Making Waves Newsletter 1/9/26

1/9/2026

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GLIBA Regional Newsletter: January 9, 2026

REGIONAL BESTSELLERS

PUBLISHER PROMOTIONS

ARC PREFERENCE FORM

JOIN OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP

Important Dates

1/12: REGISTRATION OPENS FOR PBS BASIC BOOKSELLING & STORE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT COURSES

1/13, 14 & 15: NORTON REP-A-THON (See times and links below.)

1/21: BOOKS ACROSS BORDERS YEAR IN TRANSLATION BOOK BUZZ

1/26: REGISTRATION OPENS FOR PBS PROFITABILITY MASTER CLASS

1/31: FIRST ANNUAL FRIENDS OF FANTASY DAY

SAVE THE DATE FOR GLIBA SPRING FORUM!

We are thrilled to host Spring Forum at the indomitable Loganberry Books in Cleveland, OH. All participating authors are welcome to join us for the bookstore tour & reception on the 15th, lunch on the 16th, and the author reception directly following the author events. Registration info to come soon!

□PUBLISHERS□

Author pitches are now open for Spring Forum! Click here for the pitch form and to view all author and publisher sponsorship opportunities. The deadline to submit pitches is Friday, March 9, 2026.

AUTHOR PITCH FORM

PUBLISHER GUIDELINES

INDUSTRY NEWS

Norton Rep-a-Thon Next Week

Our friends from W.W. Norton are pleased to invite you to their upcoming Rep-a-thon! The indie sales team will be presenting their Summer 2026 list along with a Teaser Trailer and interviews with some of their favorite authors.

Everyone is invited so please share this with your fellow booksellers at your store. There are three live sessions to choose from:

Tuesday, January 13, 3:00 pm CT / 4:00 pm ET

Wednesday, January 14, 2:00 pm CT / 3:00 pm ET

Thursday, January 15, 12:00pm CT /1:00 pm ET

Indie Press Month

The Independent Publisher’s Caucus (IPC) invites independent bookstores nationwide to participate in an in-store display contest and a social media campaign to take place throughout the month of March. The winner of the display contest will receive a $500 prize (no social media platform required). Top 3 store displays receive $100 in co-op marketing. First 25+ stores to post to Instagram in the month of March will receive $50 co-op marketing funds.

ZOOM REGISTRATION LINK

Friends of Fantasy Day

January 31, 2026 will be the first annual Friends of Fantasy Day! The Friends of Fantasy mission is to connect readers, authors, and bookstores through their mutual love of the fantastical and fantasy-adjacent.

Already, 40+ bookstores plan to host events including author signings, fantasy displays, book blind-dates, and general fun and whimsy. It is not too late to join the celebration and host an event of your own! Find out more at their website or fill in the interest form here!

From the ABA

Nominate a Bookseller for ABA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council

Take the Holiday Sales Survey by 01/16/2026.

Check out our Q1 checklist to help you reset and prepare for 2026!

ABA's Valentine's Day assets are available now.

The Indie Bookstore Day Planning Guide Is Here!

This guide, provided by the ABA, is full of ideas for Indie Bookstore Day on April 25, 2026, including tips on how to celebrate, marketing strategies, and important information on ordering exclusives.

Key IBD 2026 Dates & Deadlines:

March 31, 2026: Indie Bookstore Day 2026 General Participation Form closes
April 3, 2026: Indie Bookstore Day Searchable Map goes live on IndieBound
Mid-April, 2026: All exclusives ship to bookstores
April 20–24, 2026: Indie Bookstore Day Spirit Week
April 25, 2026, the last Saturday in April: Independent Bookstore Day

Indie-to-Indie Playlist for February: Black History Month

Publisher members of the Independent Publishers Caucus have curated a pair of playlists to help populate and distinguish displays. The theme for February is Black History Month. Click for the link to these playlists as Edelweiss collections!