Winter Institute 2025 officially kicked off last night with an opening reception at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colo. A thousand booksellers and other attendees celebrated the 20th Winter Institute, the 125th anniversary of the American Booksellers Association, and the fifth anniversary of Bookshop.org.

Allison Hill

ABA CEO Allison Hill welcomed the crowd, and thanked lead sponsor Ingram, which is committed "not only to this event, but to the entire indie channel." She also thanked Bookshop.org, which "saved many independent bookstores during the pandemic" and has "removed many obstacles that were barriers to entry for many people who wanted to open bookstores. Bookshop.org has championed independent bookstores, contributed to your bottom line, and launched an international conversation about the value of shopping in indies."

Andy Hunter

Bookshop CEO Andy Hunter noted that Bookshop has added 300 stores in the last year, for a total of 2,200. The platform launched e-book sales three weeks ago, and it has sent more than $36 million directly to indie bookstores over the past five years. And despite having 300 more stores, Bookshop was able to give the stores even more money than in previous years "because we are growing the size of the pie." That's because "there are a lot of book lovers who are not crazy about supporting winner-take-all companies like Amazon anymore. The people in power right now are people who think that in order to be a winner, somebody else has to lose, but it's not true. We can all win together. That's what Bookshop.org is all about."

Winter Institute events began on Saturday and included the inaugural IGNITE conference for BIPOC booksellers, bookstore tours, the Indie Press Summit, panels, and more. Today's programming starts with a Breakfast Keynote featuring author and educator Ocean Vuong, on "Alternative Truths: the bookstore and library as sites of counter knowledge, play, inquiry, and freedom."

The Schuler Books store in Okemos, Mich., has fully reopened in its new, larger space in the Meridian Mall, where it moved directly across the hall from its old space. The move has added 6,000 square feet, allowing for a larger inventory, a large cafe/dining area, and a new event space.

Earlier this month, the store closed for 11 days, before reopening on Friday, February 14. Approximately 4,000 customers came to the store during the opening weekend. The Schuler Books team said the response from the community has been "overwhelmingly positive," and they thanked their customers for their support over the last 35 years. "We hope that this new, larger location will continue to be a place of gathering, community, and fun for many more years to come."

Schuler Books, which is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., and has additional locations in Ann Arbor and West Bloomfield, announced the move last March. After a Bed, Bath & Beyond store moved out, mall management approached the bookstore's owners with an opportunity to move into the vacated space.

A ribbon cutting and opening celebration is slated for March 28.

Silver Dawn Books, Grand Forks, N.Dak., has launched a $10,000 GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses as co-owners Patricia Reed and her son, Sterling Reed, look to relocate the bookstore they purchased in 2023, when it was one of Ferguson Books & More's shops.

In a recent Facebook post, the current owners wrote: "It is with broken hearts we have to announce that we will be MOVING. We use all capital letters because we want to emphasize that we have zero intentions of closing. Despite the fact that we love this location and are proud of the set up, the decision to leave the mall is ultimately out of our hands. We want to reassure you that we are looking for a new location and hope to have as little disruption as possible in providing you the same great service. In the coming days we will be announcing flash sales and discounts in hopes of generating some extra revenue to cover moving expenses. Stay tuned for more details!"

The GoFundMe page set up by Sterling Reed notes: "We are hoping the community might be willing to help us tackle this obstacle. We are looking to raise money to help cover moving expenses and get us into a new location. We already have several sales planned so we can raise money with the stock we have but we wanted to start this gofundme for those who want to help additionally. We have a goal set but anything helps. Whether you help through our sales or through this gofundme THANK YOU! We hope this can be just a speed bump on our journey."

The community has already stepped up to support Silver Dawn Books. On Saturday, the owners posted on Facebook: "Oh my gosh! Today was HUGE for us with getting closer to our goal of covering moving expenses! Thank you so much to everyone who came through and spoke with us! This community is so incredibly supportive. I can't express enough how much we appreciate you!" 

Scottish crime writer Denzil Meyrick, a former police officer who was best known for his 11-book series of about DCI Jim Daley, died February 14. He was 59. BBC News reported that after studying politics, Meyrick had worked as a police officer in Glasgow for nearly five years in the 1980s. He left following a back injury and went on to develop a business career, working as a distillery manager and running a pub.

Denzil Meyrick

Meyrick's first novel, Whisky from Small Glasses (2012), launched the career of DCI Daley, "a cop forced to move from his Glasgow patch to a rural setting. The detective goes on to solve a series of gruesome murders with his deputy Brian Scott in the fictitious rural community of Kinloch, inspired by Denzil's home town of Campbeltown," BBC News wrote. A TV series based on the Daley books is currently in production.

