is a "hard balance to strike," and he remarked that Audible's model is a "quasi-subscription model." To consumers, because they're paying a fixed amount per month, it is a subscription; on the author side, it is not a subscription.

Touching on plans for S&S going forward, Karp said the company is "looking at things much more internationally than ever before." His hope for S&S, "and the reason I wanted to appear here, was to show all of you, and to say out loud really loudly and clearly, that S&S wants to be an international publisher."

In response to a question about contending with the rising cost of doing business, Karp said: "If you're asking me whether we're planning on making cuts, the answer is no. We're not planning on making cuts. We're planning on growing." --Alex Mutter

Troubadour Booksellers will host a grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 19, in the Sardis Crossing shopping center at 1721 Sardis Rd. N., Suite 7C in Charlotte, N.C. Queen City Nerve reported that the new bookstore, owned by Scott Tynes-Miller, "is the result of a lifetime of dreaming followed by about five years of serious planning. A lover of literature since early in life... Miller has always harbored the notion of opening his own bookstore, but the time wasn't ever right and ultimately the dream seemed distant, unrealistic, a fantasy."

"It had been a dream for a long time, and after Covid I started really thinking about it and the more I thought about it and the more I talked about it the more real it seemed," Tynes-Miller said. "It was certainly inspiring to attend conferences and meet other people on the same journey. Maybe it wasn't a completely crazy idea. There are reasonable people out there doing this. And I'm one of them. This is really happening! People want books in their lives and bookshops in their communities. Bookshops can actually be at the center of communities."

In designing the layout of the store, the Troubadour team was intentional about creating a space that said "we want people to feel comfortable here." The space features overstuffed couches and chairs. Other choices include providing changing tables (with complimentary diaper-changing supplies) in the bathroom. 

A parent himself (he and wife Robin Tynes-Miller, co-founder of Three Bone Theatre, have a daughter together), Tynes-Miller "knows how inhospitable businesses can be to those with children in tow. In addition to a full selection of books for adults across a variety of genres, Troubadour features a kids' nook where he plans to host storytimes."

Tynes-Miller said he hopes that Troubadour will continue the tradition of independent record stores and bookshops as community spaces: "If you create that really unique personable customer experience that you see in the best record stores and bookstores, where you know the people who are selling the books and you trust their taste, you don't have that experience anywhere else. That's community."

Romance bookstore Lagg Bookstore is opening in Lehi, Utah, this weekend, the Lehi Free Press reported.

Located at 51 East Main St., Lagg ("Like a Good Girl") will carry a variety of romance sub-genres alongside plenty of sidelines like stickers, keychains, jewelry, clothing, and store-branded merchandise.

Co-owners Whitney Beckstead and Kara Allen, both teachers at American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah, plan to host midnight release parties, book club meetings, and other events. The store will also have space that community members can rent for their own private functions.

While working together, Allen and Beckstead learned they shared a passion for romance books, and roughly a year ago, they decided to open a romance bookstore together after attending an online book event.

"We both had an idea of getting to own a bookstore where we get to talk about what we are so excited about," Beckstead told the Lehi Free Press. "It didn’t feel like there was a physical space to do that, even though there are a lot of online spaces such as Bookstagram and BookTok. We both had in our minds that we wanted to have a physical creation of that space."

The co-owners will host a grand opening celebration from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Mackin Educational Resources, which provides library and classroom materials for grades Pre-K-12, has bought Booksource, St. Louis, Mo., which provides classroom library books and curriculum resources.

Founded in 1974, Booksource was for many years one of the Midwest's major book wholesalers to bookstores, from local indies like the Library Ltd. and Left Bank Books to Barnes & Noble. But around the turn of the century, with the rise of Amazon, Booksource refocused on the education market. The company was led for many years by Sandy Jaffe, who died in 2019.

Booksource owner Neil Jaffe said, "Handing the reins of our St. Louis operations to another family-owned business and industry leader like Mackin was an easy decision based on their continuing success and the stellar reputation they have in the education market. It's a win- win-win decision for our customers, our employees and the Jaffe family that we are proud to have made."

