By the time Saturday's closing reception at the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute (Wi3) was winding down, it was clear that booksellers and publishers attending the two-day educational event in Louisville, Kentucky, were very pleased.

The American Booksellers Association extends sincere thanks to all of its Winter Institute Partners whose support made last weekend's event such a success.

By Tova Beiser, Trade Book & Promotions Manager, Brown University Bookstore

The 500 independent booksellers who gathered at last weekend's Winter Institute participated in 24 education sessions; three keynote addresses; four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated several times; three evening receptions, including one featuring 38 authors; and innumerable opportunities to socialize and network with colleagues.

Last week's Winter Institute included four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated three times over the course of the two days. At each, representatives from six of Wi3's 24 Publisher Partners presented titles that independent booksellers can look forward to selling this spring. Here's a look at the lists of titles as provided by the publishers prior to the event. (The list is also available as a downloadable PDF.)

As Bookselling This Week reaches your Inbox this Thursday, close to 500 ABA member booksellers are converging in Louisville, Kentucky, for the opening of the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute (Wi3).

For fun, the 35-plus authors participating in the Winter Institute's (Wi3) Friday evening Author Reception were asked to add 25 to 50 words to the sentence "It was a dark and stormy night in Louisville, and the room was filled with 500 independent booksellers from all over the country."

Here are the 19 very entertaining responses to date -- which clearly demonstrate just why these authors are among independent booksellers' favorites:

It's now just a week before ABA-member booksellers head to Louisville, Kentucky, for the Third Annual Winter Institute.

Louisville, Kentucky, the host city for next week's Winter Institute, offers visitors a wide range of events and attractions -- everything from historical sites and distillery tours to steamboat rides and a world-class zoo, from the state science center to the Derby and Louisville Slugger museums, and much, much more.