Publishers Offering a Range of Deals in Celebration of Indies First

American Booksellers Association member booksellers are now invited to take advantage of the special offers available from publishers for this year’s Indies First on Small Business Saturday, a special shop-local event that brings together authors, readers, and publishers in support of independent bookstores on Saturday, November 30.

As part of the seventh annual celebration of Indies First, 51 publishers (and counting) have signed on to offer indie booksellers these terms, including traditional publishers as well as nearly two dozen university presses. The terms, which can be applied to a wide array of frontlist and backlist titles, are available during various periods between now and January 2020.

Special terms are currently listed on a downloadable Excel spreadsheet that will continue to be updated as new publisher offers are received. Booksellers can use the promotional codes listed on the spreadsheet, which is accessible from the ABA Book Buyer’s Handbook and from the Indies First homepage on BookWeb.org.

ABA bookstore members will need a username and password to access the spreadsheet from the ABA Book Buyer’s Handbook or the Indies First homepage; e-mail [email protected] for login information.

Science fiction and fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin will serve as the 2019 spokesperson for Indies First, and in a video created to promote the event, New York Times bestselling author Jemisin encourages viewers to visit their local indie bookstores on November 30 in honor of Indies First/Small Business Saturday.

Jemisin, who is published by Hachette Book Group’s Orbit imprint, is the first author in history to win three consecutive Hugo Awards for Best Novel, all for her Broken Earth trilogy. She is also the winner of the Locus Award for Best First Novel and the Sense of Gender Award for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the first volume in her Inheritance Trilogy.

In November 2018, Jemisin published How Long ’til Black Future Month?, a collection of short stories that sharply examine modern society with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption.

Booksellers are encouraged to invite their favorite local authors, illustrators, or celebrities to come to their stores to participate in events or hand-sell books on November 30 for Indies First on Small Business Saturday. Stores are also encouraged to promote their events via their websites, newsletters, and social media platforms (using the hashtag #IndiesFirst). Authors and illustrators who would like to participate in Indies First are encouraged to reach out to their favorite local indie bookstores.

Learn more about Indies First on BookWeb, or send inquiries about Indies First to [email protected]. Booksellers and customers can follow news about Indies First in Bookselling This Week and via the hashtag #IndiesFirst on social media.