Randal Heise, co-owner of Mackin, stated: "For many decades, Booksource and Mackin have grown steadily and are widely seen as the most trusted suppliers of educational resources for schools across the map. To carry the torch that Booksource and the Jaffe family have created is an honor for Mackin and the Heise family as we continue to serve K-12 educators worldwide."

Shelf Awareness for Readers, our weekly consumer-facing publication featuring adult and children's book reviews, author interviews, backlist recommendations, and fun news items, is being published today. Starred review highlights include Mars on Earth, a travel memoir by American Mark Johnson, describing his expatriation to Chile; Lost in Austin, British journalist Alex Hannaford's evaluation of the famously "weird" Texas capital; The Bible: A Global History, Bruce Gordon's account of literacy, bookmaking, and power; Mindless by Robert Skidelsky, a reflection on AI and its implications for humanity's future; and Pick the Lock by A.S. King, a sensitive look at the emotional reality of domestic abuse. In The Writer's Life, artist Maira Kalman highlights the nuance that separates remorse from regret in discussing her new book, Still Life with Remorse, a collection of personal anecdotes and arresting illustrations. Plus, rediscover How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell, son and subject of Norman Rockwell.

Today's issue of Shelf Awareness for Readers is going to 635,000 customers of more than 250 independent bookstores. Stores interested in learning more can contact our partnership program team via e-mail. To see today's issue, click here.

Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, Ariz., shared a video on Instagram illustrating how "tipping culture has gotten a little crazy."

"Is there anything nicer than a literary themed engagement?" asked Burke's Book Store, Memphis, Tenn. "We were thrilled to be the setting for the engagement of this sweet couple. Congratulations and here's wishing many years of happy reading together!"

New graphic novel publisher the Lab Press has signed exclusive distribution deals with Simon & Schuster and Diamond Comic Distributors to release upcoming titles in the book and direct markets. Simon & Schuster will distribute the Lab Press's titles in the global book market and Diamond Comic Distributors will serve comic shops in North America and the U.K.

The first release under the new distribution deals is Essentials, which will be published in February 2025 and is the Lab Press's first title. Essentials is co-written by Luke Arnold and Chris "Doc" Wyatt. The Lab Press plans to publish up to four graphic novels a year.

The Lab Press's CEO and publisher Nicholas Kalikow said, "We look forward to collaborating closely with both teams as the Lab aims to establish its own distinct presence in the comics industry."

At Bloomsbury:

Sarah Rucker has joined the company in the newly created role of sales director, trade and special interest. In addition to managing the new sales team, she will sell Baker & Taylor and Ingram. Previously, she was at HarperCollins, where she oversaw the distribution of Usborne books into the U.S. market.

Michelle Zeng has joined the company as associate sales manager responsible for custom product as well as export. Previously, she was senior literary scout at Jenny LaPlante, Inc. Maria DeKoning has joined the company as publicity assistant.

Emelyn Ehrlich has joined the company as sales assistant.

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At Sourcebooks:

Cortney Yee has joined the company as regional indie sales manager: Southwest.

Kimberly Cook has joined the company as marketing assistant.

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Darcy Evans has been promoted to associate director for Amazon, distribution client team, at Simon & Schuster.

Raising Resilient Black Kids: A Parent's Guide to Helping Children Cope with Racial Stress, Manage Emotions, and Thrive by Erlanger A. Turner (New Harbinger Publications).

Today:
NBC News Daily: David Kwong, author of How to Fool Your Parents: 25 Brain-Breaking Magic Tricks (HarperCollins, $12.99, 9780063140585).

Crystal City Entertainment and Moonshot Films have acquired the rights to Lisa Jewell's bestselling 2018 novel Then She Was Gone for a movie film adaptation. Deadline reported that Jewell's books "are hot properties in the adaptation market at the moment," with Netflix currently working on an adaptation of her novel None of This Is True.

Catherine Steadman has joined the project as screenwriter. A former Downton Abbey actress whose more recent acting credits include The Rook and On the Edge, Steadman is also an author, with works including her 2018 book Something in the Water.