Among the novels in his DCI Jim Daley series are The Last Witness (2014), Dark Suits & Sad Songs (2015), The Rat Stone Serenade (2016), Well of the Winds (2017), The Relentless Tide (2018), The Death of Remembrance (2022), and No Sweet Sorrow (2023). His 20 books also include the Frank Grasby series: Murder at Holly House (2023), The Christmas Stocking Murders (2024), and The Misletoe Wedding Murders (2025).

Describing him as "one of the finest crime writers of his generation," one of Meyrick's publishers, Birlinn, said, "Denzil was known for the skill with which he pinned to the page the reality of life on the streets of Glasgow along with the issues of the small rural communities of Scotland, a talent which caught the attention of a wide reading public across the U.K. and well beyond. With his characteristic humor, unwavering determination and his dry personality Denzil was west of Scotland through and through, and he created unforgettable detective and criminal characters."

Finn Cotton, editorial director at Transworld, told the Bookseller: "I had the honor of working with Denzil on four of his most recent books. It was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable editorial partnerships of my career. I will miss him enormously, as a colleague, but also as a friend. Everyone at Transworld loved working with him, and we feel incredibly proud to have published him."

His agent, Jo Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton, said: "Denzil was a character like no other, a true storyteller and a wonderful husband to Fiona and friend to so many. Denzil, we will miss you."

"Our doors are wide open. We are highlighting the first part of our three part display: Fight Fear with Information," Subterranean Books, St. Louis, Mo., posted on Instagram. "Ricky T is ready to help. We invite you to take a break from scrolling. Take a deep breath. Today we fight fear with the freedom to read and to take action."

"If you've been waiting for a SIGN to get a new book... this is it," Epilogue Books, Rockford, Mich., which noted: "All signs are leading to a new book from epilogue books and #tommythebookstoredog."

Rachel Gilman has been promoted to director of sales and marketing at the Feminist Press at CUNY.

Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell by Gabe Henry (Dey Street/HarperCollins).

Today:
Fresh Air: Philip Shenon, author of Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church (Knopf, $35, 9781101946411).

Tonight Show: Chelsea Handler, author of I'll Have What She's Having (The Dial Press, $32, 9780593596579). She will also appear tomorrow on Live with Kelly and Mark.

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Brad Meltzer, author of Make Magic: The Book of Inspiration You Didn't Know You Needed (Morrow, $14.99, 9780063440715).

Today: Savannah Guthrie, author of Mostly What God Does Is Love You (Zonderkidz, $19.99, 9780310160281).

Tamron Hall: Jefferson Fisher, author of The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More (TarcherPerigee, $30, 9780593718728).

Netflix has revealed the launch date and offered a first clip for the upcoming Finnish film Little Siberia, based on the novel by author Antti Tuomainen. Directed by Dome Karukoski, the film stars Eero Ritala, Malla Malmivaara, Martti Suosalo, and Tommi Korpela.

The project is produced by Ina Sohlberg for SF Studios and Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari for Bufo. The first Finnish feature film on Netflix, Little Siberia will launch globally on March 21.

From the logline: "The everyday life of the small village of Hurmevaara is shaken when a meteorite falls through the roof of a car one night. According to the town's mayor, the meteorite is very valuable for the future of the slowly dying village. Joel, the village priest, and a veteran peacekeeper, ends up guarding the meteorite in an old museum before it is sent to London for a more detailed evaluation. But a precious meteorite gets a lot of attention.... While Joel protects the meteorite from both amateur and professional criminals, he tries to unravel an even greater mystery surrounding his own life."

The Abbotsford Trust has unveiled a longlist for the £25,000 (about $31,590) Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. A shortlist will be released April 15, and the winner named at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland, between June 12 and 15. This year's longlisted titles are:

The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry 
The Catchers by Xan Brooks 
Mother Naked by Glen James Brown
Clear by Carys Davies
The Mare by Angharad Hampshire
The Book of Days by Francesca Kay
The First Friend by Malcolm Knox
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh
The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
Munichs by David Peace
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

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

Top Pick
Saltwater: A Novel by Katy Hays (Ballantine, $30, 9780593875551). "A normal family might have stopped visiting Capri after one of them 'accidentally' fell off a cliff, but the Lingates are far from normal. Wealthy enough to shrug off the scandal, they've only become more insular in the decades since. Sarah and Lorna scheme to finally learn the truth, but then Lorna vanishes. This narrative unveils the family's toxicity as it alternates between three POVs." --Sarah Walker, Indianapolis Public Library, Ind.

