As part of the #IndiesGiveBack campaign, Indies First is giving away nearly 20,000 special-edition copies of Ghost by Jason Reynolds to young readers. Books & Books @ The Studios gave copies of Ghost to The Boys and Girls Club of the Keys Area, Inc. Across the country, 490 independent bookstores participated in the giveaway campaign, sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Express and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author, as well as a recipient of the Newbery, Printz and National Book Awards, among many others. Ghost, the first book in a four-book series about a middle school track team, was a National Book Award finalist for Young People’s Literature. Reynolds, who is serving his second term as Indies First spokesperson, officially launched the at Miami Book Fair on November 15.
Saturday, November 24, also known as Small Business Saturday, marked the sixth annual celebration of Indies First. Indies First, a collaboration among publishers, retailers, and authors, is an annual campaign launched by the American Booksellers Association to celebrate independent bookstores. Small Business Saturday, founded by American Express in 2010 is dedicated to supporting local businesses that make communities special, as well as helping local economies thrive.
This special edition of Ghost includes a personal letter from Reynolds to his readers. Read it on the American Booksellers Association website at https://bit.ly/2Bv3dSb.
And when you get down to the wire this holiday season, we’ll be here for you. Note our extended hours (10 am – 8 pm) Friday, Dec. 21 to Monday, Dec. 24. We’re going to take Christmas off for a long winter’s nap.
Tuesday, December 18, at 6pm, Rosalind Brackenbury in conversation with Jessica Argyle about The Lost Love Letters of Henri Fournier, Brackenbury’s most recent novel.
Through Pauline’s love letters, her secrets, and a lost Fournier manuscript, Seb will come to learn so much more – about Pauline, Henri, and himself. For Seb, every moment of Pauline’s past proves to be more inspiring than he could have imagined. She’s given him the courage to grab hold of whatever life offers, to cherish each risk, and to pursue love in his life.
Tuesday, December 11, at 6pm, a presentation and book signing with Andrew Simonet, author of Wilder. Simonet, who will be an Artist in Residence at The Studios of Key West in November and December, will offer, “13 Thoughts on Writing and Fighting.”
Jason Wilder is in permanent in-school suspension for fighting. Meili Wen gets there by breaking a girl’s finger. Jason and Meili don’t just connect; they collide. Two people who would never cross paths—outsiders from radically different backgrounds—they form an exhiliarating, unpredictable bond. When circumstances push, they push back. There’s no plan. And there’s no stopping.
December 5 at 6 pm, a book launch party and book signing for The Catalonia Adventures of Angus and Edmond. Meet the book’s author, Gunna Dickson, and its artists/illustrators. Author proceeds from the launch sales will be donated to Anne McKee Artists Fund in memory of Key West artist and gallery owner Jon McIntosh.
Through Pauline’s love letters, her secrets, and a lost Fournier manuscript, Seb will come to learn so much more – about Pauline, Henri, and himself. For Seb, every moment of Pauline’s past proves to be more inspiring than he could have imagined. She’s given him the courage to grab hold of whatever life offers, to cherish each risk, and to pursue love in his life.
As Thanksgiving approaches, we hope you will all have a few peaceful moments to reflect upon all that you are grateful for before jumping into the frenzy of the holiday season. We are thankful for all of you, our customers, social media fans, donors, volunteers and friends. We would not be the thriving indie bookstore we are without all of you.
The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid is a passport to the world’s weirdest, coolest, and most mesmerizing and mysterious wonders, presented in a stunning, full-color illustrated journey to 100 real destinations in 47 countries on every continent.
In collaboration with the Key West Film Festival, Saturday, November 17, at 3pm, a book launch party and book signing with Alicia Malone, author of The Female Gaze.
You may have heard the term “male gaze,” coined in the 1970s to talk about what happens to viewers when the majority of art and entertainment has been made by the one gender perspective. So, what about the opposite? Women have been making movies since the very beginning of cinema. What does the world look like through the “female gaze”?
No red/orange leaves here, but summer is over and we are jumping into an exciting fall/winter season of bookstore events. Kick October off with the opening reception for the second annual art contest on Oct. 4, followed by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack E. Davis, discussing his book The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea on Friday, Oct. 5. Friday, Oct. 12, will feature an all-ages event, Newbery award-winning author Kwame Alexander and guitarist Randy Preston.