Jonathan Rubenstein and Ari Pinchot of Crystal City Entertainment and Moonshot Films' Louis Paltnoi and Andrew Baker are producing Then She Was Gone. Casting has not yet gotten underway.

Winners have been announced for the annual BIPOC Bookseller Awards, sponsored by Duende District and the Word and celebrating and uplifting the BIPOC independent booksellers whose dedication to indie bookstores and their Black, Indigenous, and POC colleagues and communities have touched and influenced countless lives. Each winner receives $1,000.

Activism Award winner: Dr. Artika R. Tyner, "a passionate educator, author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice," who is the CEO of Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore (PPGJ). PPGJ publishes and promotes books that encourage and empower Black children to find joy in reading... In furtherance of her philanthropic efforts, she founded Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting literacy and diversity in books."

Innovation Award winner: Carolann Jane Duro, of Maara'yam and Kumeyaay descent, and founder of Quiet Quail Books, a California Indigenous independent pop-up bookstore that sells Indigenous-authored books around Southern California.

Leadership Award winner: Christine Bollow, co-owner and director of programs for Loyalty Bookstores, a Black, Queer, and Asian owned bookstore in Washington, D.C., and Silver Spring, Md., and serves on the DEI Committee for the American Booksellers Association. A biracial Filipina who is queer and disabled, Bollow is passionate about championing books by marginalized authors both at Loyalty and on her Bookstagram account @readingismagical.

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The shortlist has been unveiled for the 2024 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, awarded in memory of Hachette Australia's former CEO Matt Richell, who died in a surfing accident in 2014. The award is sponsored by the publisher and the Richell family, in partnership with the Emerging Writers' Festival and Simpsons Solicitors. 

The winner, who will be named November 27, receives A$10,000 (about US$6,700), to be donated by Hachette Australia, along with a 12-month mentorship with one of the company's publishers. Hachette Australia will work with the winning writer to develop their manuscript with the first option to consider the finished work and the shortlisted entries for publication. This year's shortlisted titles are:

Welfare Queens by Rebecca Douglas
Old Monsters by Matt Freeman
We All Fall by Chloe Hillary 
Stroke by Myles McGuire
The Calm After the Storm by Averil Robertson
The Interpreter by Mariam Tokhai
Birthright by Becca Wang

photo: Christy Whitehead

Del Sandeen lives in northeast Florida, where she works as a copy editor and writes speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in FIYAH: Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, the Nightlight podcast, and Gay Magazine. This Cursed House (Berkley, October 8, 2024) is her debut novel, a Southern gothic horror tale that takes place in 1960s New Orleans.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

Jemma has always feared her ability to see ghosts. Now, she must use her gift to save a cursed family or suffer their same fate.

On your nightstand now:

The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones, which is the finale of the Indian Lake trilogy. I love the protagonist, Jade Daniels, and seeing how far this "final girl" has come since the first book in the series, My Heart Is a Chainsaw.

Favorite book when you were a child:

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I loved all the animals in the story, but when I knew Charlotte was dying and wasn't going back to the farm with Wilbur, I was absolutely heartbroken. When I was younger, I had a habit of rereading favorite books, so this is one that I read repeatedly.

Your top five authors:

This is in no particular order and my answers next year might be different from my answers today, but they are:

Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Stephen King, Mike (M.R.) Carey, Zadie Smith.

Book you've faked reading:

I don't think I've ever faked reading a book, but when we were assigned Billy Budd by Herman Melville in high school, there were whole long (very long) paragraphs my eyes glazed over.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. One of the most imaginative and original novels I've ever read. Speculative fiction with gorgeous prose will always be a favorite combination of mine.

Book you've bought for the cover:

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. The cover is absolutely stunning but so is the story inside.

Book you hid from your parents:

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King. I was 11 or 12 when I read this, and a lot of the story went right over my young head, but this was the first King book I read, and I've been hooked ever since.

Book that changed your life:

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. I read it when I was around 10 or 11 years old. This one, plus Deenie, had a big impact on me, since they featured girls going through very real struggles and issues that we weren't comfortable talking about back then. Blume and Stephen King both made me decide I wanted to be a writer when I grew up.