Promise Me Sunshine: A Novel by Cara Bastone (The Dial Press, $17.99, 9780593595732). "Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman's life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance. This is a beautifully written love story that features the exploration of grief." --Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom, $24.99, 9781250341082). "Sisters Esther and Ysabel are among the lucky few to have found their way home after getting lost in the land of Faerie. When Esther falls in love with a stranger, a darkness threatens to separate the sisters forever. An enchanting story of the bonds of sisterhood and the magic of Faerie for readers who love a good riddle song or murder ballad." --Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, Ill.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Simon & Schuster, $28.99, 9781668078181). "Beth is in mourning due to the death of her son when her first love moves back to town. A chain of events takes place that alters their lives. Unfolding with the urgency of a thriller, this novel deftly explores topics such as first love, sacrifice, and deep loyalty." --Theresa Bond, Middlesex Public Library, N.J.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (Putnam, $29, 9780593851463). "Florence is a washed-up girl group singer and a hot mess. She skates through life, having no qualms about manipulating people to get what she wants. When her son is accused of a horrible crime, she investigates, but with morals so gray, can she actually bring a killer to justice? All the other mothers hate her--with good reason--yet readers will root for her." --Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Ohio

The Story She Left Behind: A Novel by Patti Callahan Henry (Atria, $29.99, 9781668011874). "Clara receives a phone call regarding a letter from the mother who abandoned her when she was young and who is now presumed dead. From the moment Clara and her precocious daughter Wynnie arrive in London to get the letter, a series of coincidences change their lives. A novel of love, motherhood, forgiveness, and being open to possibilities while knowing yourself." --Judy Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, Mass.

Wild Dark Shore: A Novel by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron, $28.99, 9781250827951). "A gripping novel of a father and his children residing on a remote island, frantic to protect the last remaining seeds for future generations. Their lives are disrupted when an injured woman washes ashore. Mutual interest in the natural world enhances their passionate connection, despite a tense urgency for the truth. An immersive novel of family, nature, and the ties that bind." --KC Davis, LibraryReads Ambassador, Conn.

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch (Bramble, $19.99, 9781250333216). "This delightful follow-up to The Nightmare Before Kissmas follows Kris, the other Christmas Prince, and Loch, the Prince of St. Patrick's Day. There's a bit of mystery and political intrigue, as well as passionate banter. Great for readers looking for fun holiday rom-coms with a bit of spice that can be read outside of the winter holidays." --Katelyn Tjarks, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Md.

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid (Carina Adores, $18.99, 9781335015327). "Riley is drowning in grief. Adam--his ex-best friend and first love--slips back into his life, determined to offer support and make amends for some seriously devastating decade-old mistakes. The emotional maturity of these two forty-something men will land perfectly with readers looking for heartfelt romance." --Jessica Freytag, Granville Public Library, Ohio

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom, $21.99, 9781250342249). "Dorothy Gentleman, ship's detective on the Fairweather, is trying to solve a mystery in which the victim has been erased completely. There is a very real possibility that she herself is inhabiting the body of the killer, due to an emergency action by the ship's mind. Waite has come up with something insanely clever and truly original." --Jill Minor, Washington County Public Library, Va.

In Maithree Wijesekara's The Prince Without Sorrow, the mayakari--witches--of the Ran Empire emit blue and white flames when burned. The mayakari might have power that the rest of the Ran Empire does not understand, but their code requires that they always use it to uphold peace. That does not stop Emperor Adil Maurya from viciously hunting the mayakari, blaming them for everything that goes wrong in the empire, and even burn-testing suspected women to ensure that they are not a threat. Learning about them, their history, and their ways is forbidden, with libraries burned alongside the women targeted by the Empire.

The emperor's youngest son, Ashoka, does not agree with either Adil's persecution of the mayakari nor his thirst for conquest, but Adil spurns his son's push for pacifism, instead choosing violence. But he won't be the only one to make that choice. When Adil brings the full force of the Ran Empire to bear on the mayakari of Shakti's village, burning them all, including her aunt, Shakti's need for vengeance is born in the blue flames of her aunt's body. The curse she casts in response will have devastating consequences for the Emperor, his children, and the whole Ran Empire.

Drawing influences from the Maurya Empire of Ancient India and loose inspiration from Emperor Ashoka the Great, this first volume in a projected trilogy explores questions of good and evil, and what it means to do harm on individual and institutional levels. On her website, Wijesekara notes that Ashoka the Great was known as both Dharmashoka (Ashoka the Pious) and Chandashoka (Ashoka the Cruel); that extreme difference in epithets was a point of fascination for her that helped to solidify the idea for The Prince Without Sorrow.

The world of The Prince Without Sorrow is populated not only by the mayakari, but also by giant leopards and winged snakes that can be ridden, and by nature spirits that can either help the human world or damage it greatly, especially if in response to nature being exploited. The tensions between violence and pacifism--and between causing no harm but also preventing harm to those who are vulnerable--put pressure and strain on the relationships between the characters as the narrative alternates between Shakti's and Ashoka's points of view. How both are forever changed by the events spurred by Emperor Adil, and where their paths through peace and violence will lead them, promise readers a fast-paced ride full of murder, retribution, and the search for justice, right up to the novel's final cliffhanger. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: Wijesekara's thrilling, imaginative debut novel will leave readers clamoring for the rest of the trilogy while savoring the fascinating worldbuilding and complex characters they meet in The Prince Without Sorrow.