Sahaptin Stories held a grand opening celebration on September 26 for its new bricks-and-mortar store at 4181 SE Division St. in Portland, Ore. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported owner Casandra Hanson wants her bookstore to be a champion of Indigenous storytelling, collecting books from Indigenous authors from the Pacific Northwest and beyond for young readers and adults alike.

"Sahaptin" is another word for the Warm Springs language Ichishkiin. Hanson is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs in Central Oregon, "currently living in the small Clackamas County community of Colton after splitting her time between the reservation and the metro area. Her drive to open a business centered only around Indigenous stories is fueled by a desire to help highlight Indigenous cultures, but also comes from a personal wish to better understand who she is," OPB noted.

"In a way the reason I thought of Sahaptin Stories is because our language is important to our stories and they're very hugely connected and I want more of that connection," Hanson said. "The name is just a reminder that I need to continue working towards my goal of learning our language but also encouraging others to learn their stories."

The bookstore features a cozy armchair and Indigenous artwork, including a drawing by her grandfather. She hopes it feels like a family living room--welcoming, homey, and comfortable: "There's nothing better than the smell of books."

The dark wooden bookshelves are filled with a wide variety of genres for both children and adults. Hanson said she is really selective about which authors she features: "So I really try and research their descendancy and where they grew up, where they come from, you know, and all that just to ensure that they're truly an Indigenous author that I want to have in my bookstore. Because I want to hear their stories. I don't want to hear someone else's story."

Hanson "always dreamed of discovering more about her identity through literature," and that quest has led her to pursue opening a bookstore--first as a pop-up at powwows and fairs, and now as a storefront, OPB noted. She hopes the bookstore serves as a hub for kids and families to receive support, whether that's free math tutoring, crocheting lessons, crafting events or group readings--a space for whatever the community needs. In November, Sahaptin Stories will host an event at the Oregon City Public Library in honor of Indigenous Heritage Month.

"Because I'm not the only one that's going to want to know more about culture and identity. I expanded and so now I have books from people from Alaska, the lower 48 tribes. I have some authors from Puerto Rico, from Mexico, from Hawaii," she said. "And so I'm really trying to expand my store to hold all Indigenous stories."

3 of Cups Bookstore & Commons will make its debut later this week in Olathe, Kan., the Johnson County Post reported. Located in an historic home at 101 W. Cedar St., 3 of Cups is a general-interest, all-ages bookstore with an emphasis on representation and inclusion. Alongside books, the store will carry gifts, puzzles, and games, and customers will be able to order coffee, cocktails, and a variety of small bites and snacks. Event plans include book clubs, art workshops, and more.

"We will have pretty much something for everybody," co-owner Ashley Mantooth told the Johnson County Post. "We want anyone who comes in to be able to see themselves on our shelves. In terms of gender identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, race, nationality, people of all backgrounds."

Mantooth owns 3 of Cups along with her friends Jasmine and Starla Titus, who are twin sisters. Initially, the Titus sisters dreamed of 3 of Cups as something they would most likely do in retirement, but once the space on Cedar St. became available, they "decided to jump in about 20 years early and say, 'OK, let's do this,' " Mantooth said.

The name 3 of Cups comes from the tarot card that is said to be related to "friendship, community, and gathering," the Johnson County Post noted. Mantooth elaborated: "We want it to be an easy place to hang out, somewhere to spend your time and maybe pick up a new book or a new hobby or meet a new friend."

The bookstore will debut Thursday, October 1, and be open Wednesdays through Sundays.

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Fall Tradeshow is underway at the Holiday Inn on the River in Portland, Ore. Booksellers from around the region are gathered for three days of networking, education sessions, author appearances, publisher and vendor exhibits, and lots of bookish love.

Booksellers eagerly awaiting the opening of the show floor.

At the Fall Tradeshow, PNBA revealed the 12-title shortlist for the 2026 Pacific Northwest Book Awards. (See the list here.) With a display of the chosen titles are members of the PNBA Awards Committee (from left): Chasina Klein, Elliott Bay Book Co., Seattle, Wash.; Christopher Densmore, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, Mont.; Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, Wash.; Beckey Locken, A Good Book, Sumner, Wash.; and Bonnie Ingersoll, Spoke & Word Books, Milwaukie, Ore.

From Grass Roots Books, Corvallis, Ore.: Rosiee Thor, A.B. Daniels-Annachi, and Ciara Banker. 

Lunch break = more time for reading! From Black Bird Tea & Tales, Madras, Ore., booksellers Nova Papasodora, Holli Papasodora, and Cedar Crane checked out some new titles.

