For a special issue later this month about Indies First/Small Business Saturday (November 29), Shelf Awareness is seeking information from booksellers about plans for the day. Tell us about your related displays, events, promotions, passport programs, collaborations with other independent businesses, and more. Please send information to extra@shelf-awareness.com this week. Thank you!

Penguin Random House's 14th annual two-day holiday transit program for independent bookstores begins tomorrow, October 15, and will run through January 26, 2026.

The program, which supports independent bookstores during and beyond the holiday season, will continue to feature the "no minimums" requirement first introduced during the Covid pandemic. Booksellers can submit orders in any quantity, on their schedule, without having to build up to a minimum-retail-value threshold.

Penguin Random House will expedite the shipping of indie bookstore orders from its Westminster, Md., Crawfordsville, Ind., and Reno, Nev., distribution and fulfillment centers to ensure delivery "from our dock to the bookseller's door" to arrive within two days, weather and transport conditions permitting. The company's distribution centers will continue to operate weekend shifts with the goal of processing orders placed Friday and Saturday for shipment on Monday.

The expedited-shipping program encompasses all frontlist and backlist physical-format titles from the imprints of Crown, Knopf Doubleday, Penguin Publishing Groups, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Penguin Young Readers, Penguin Random House Audio, and DK Publishing divisions, as well as all the clients of Penguin Random House Publisher Services.

"There are always happy surprises in the fourth quarter--best-of lists, viral social-media moments, prize season, and unexpected word-of-mouth favorites," said Jaci Updike, chief revenue officer, Penguin Random House U.S. "Indie bookstores tell us it has become increasingly important for their buyers to respond to the marketplace at lightning speed, and that the Penguin Random House two-day transit program is a key ingredient of their holiday success."

Philomena Polefrone, associate director of American Booksellers for Free Expression, led the final session at the MPIBA conference last week, giving booksellers a presentation on how to be proactive in preparing for attacks and harassment. She cautioned that none of the content should be considered legal advice, and to always contact a lawyer and local authorities in a crisis, but to also keep ABFE in the loop because they may be able to help with threat assessment, as well as spread the word to other stores that may face similar crises.

The presentation hinged on three key ideas. First, when the heat is on, try to keep it where it started. If a situation arose in the store, do what's necessary to keep it offline. If a situation arose online, prevent it from spreading into the store. The worst cases Polefrone has seen involved an in-store situation that escalated online, or online situations that entered the store. Keep a crisis offline OR online--never both.

Online harassment can be psychologically draining, but it can be managed by figuring out what attackers want (typically attention) and not giving it to them. Don't fan the flames; instead, control comments, shares, and visibility to limit virality. Don't post about the situation further (to counter bad-review bombing, you can use your newsletter to draw engagement from supporters whom you already have relationships with).

On the other hand, if a situation arises in the store, avoid behaving in ways that might be fodder for social media posts. Don't escalate the conversation, and always assume you are being recorded. One especially helpful strategy is to have a curation policy and code of conduct in place, something staff can easily point to when met with complaints about the types of books available on the shelf.

In any case, avoid talking to the press. Even if a journalist appears sympathetic, the headline for a story may be written with inflammatory and counterproductive language. If necessary, appeal to journalistic ethics off the record and request that a story not run.

Second, Polefrone urged store owners to prepare ahead of time and to create pressure valves that de-escalate confrontations, given how quickly controversies can spiral in today's heated political climate. Have complaint forms available; many antagonists consider themselves to be activists, and this will give them an action to complete, to feel heard. It also buys time and shifts responsibility from floor staff to a designated responder. Similarly, a business card for the owner or responsible party (perhaps with a complaints@ e-mail address) can also be effective.

Last, but not least, Polefrone reminded everyone to prioritize staff safety. Consider offering de-escalation training. Some employees may be direct targets for racist and homophobic harassment, and so it's wise to keep them out of harm's way. Meanwhile, identify the person with the right temperament and communication skills to respond to high-stakes situations.

In extreme cases, it may be necessary to unplug phones, or send calls straight to voicemail, if the line is being bombarded. When possible, keep a record of numbers from the call log; similarly, don't just delete harassing e-mails, save them in a folder. This information will be useful in the event that making a police report is necessary. In those cases, make reports in person at the precinct if possible, rather than bring officers into the store (which can be disruptive), or even calling them in (police call recordings can be accessed through FOIA requests).

Other proactive strategies for minimizing disruptions include talking to publishers about security for authors at flashpoint events and vetting a mission-aligned security option. Also, build relationships with like-minded businesses in the community for mutual support. For bomb threats, print out CISA guidelines. Use DeleteMe to scrub sensitive info from the Internet (ABFE has coordinated a 20% discount for ABA members). Notify local police when there is a credible threat of swatting and vandalism. Additionally, Binc is a vital resource for booksellers in need of financial help as well as mental health support.

