Brighter Than the Sun: A Solarpunk Romantic Comedy by Raveena Raju, which will be published by Generous Press on March 16, 2027, was the winner of the BuzzBooks contest at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Tradeshow, September 27-29, in Portland, Ore.
Punch cards were distributed to booksellers and librarians who visited participating exhibitors on the show floor for quick pitches, a total of six contestants across a variety of genres. Booth visits were verified with a stamp from the attending reps. Full cards awarded players a vote for their pick for strongest handsell and a chance at one of three randomly selected cash prizes.
The win for Brighter Than the Sun was announced to a packed house at the Signature Dish author dinner, where the participant prizes were also handed out. Winners of the participant prizes were Crystal Whitcomb-Johnson, Jerrol's, Ellensburg, Wash.; Emily Sullivan, Homer Bookstore, Homer, Ark.; and Buddy Wilson, Seekers Bookshop, Colville, Wash.
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A shortlist has been selected for the 2026 Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction. The winner named on November 4. The winning author receives £50,000 (about $66,075), shared with the translator where applicable.
The shortlist:
Baldwin: A Love Story by Nichola Boggs
Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Revolution by Anand Gopal
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe
Alexander: God, King, Man by Edmund Richardson
The Great Dictator: A Life of Barbara Cartland by Matthew Sweet
The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and His Search for Humanity by Andrea Wulf