David Underwood has won the 2026 Voice of the Heartland Award, sponsored by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA) and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA) and honoring "an individual or organization that upholds the value of independent bookselling and has made a significant contribution to bookselling across the Great Lakes and Midwest." Underwood's publishing career began with Bantam Books in New York in 1990. From 2003 until his recent retirement, Underwood was a regional sales director with Penguin Random House. He served two terms on the GLIBA Board, including as secretary, and served on the MIBA Board.

"Our industry is built on relationships, and David is one of the best relationship builders I have ever had the privilege to work with," said Larry Law, executive director of GLIBA. "He has always been someone booksellers could call, someone who would listen, someone who genuinely wanted independent bookstores to succeed. He understood that being a sales representative wasn't just about selling books, it was about being a partner to the people who sell them."

"I can't think of a better person to get the Voice of the Heartland award than David Underwood," said Stefan Moorehead, regional sales director for Penguin Random House. "David was not only a patient and wise mentor to me, but he is also a genuinely kind person who values the connections that are the core of the independent bookstore world. The popular books come and go but David is steadfast in his support of all Midwestern independent bookstores."

Underwood will receive the award during the Heartland Booksellers Award Ceremony at the 2026 Heartland Fall Forum, which takes place October 6-9 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, Minn. Past recipients include Wendell Berry, Kate DiCamillo, Jim Harrison, Louise Erdrich, Two Dollar Radio, Janet Webster Jones, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Ross Gay.

The Globe Pequot Publishing Group has bought C&T Publishing, Concord, Calif., which was founded in 1983 by Carolie and Tom Hensley. The company publishes books, instructional products, and holds online classes for makers in quilting, sewing, embroidery, watercolor, paper crafting, and cosplay.

C&T Publishing joins Globe Pequot's imprints and brands, including Stash Books, Kansas City Star Quilts, FanPowered Press, and FunStitch Studio, and will continue to publish under the C&T name. The acquisition includes C&T's full backlist of more than 1,800 active titles.

Jed Lyons, CEO of Globe Pequot Publishing Group, said, "We've worked alongside Todd and the C&T team since they joined National Book Network as a distribution client in 2009, and we've long admired what they’ve built. C&T is the leading publisher in quilting and sewing, and it keeps finding new ways to reach its readers. We've been building our crafts list through Stackpole Books and earlier acquisitions of Astragal Press and Linden Publishing. C&T gives that list real depth, and we plan to keep investing in new C&T books for years to come."

Todd Hensley, CEO of C&T Publishing, said, "C&T has spent more than 40 years collaborating closely with our authors and instructors to inspire makers. I couldn't be prouder of our team and what they've created--from innovative books and unique, useful products to the live events and courses that keep our community engaged. Globe Pequot has been a trusted partner since our first days at National Book Network, and I'm confident this is the right home for C&T Publishing."

C&T titles will continue to be sold and distributed by Simon & Schuster, which also distributes Globe Pequot.

Scottish crime writer and screenwriter Peter May, best known for his Lewis trilogy, died September 25, the Scotsman reported. He was 74. May's books have sold 15 million copies around the world. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said: "Very sorry to hear this news. I have hugely enjoyed Peter May's evocative books set in the Hebrides. His description of events in some of the most precious places in our landscape was so stunning. I extend my sympathy to his family."

Peter May

May was a journalist before publishing his first novel, The Reporter (1976), at 26. The book was adapted as a BBC drama series, prompting him to leave journalism for television. Over the next 15 years, he became a successful scriptwriter and producer on two series, Take the High Road and the Gaelic-language Machair, set on the Isle of Lewis. It was while working on location for Machair that his love for the Hebrides was sparked.

He returned to fiction with a series of thrillers set in China, followed by the Enzo Files, set in France, but it was the publication of The Blackhouse (2011), the first in the Lewis Trilogy, that brought international fame. May published a bestseller almost every year between The Blackhouse and his most recent title, The Black Loch (2024).

Noting that May "was one of the most popular, and loved writers of crime fiction of his generation," Jon Riley, his longtime publisher and friend, said: "Peter was a talented musician, and in 2025 he released a CD, Towards the Light, which reflected in song many of his interests as a novelist. Although he had announced his retirement, which he was looking forward to sharing with his beloved wife, the writer Janice Hally, May found there was one more novel in him, and he delivered Island of the Dead in July this year. He was preparing for a farewell tour of Scotland and Lewis to coincide with publication in January 2027."

Riley added: "Peter May was not only one of the best writers of crime fiction we had, but he inspired enormous affection in his readers and in those lucky enough to work with him. His kindness, generosity and largeness of spirit, loyalty, engagement with life, and the world, made him a much-loved, as well as much-admired figure. He is irreplaceable."

A spokesperson for crime writing festival Bloody Scotland said: "We're very sad to hear of the death of Peter May. He was a wonderful writer and a generous and gracious presence at the festival over the years. Sending love to Janice and the rest of his family. He will be missed."

