Act Now: May 27 Deadline for Summer/Fall 2016 Indies Introduce Signup

ABA member stores new to the Indies Introduce program must sign up by May 27 to take advantage of special publisher offers on 10 adult and 10 children’s titles chosen by panels of booksellers from across the U.S. as the top debuts of the summer and fall seasons.

The Summer/Fall 2016 Indies Introduce program features a great selection of fiction and nonfiction for adults and for middle grade and young adult readers, all publishing between June and October 2016.

For stores that have taken part in past Indies Introduce promotions, there’s no need to sign up again; however, stores that are new to Indies Introduce must complete the Indies Introduce sign-up form by May 27 to take part in the program.

Pete Mulvihill of Green Apple Books in San Francisco, who served as the chair of the Adult Debut panel, encouraged his fellow booksellers to “sell a ton of these books. They’re fantastic,” he said. “We need to keep reminding publishers that indie bookstores are where discovery happens, where debut authors are launched. But mostly, they’re just fantastic books that deserve to be stacked up in the front, blurbed in your newsletter, and hand-sold ad nauseam. Have at it! Your customers will thank you, as will I.”

Janelle Smith of Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane, Washington, said serving on the Indies Introduce Middle Grade/Young Adult Debut panel and selecting the top 10 kids’ titles of the season was an enlightening experience.

“Having the opportunity to discuss the same titles with other booksellers was an education of sorts. Seeing a story from so many different perspectives allowed me to be more open to titles I may not have picked up before,” she said. “I am somewhat sad to be finished but will take with me what I have learned. There are many ways to enjoy a story if you take the time to look from all sides.”

Adult Debut panelist Ingrid Goatson of Boulder Book Store in Boulder, Colorado, said, “Being a part of the Indies Introduce committee was not only a highlight of my bookselling career, but of my reading life in general. It was exciting to be pushed out my comfort zone and read books I never would have picked up before, and I looked forward to hearing what my fellow committee members had to say about each book. I wish the process was longer. I’m sad that it’s over!”

To access the list of Summer/Fall 2016 Indies Introduce titles, including bookseller blurbs and full details on publishers’ offers, booksellers will need a BookWeb.org login name and password. (Booksellers can sign in or create a new password here.)

Materials to help booksellers display and promote Indies Introduce titles are available in ABA’s Designs and Downloads.