Never Have I Ever Again

Tue 24 May 2022 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Posted by: Gavin

Never Have I Ever coverI’m delighted to report that the second printing of Isabel Yap’s debut collection Never Have I Ever is now starting to wend its way back to bookshops. The book came out last February and has found a very happy readership, no doubt helped by it being a NYPL Best Books for Adults and on both the Locus and Crawford Award shortlists.

It turns out last year I sent eleven books back for reprints — one of those numbers that makes it more obvious why I felt so busy even though we only published six new titles: 4 short story collections and 2 Elizabeth Hand mystery novels in paperback. Even though it takes 2-3 times as long now to get a reprint as it did a year or two ago, running out of books is the best problem to have!

Anyway, here’s to our second reprint of the year — and I’m sending another book back this week and another back next week — may this reprint be the first of many for Never Have I Ever.

Want some more about the book?

  • Here’s Isabel Yap interviewed by Megan Kakimoto at Full Stop.
  • The Washington Post said the book: “overflows with life and magic, and if you are not familiar with the vibrant literary scene in the Philippines, let this serve as a worthy introduction.”
  • And in their starred review Booklist ended by calling it “A joy to read.”
  • You can also read some dark and fabulous stories: Good Girls, Milagroso, Have You Heard the One About Anamaria Marquez?
  • & that fabulous cover illustration? That’s “Serpent’s Bride” by Alexa Sharpe.
  • And here’s Isabel’s site.

Signed Sofia Samatar Books

Mon 9 May 2022 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Posted by: Gavin

I wasn’t there so I can’t give the 100% accurate count of books or anything, but Sofia Samatar stopped by Book Moon on Saturday and signed copies her books. Use these links to order signed copies: A Stranger in Olondria, Tender, and The Winged Histories.

Her new book, The White Mosque, comes out in October from Catapult


Celebrating Spirits Abroad Winning the Ray Bradbury Prize

Wed 4 May 2022 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Posted by: Gavin

Spirits Abroad coverI went to look up the LA Times Ray Bradbury Prize and discovered that there are at least 3 awards with Ray Bradbury’s name on them. Only fitting as he made so many readers happy with his fantastic stories.

Anyway, we’re very happy that Zen Cho’s delightful collection of stories, Spirits Abroad — which was already a Crawford Award winner in its first Buku Fixi edition — received the LA Times Book Prize/Ray Bradbury Prize at this year’s LA Times Festival of Books.

We have a limited number of bookplates signed by Zen to go with copies at Book Moon.