May's French publisher, Editions du Rouergue, paid tribute to him as an "immensely creative man.... Peter May was a man of raw sensitivity, profoundly empathetic, considerate, and endlessly kind."

Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, N.C., kicked off the 21st annual Bookmarks Festival with John Green in conversation with Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give). Events manager Becca Naylor reported that more than 2,200 readers gathered for "an emotional, uplifting evening" celebrating the release of Green's novel Hollywood, Ending (Dutton).

Linda Grana, manager of Reasonable Books in Lafayette, Calif., recently helped organize an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a debut novel that was released on September 4, 2001, just days before 9/11. Prior to her current job, she had worked as manager of the Lafayette Book Store from 2000 to 2010. Grana said that pulling the event together and making it happen was a labor of love for both her and Dave Simpson, the former owner of the Lafayette Book Store. The following is her account of how it all came together: 

"Back in 2001 the Lafayette Book Store, in the San Francisco Bay Area, got behind debut novelist Elizabeth Rosner in a big way. Owner Dave Simpson had received an advance reading copy of her book The Speed of Light and fell in love with it, to the point of deciding to offer a first ever, unheard of, money-back guarantee on the hardcover when it was released on September 4. This small-town indie bookstore ended up selling over 400 copies of the book with only a single one being returned! A friendship was sparked between Dave and author Liz Rosner that lasts till this day.

"Sadly, the Lafayette Book Store closed its doors in July of 2010, but this past April Rosner contacted Dave Simpson and former store manager Linda Grana asking them if they had any ideas for celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of her book. Linda, who now works at another independent bookstore, Reasonable Books, in the same town of Lafayette, suggested doing a 'Lafayette Reads' promotion, encouraging the community to read the book over the course of the summer. The store offered a 20% discount on copies of The Speed of Light (Ballantine) purchased at the bookstore. On Tuesday, September 22, Dave and Linda... collaborated with Reasonable Books in an event celebrating this 25th anniversary of Liz Rosner's timeless book. 

Pictured: (from left) Elizabeth Rosner, Dave Simpson, Linda Grana

"The program included both Dave and Linda in conversation with the author. The evening itself was in memory of Random House publishing rep Ron Shoop, who passed away in January of 2020. Shoop's wife, Helen, was in attendance and received from Linda a framed photo of Ron (who was also a champion of Liz's work), holding two of Liz's books as a keepsake to commemorate the evening's event.

"After the program officially ended, all headed downstairs--the author to sign books, and the rest to enjoy a Lafayette Book Store reunion party. There were many beloved former customers (some who are now customers of Reasonable Books) and several staff members who came to celebrate, one even from out of state. There was a memorabilia table that had on display numerous signed hardcovers of authors who had become good friends of the store, as well as scrapbooks, photo albums, news clippings, and various other mementos. All in all, the night was a beautiful celebration of Elizabeth Rosner's novel, a glowing tribute to a beloved and dearly missed Bay Area literary figure, and a party remembering a bookstore that was once a pillar in the community. Reasonable Books is happy to continue carrying the torch for independent bookselling in the small town of Lafayette, Calif.!"

Daisy Chain Book Co. in Edmonton, Alb., Canada, shared a little cross-border customer love in a social media post: "A short while ago, a reader visited our store from Alabama. She said this beautiful quote ('This isn't like any other bookstore I've visited. It's so bright and fun.') about our bookstore and I asked her about her favorite bookshop back home. 

"She told me @sweethomebookstore [Sweet Home Books in Wetumpka, Ala.] was great, had a wonderful selection, and the people were so friendly. I immediately went onto Instagram and sent a message to the bookstore, letting them know that they were praised all the way up north, and I thought they would like to know. The owner sent me a lovely response, glad to hear their store being spoken about so well, and grateful that I would reach out. 'It made my day,' they said. And why shouldn't we share good news if we can? How hard is it, anyway? Have a beautiful day, @sweethomebookstore."

"Come in and haunt your local bookstore. It's a spooky boooooky!" That was the sidewalk chalkboard message in front of Grit City Books in Tacoma, Wash., which noted: "We hope no one blew away yesterday! We've been busy little bees reorganizing the store this last week or so. Stop in and see the new organization!"

Today:
Here & Now: Jill Lepore, author of The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State (Liveright, $29.99, 9781324098423).

Also on Here & Now: John Green, author of Hollywood, Ending (Dutton, $32, 9780525426073).

Fresh Air: Mahmoud Khalil, author of No Land to Stand On: Notes from Detention (Metropolitan Books, $27.99, 9781250462008).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Ian K. Smith and Rachael Ray, authors of The New Menopause Kitchen: Targeted Nutrition to Help Fight Symptoms, Lose Weight, and Thrive in Perimenopause, Menopause, and Beyond (BenBella, $29.95, 9781637749500).

