Tegan poses with her book to share, “The Atlas of Love” by Seattle author Laurie Frankel, at the Winter Institute photo booth.
This week, 600 booksellers gathered in Denver for the 11th annual Winter Institute, a 3-day educational conference for people who own or work in independent bookstores, hosted by the American Booksellers Association (ABA).
The ABA started a new tradition on the opening night: a backlist book swap. “Backlist” titlesare books that have been around (the opposite of “frontlist”–the current year). The ABA invited booksellers to bring a favorite older book to the conference, pose with it in their photo booth, and then put it out for another bookseller to take home. Bookmarks let prospective book adopters know who recommended the title. I shared The Atlas of Love by Laurie Frankel; Idaho bookseller Jesica DeHart of Bookpeople of Moscow grabbed it right away when the swapping began. (Jesica didn’t see who wound up with her copy of The Bone People. If it was you, comment below!)
I was absolutely delighted to see Pacific Northwest authors well-represented. These are books that stand the test of time and have kept their places in readers’ hearts. Here are some photos I took as I spotted local authors, recommended by booksellers from our region and far afield. (Sorry I didn’t catch them all!)
Priest was a PNW author when this book was published (she won a PNBA Award!) but now she lives in Chatanooga, TN.
These are Seattle author Matt Ruff’s early novels (1997 and 1999). He won a PNBA Award for “Set This House in Order” (2003). He has a new book, “Lovecraft Country,” coming 2/16/16.
“Isaac’s Storm,” a history book by a Seattle author (Erik Larson) about a natural disaster in Texas was the pick of the ABA’s CEO, Oren Teicher.
“The School of Essential Ingredients” by Seattle author Erica Bauermeister was shared by Debbie Buck of Vintage Books in Vancouver, WA.
Published in 2010, Idaho author Brady Udall’s novel “The Lonely Polygamist” won a PNBA Award and was shared by Meg Sherman, a Norton sales rep on the board of the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association.
What favorite older book that you would bring to a party like this?