Polefrone urged everyone to reach out to ABFE sooner than later. "There's more that I can do if a crisis hasn't happened yet and you're just worried about one." ABFE can be reached by e-mail (abfe@bookweb.org) and phone (914-406-7534) with more resources available here. --Dave Wheeler, senior editor, Shelf Awareness

Zibby Owens in the Zibby x Minnie Rose sweater, with "Totally Booked" on the front and a rose motif on the back.

Zibby's Bookshop, Santa Monica, Calif., is opening a pop-up store inside of the Minnie Rose flagship store on New York City's Upper East Side today, October 14.

The pop-up will feature approximately 175 titles. It will occupy a corner of the Minnie Rose store, which is a high-end cashmere and knitwear shop, and will host a variety of events during its run, including live podcast recordings, book club meetings, and author signings. As part of the collaboration, Minnie Rose has created a limited-edition "Totally Booked" sweater, which will be sold only at the pop-up.

Zibby's Bookshop pop-up is scheduled to run until January 15, 2026.

Barnes & Noble will open new stores tomorrow, Wednesday, October 15, in Meridian, Idaho, Kendall, Fla., and Los Gatos, Calif.

The Meridian store, at 2260 North Eagle Rd., in the Village at Meridian shopping center, spans about 20,000 square feet, and includes a B&N cafe. It will debut Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting featuring author Raegan Fordemwalt (Prince of Hearts), who will then sign copies of her books. 

The Kendall store is located at 8525 Mills Dr. in the Palms at Town & Country shopping center. It measures about 20,000 square feet, includes a cafe, and replaces a previous B&N store that closed in Kendall in September. Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez (The Red Umbrella) will cut the ribbon on Wednesday and sign copies of her books.

The Los Gatos store, meanwhile, will reside in a roughly 7,000-square-foot space at 122 N. Santa Cruz Ave., in the Old Town section of Los Gatos. Wednesday's ribbon cutting and signing will feature Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese).

The Meridian, Kendall, and Los Gatos stores are among eight new B&N locations set to open this month alone; the company plans to open more than 60 in 2025.

Dan Cullen

A memorial celebration of the life of Dan Cullen, the longtime American Booksellers Association executive who died earlier this month, will be held Sunday, November 2, at noon at the Katonah Village Library, 26 Bedford Rd., Katonah, N.Y.

Attendees are asked to RSVP via e-mail, but last-minute guests are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Team Telomere.

At Powell's Books, Portland, Ore., bookseller Gigi Little was in conversation about her debut novel, Who Killed One the Gun? (Forest Avenue) with author Margaret Malone and Foley artist David Ian in front of an overflow crowd of readers, writers, friends, and bookseller coworkers. The group included three other bookseller-authors, who together have 88 years of Powell's employment. From left: Mark Savage, 17 years at Powell's; Gigi Little, 20 years; Stephen O'Donnell, past employee, 24 years; Kevin Sampsell, 27 years.

"Hey look--we all did something dumb. :D Thanks @gilltattoos at @livewireva for tattooing current and former employees with that age-old symbol of bookselling, the book stand," Blacksburg Books, Blacksburg, Va., posted on Instagram. 

Jessica Breen has joined Hachette Nashville as executive marketing director for all four Nashville imprints, Center Street, FaithWords, Worthy, and Worthy Kids. She has been with Basic Books, another Hachette imprint, for five years, most recently as executive marketing director for the Basic Books Group. Earlier she held marketing roles at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Simon & Schuster, Barnes & Noble, and Yale University Press.

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Amber Turkin has joined Sourcebooks as assistant marketing manager, Poisoned Pen Press.

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben (Grand Central Publishing).

Today:
CBS Mornings: Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon, authors of Gone Before Goodbye (Grand Central, $32, 9781538774700).

Also on CBS Mornings: Penn Badgley, Sophie Ansari, and Nava Kavelin, authors of Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age (Gallery, $29, 9781668077993). 

Today: Andrew Ross Sorkin, author of 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation (Viking, $35, 9780593296967).

The View: Cheryl Hines, author of Unscripted (Skyhorse, $32.99, 9781510783737).

Watch What Happens Live: Lukas Gage, author of I Wrote This for Attention (Simon & Schuster, $29, 9781668080078). 

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Michael Lewis, editor of Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service (Riverhead, $30, 9798217047802).