Favorite line from a book:

"Her lips were alive with small movement" from Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. People might debate about the greatest line Morrison ever wrote, but to me, this was a short, simple sentence that made me realize how much she could do with language.

Five books you'll never part with:

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. The language, the many footnotes, the characters, especially Oscar--all of this together makes this one of the most memorable books I've ever read. And the ending is probably one of the most beautiful.

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey. When I first read the description, I didn't think there was any way a novel about a zombie apocalypse could be heartwarming and touching, but it was. Melanie is one of my favorite characters of all time.

On Beauty by Zadie Smith. The two families at the heart of this story are so incredibly real, with all of their flaws and quirks. And the dialogue couldn't be more perfect.

Kindred by Octavia Butler. This was the first novel I read by Butler, so it was my introduction to her, which is why it's my favorite of hers.

Beloved by Toni Morrison. This and Song of Solomon are my two favorites from Morrison. Both deal with trauma and families, but Beloved explores the supernatural in a way that's equally terrifying and tragic.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

Dracula by Bram Stoker. I'd look at this novel with new appreciation since I last read it over a decade ago. There's a reason it's a classic.

Horror novelist Grady Hendrix (How to Sell a Haunted House; The Final Girl Support Group; Horrorstör) presents Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, another unsettling--and yet somehow hilariously funny--story that'll keep even the most seasoned horror fan up at night.

In the summer of 1970, a pregnant 15-year-old finds herself abandoned by her disapproving father at Wellwood House, a place in St. Augustine, Fla., where "loose," unwed mothers are taken by their families to give birth away from prying eyes. Given the name Fern by Miss Wellwood to ensure that no one knows her real identity, this latest unwed mother joins the ranks of other teenaged girls who are meant to birth their babies, give them up for adoption, and promptly forget that any of this ever happened.

But Fern and her fellow inmates can't just accept what is happening to them; their bodies are revolting against them and everyone at Wellwood's is determined to subjugate them by any means possible. After receiving an occult book from a visiting librarian, Fern begins to think that the witchcraft she reads about in its pages might be the answer to helping not only herself but the girls who are quickly--and unexpectedly--becoming her friends. Too bad even witchcraft doesn't come without strings attached. Now, the countdown is on for Fern to decide whom her body truly belongs to.

Infused with humor that is perhaps even more biting than the average Hendrix adventure, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls makes the most of its equal-parts kitschy and compelling settings of sweltering 1970s Florida. But even as the girls at Wellwood's inspire some laughs, pontificating about "the Man" and staring at hypnotic lava lamps, they nonetheless inspire completely unironic loyalty as their personalities develop in surprisingly tender ways. Meanwhile, the historic truth of the situation they find themselves in--that is, unwed mothers at abusive homes that moralize to their patients, take their babies with questionable consent, and drug them past recognition during labor--is fully and disturbingly realized.

In fact, it is this cultural history alongside the painfully accurate descriptions of pregnancy that create the novel's real horror, nightmare-inducing in its specificity. But just as pregnancy creates the foundation for the horror in Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, it also becomes the basis of its characters' self-discovery and salvation. Pregnancy, like witchcraft, may be a source of fear for many, in how it can transform one's body into something unrecognizable and uncontrollable. But it can also be the embodiment of power, especially for those who may not yet fully recognize who they are but still refuse to be controlled by others. --Alice Martin, freelance writer and editor

Shelf Talker: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a horrifying and humorous send up of the culture surrounding unwed mothers in the 1970s that is both timely and timeless.

Just in case you missed it, last Saturday (October 12) was Love Your Bookshop Day. Created by BookPeople, the Australian booksellers association, LYBD celebrates bookshops across the country and highlights what makes local bookshops great. This year's theme was "Giving the Gift of Imagination," in recognition of the crucial role bookshops play in inspiring imagination.

BookPeople CEO Robbie Egan summed up the festivities in this week's association newsletter: "Love Your Bookshop Day was a lot of fun, and from many reports, a good day of sales for many of you. I visited local bookshops Nice Stack of Books (Meeniyan) and the Hare & Tortoise (Korumburra) and there were lots of smiling locals rolling through the doors in support of their local bookshop. I even witnessed a young fellow finding the Libro.FM Golden Ticket. He had a huge grin and was negotiating with his mum about whether they would be sharing. Thanks Libro.FM for that promotion.

