Book Sense

As promised last week, here’s the first Paperback Book Sense 76, which features a wonderful selection of great reading for the summer months.

Don’t forget the May/June Book Sense 76, as well. It features more of the great bounty of new books coming out, with an emphasis on the many worthy hardcover publications.

June, July, and August 2002

Caren Lobo, owner with her husband, Richard, of Sarasota News & Books in Sarasota, Florida, supplied BTW with some possible headlines for the story of the store's massive flood on Wednesday, March 27, "How about 'Sarasota News & Books Gives New Meaning to Waterfront Property,' or 'Sarasota Book Store: Newest Snorkeling Destination'?"

Book Sense is very pleased to welcome Independent Publishers Group and Toby Press as the newest members of the ever-expanding family of Publisher Partners.

Independent Publishers Group (IPG) was founded in 1971 as the first master distribution company of its kind. It was "reborn" in 1987 when it was purchased by Chicago Review Press and has since then been one of the fastest growing companies in the book business.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a slight increase in the number of attempts by individuals to place fraudulent orders at BookSense.com stores, according to Len Vlahos, director of BookSense.com. He noted that these orders are still the very rare exception at BookSense.com stores. However, last week BookSense.com e-mailed stores to alert them to certain types of orders that should be flagged and looked at carefully.

All BookExpo America (BEA) attendees are invited to witness the most exciting two minutes in sports -- the running of the 2002 Kentucky Derby live from Churchill Downs -- at the first-ever BookSense.com Kentucky Derby Party, on Saturday, May 4, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in room 1E04 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. "It’s going to be a fun event, and a great way to blow off some steam at the end of a hard-working day at the trade show," said Len Vlahos, director of BookSense.com.

Make no mistake, notwithstanding its witty title, A Child’s Book of True Crime by Chloe Hooper (Scribner) is definitely not a tale for little ones. This Book Sense 76 March/April selection is a story that mingles animal characters from children’s books with true crime elements -- a gruesome murder, an unexplained disappearance -- and perpetual human dramas -- the search for truth and the loss of innocence.

Well, the big news here is that this spring and summer sees a wonderful bounty of great new books coming out, in cloth and paper … which is great for biz but daunting nonetheless. So, we’re going to produce a separate Summer Paperback 76, covering late May-July, as there is so much good stuff coming in paper, too. The paperbacks would’ve swamped the May/June 76, keeping dozens of worthy new hardcovers off.

The April white box mailing to stores with Book Sense includes advance reading copies, a listening cassette, numerous sell sheets, blads, special offers, and other materials. Booksellers should be on the lookout for these boxes to arrive in mid-April. Here’s a preview of some the items you’ll find:

Advance Reading Copies

Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation, Olivia Judson, published by Holt

The Fruit of Stone, Mark Spragg, published by Riverhead (Penguin Putnam)

This week, BTW presents a preview of the latest Book Sense 76 list, but, increasingly, booksellers are using a backlist title’s selection as a Book Sense pick as an ongoing marketing tool, promoting the selection, for instance, in shelf-talkers or by stickering titles. In addition, earlier Book Sense titles are often great candidates for reading groups.

Booksellers on the trade floor at this year’s BookExpo America, which will be open from May 3 to 5, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, will find a wide range of key information at the ABA/Book Sense Booth (#718) -- and a chance to meet the authors of some of their favorite Book Sense picks.

This year, for the first time, there will be 30-minute signings in the ABA/Book Sense Booth, beginning on Friday and continuing through Sunday. Book Sense 76 authors already confirmed include:

There’s little over a month left before the 2002 Book Sense Book of the Year winners are announced on Friday, May 3, at the Celebration of Bookselling at this year’s BookExpo, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. In the previous two weeks, BTW has reviewed the finalists for Children’s Literature and Children’s Illustrated and Adult Fiction .

Book Sense is pleased to welcome Oneworld Publications, based in Oxford, England, as its first international Publisher Partner. Oneworld is distributed in the U.S. by National Book Network.

Ruminator Books, the venerable St. Paul bookstore, now with a Minneapolis location as well, was an original participant in the Book Sense program. It also signed on to BookSense.com when that became an option.

By Carl Lennertz

First of all, thank you for the great nominations, especially from all the first-time nominators, whether at a specialty or general store, who feel as if books in their specialty now have a national voice!

And people are noticing:

Ohio’s Oldest Bookstore Becomes Hub for Flights and Food