Also on CBS Mornings: Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill, authors of All the Cool Girls Get Fired: How to Let Go of Being Let Go and Come Back on Top (Gallery, $29, 9781668067451).

Live with Kelly and Mark: Joanne Lee Molinaro, author of The Korean Vegan: Homemade: Recipes and Stories from My Kitchen (Avery, $40, 9780593541296).

A trailer and first-look photos have been released for All Her Fault, Peacock's upcoming series based on Andrea Mara's 2021 bestselling novel and starring Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning. Deadline reported that the trailer "opens with Snook's Marissa arriving to pick up her young son Milo (Duke McCloud) from his first playdate, but she does not recognize the woman who answers the door. The woman does not have Milo and has never heard of him. There's no sign of Milo anywhere.... As the investigation unfolds, Marissa comes under intense scrutiny and judgment from family and strangers alike who seem to be blaming her."

Fanning stars as Marissa's friend, Jenny, along with a cast that includes Jake Lacy, Michael Peña, Abby Elliott, Daniel Monks, and Jay Ellis. Megan Gallagher (Wolf) serves as writer, creator, and executive producer. Minkie Spiro (3 Body Problem) directs the first episode, among others, and executive produces. All Her Fault premieres on Peacock with all eight episodes November 6. 

Winners were selected for the 2025 Kirkus Prize, each of whom receives $50,000. The winners (with judges' citations):

Fiction: The Slip by Lucas Schaefer (Simon & Schuster). "One day in 1998, a teenager named Nathaniel Rothstein goes missing from his uncle's house, setting off a densely packed plot that bobs, weaves, and levitates around a boxing gym in Austin, Texas, over the course of 16 years. This debut novel fearlessly explores issues of race, class, sex, and gender through a wildly inventive group of characters and events... Franzen/Roth/Irving comparisons are earned and deserved."

Nonfiction: King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation by Scott Anderson (Doubleday). "In this journalistic look back at circumstances that led to the overthrow of a dictator--and his replacement with another despot--veteran war correspondent Scott Anderson reveals just how willfully oblivious the U.S. government was in the face of a coming storm. It's a masterful and propulsive account that chronicles a devastatingly transformative series of events whose aftereffects reverberate to this day."

Young Readers' Literature: Everybelly by Thao Lam (Groundwood). "A youngster's frank and unintentionally hilarious narration of a visit to a swimming pool offers a radically inclusive child's-eye vision of community and belonging. The bellies on display belong to people of all shapes, sizes, colors, abilities, and genders. This joyful celebration of humanity springs to life through masterful, vibrant collages and text that's both poignant and witty."

Images of plastic- and fossil fuel-related disasters and pollution, such as toxic spills and trash strewn beaches, make the problems seem insurmountable, too big and too horrible for the average person to understand, let alone start to solve. But in The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late, Judith Enck, the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, along with climate and environmental reporter Adam Mahoney have assembled an approachable, easy-to-read, and comprehensive overview of the problem, the people already fighting back, and the steps that the average person can take to become part of the solution.

Enck and Mahoney first outline the short history of society's dependence on plastic. They emphasize that corporate greenwashing of the material has been a large part of the marketing strategy alongside an emphasis on the convenience of using plastic. They also show how the displacement of responsibility of plastic pollution onto consumers instead of producers has been a part of the industry's strategy. They trace not only how "reuse, reduce, recycle" became ingrained in the social lexicon but also how more recent industry efforts build on that messaging. Enck and Mahoney also carefully and straightforwardly outline the harms caused to humans, animals, and the environment at all points of the plastic cycle, from fossil fuel extraction, through treatment and production, to the eventual disposal. They paint a grim picture of an industry that has now manage to impact everyone at all levels of life, but especially the poor communities and communities of color who bear the brunt of the consequences for popular reliance on the material.

Importantly, Enck and Mahoney do not just leave their readers adrift on a floating waste island of existential dread. Instead, they emphasize ways that all people can get involved. While they do outline steps for individual changes people can make if they have the resources to do so, they highlight routes for collective action through political engagement, such as writing letters to government officials--with templates available online. The Problem with Plastic strongly underscores that, while the industry has power, people working together have more, and provides the baby steps needed to help the public realize its power to address plastic pollution. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: Judith Enck and Adam Mahoney present a persuasive, approachable overview of the plastics problem, with comprehensive steps on how ordinary people can take action.

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

1. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
2. Fourth Wing (Wing and Claw Collection) by Rebecca Yarros
3. Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver
4. Lights Out by Navessa Allen
5. Caught Up by Navessa Allen
6. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
7. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
8. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 
9. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
10. Your Unique Fizeek! by Tiffany Watson

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]