Today: Ming-Na Wen, author of Have You Eaten Yet?: Family Recipes from a Restaurant Daughter (Simon Element, $35, 9781668011614).

Late Night with Seth Meyers: Patricia Williams-Lee, author of Ms. American Dream: A Memoir of Making It, No Matter What (Atria, $28, 9781668044216).

Netflix "has found its leads for Icebreaker, its series adaptation of Hannah Grace's bestselling 2022 novel," Deadline reported. Daisy Jelley (Poser, How to Have Sex) will play Anastasia "Stassie" Allen, and Connor Simos (Subversion) will portray Nate Hawkins in the college hockey romance series.

The storyline: "In Icebreaker, she is the transfer gunning for Olympic gold. He is the campus star chasing the NHL. But when an accident forces their teams to share one rink, Anastasia Allen and Nate Hawkins collide--and discipline gives way to obsession, because the only thing more dangerous than wanting to win is wanting each other," Deadline noted.

The project is created and executive produced by Jade Halley Bartlett (Road House, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Miller's Girl). Amanda Lasher (Gossip Girl, The Bold Type, Togetherness) serves as showrunner, writer and exec producer. Grace also executive produces along with Alex Cooper, Matt Kaplan and Mina Lefevre for Cooper's Unwell Productions.

Claudia Amuah won the 2026 Mo Siewcharran Prize for The Other Woman. This year the award, run as part of Hachette UK's Future Bookshelf initiative, is being hosted by Bookouture and focuses on romance and psychological thriller submissions. Named in memory of NielsenIQ BookData's former director of marketing and communications, the prize is sponsored by John Seaton, Siewcharran's husband and co-founder of the prize, as well as NielsenIQ BookData.

Ellen Gleeson, one of the judges and a publisher at Bookouture, said: "The judges were totally hooked by the premise for The Other Woman: a woman sits outside a perfect family home, watching their every move through the window before leaving a red envelope inside the house that will shatter their lives. It's a fantastic psychological thriller concept, in-line with the genre and what we know readers love, but Claudia's voice--chilling and laced with suspense--made the extract truly stand out. We were completely addicted to reading Claudia's work and wished we could carry on and discover the rest of the story."

Amuah receives £2,500 (about $3,315) as well as detailed editorial feedback and a follow-up online session. She will also be offered an introductory meeting with a literary agent and have her submission taken forward to Bookouture's acquisitions meeting where it will be considered for publication under their no advance, 45% royalty model.

The first and second runners-up were F. G. Liauw's The Song Beneath the Snow and Amara Ede's The Benefits of Marriage. Liauw receives £1,500 (about $1,990) and Ede £750 (about $995), with both also getting editorial feedback and a hamper of Bookouture books.

Anna Hogeland's Wild Aster concludes with a scene of such peace, readers may almost forget the turmoil that has preceded it: the protagonist, Mae, watches a mother and young daughter playing and realizes all at once that her life, "which felt so heavy just a short time earlier, now felt like nothing she had to carry at all. This moment was her whole life." But the Mae who is able to experience that quiet resolution is made up of all the previous moments, all those other Maes, the ones who make up the fierce backbone of this insistent, intelligent, and profoundly relatable novel.

Wild Aster spans decades, starting in 1910 when Mae's mother, Ida, is still a girl on the family farm, already a talented artist at 16 despite having no formal training. Ida is resolute, perhaps even callous, in search of knowledge and experience, especially the kind she coaxes from her young neighbor Theodor; when their ignorance results in an unplanned pregnancy, Ida's family decides she will give the baby to an aunt who is unable to bear a child. Ida has no desire to be a mother, but when circumstances reveal the truth--and the danger--of this situation, Ida takes the baby and flees. Fifteen years later, Ida and Mae are still running, constantly on the move and constantly together. Then, in a blink, Mae is forced into a life on her own, and though she is terrified, she must carry on and decide what's next: "The power felt heavy, but she could hold it. There was no other choice."

In the years to follow, Mae feels that same power, the same fear that makes her cry out "I can't," and in response, she hears the words of her mother and grandmother before her: "Become a woman who can. You already are. You're doing it right now." Over and over, Mae must become, in the face of poverty and instability, grief and loss, a woman who can. Although Hogeland (The Long Answer) draws Mae in sharp lines, she also writes movingly of her strength and resolute commitment to building a life she believes in. Ultimately, despite all the elements of life that are out of her control, Mae exerts a quiet authority, and her refusal to shrink or become a false version of herself makes her--and Wild Aster--a triumph. --Sara Beth West, freelance reviewer and librarian

Shelf Talker: Anna Hogeland's Wild Aster is a novel that quietly insists on the power of choosing the life you want to live, even in the face of pain, loss, and a world that argues that you can't.