At Turning Page Bookshop

"It was a big day of social media and while there is no universal experience, feedback has been very positive. Thank you all for putting in such amazing efforts in your bookshops. Following the activity across the day was super fun and we hope you enjoyed yourselves. I got arthritis from liking so many posts! Thanks again to publishers for helping out with giveaways, helping get authors into bookshops, and for excellent amplification on socials. And who knew so many people wanted a little penguin? Not me, but PRH backed this one in big time."

Ah, the penguin. I love the penguin. I half-considered flying to Australia just to nab one of Penguin Random House Australia's Personal Penguins. 

Author Yumiko Kadota shared a video of her own penguin quest to Sydney's Constant Reader Bookshop: "Support your local bookshop by purchasing a book today. If you're like me and you're a sucker for ridiculously cute merch, some bookshops are offering a Penguin figurine! I already know this little guy is going to look so stinkin' cute on my bookshelf!"

At Bookshop Bowral

Even before LYBD, the Bookshop in Darwin had heralded the arrival of the bookish birds, noting: "After a long journey the Personal Penguins have arrived.... They're turning up all over the shop in weird and wonderful places... Can you help us give them some Top End homes?" 

BookPeople noted that it had "heard about book lovers who traveled far and wide to purchase books and grab a little penguin. There have been tales of customers trying to pre-order a penguin and someone emailed the office with offers of cash in exchange for a 'huddle' of Penguins. Bookshops have reported ending the day with empty classics shelves."

Ah, but enough about the penguins. No, wait. The penguins just kept showing up in social media posts. I couldn't resist them:

The Bookshop Bowral, Bowral: "Just one of the giveaways we have in store for Love Your Bookshop Day.... Thanks @penguinbooksaus. See you in the bookshop!

Shakespeare's Bookshop, Blackwood: "@mikelucasauthor with his book suggestions to get a Penguin figurine.... Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us on Love Your Bookshop Day.... Many books have gone to new homes, many cupcakes and biscuits were eaten and many little penguins have waddled into new homes."

At Bookshop Darwin

The River Read, Noosaville: "Did you know it's Love Your Bookshop Day?!? Celebrate with us today by purchasing 2 Penguin Random House books and get your own personal penguin. Available til we run out so don't miss out!"

Bookgrove, Ocean Grove: "Connie... its time to say goodbye to this ace vibrant person who has been an integral member of Bookgrove for almost 4 years.... So if you LOVE your bookshop and want to say goodbye to Connie and get one of the penguins that she is holding, get into Bookgrove this Saturday."

Chestnut Tree Bookshop, Melbourne: "This Saturday is Love Your Bookshop Day and to celebrate we're giving away these super sweet penguin figurines to the first 25 individuals to purchase a penguin book in store!... Can't wait to see you there."

Farrells Bookshop, Mornington: "Meet the Personal Penguin--a 5 cm figurine that embodies the magic of reading! You can snag yourself one of these adorable companions by purchasing any two penguin books this Love Your Bookshop Day (Saturday 12th October). Don't miss out, this only applies while stock lasts!"

At The River Read

The Bookshop, Darwin: "Thanks to those who joined our Love Your Bookshop Day celebrations today! We had an absolute blast and we hope you did, too. Whilst the decos are coming down and the Personal Penguins are being packed away, our Pay It Forward for youth initiative will remain."

BookPeople summed up LYBD nicely: "As the sun sets on LYBD 2024, we want to say the biggest THANK YOU to Australia's literary community.... Thank you to Penguin Books Australia for those adorable collectable LYBD penguins, the perfect way to celebrate books and welcome people inside bookshop doors.... And of course, thank you to the BOOKSELLERS! An essential artery of Australia's literary heart, you have the power to change the lives of little readers, big readers and authors everywhere. LYBD is all about you, so if no one said 'Thank you' on the day, here it is now: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!' "

And, from this side of the planet, thanks for all the penguins.