Behind the scenes at Carnation Bookhouse + What I'm Reading
If you are seeing this email, we likely met at the Urbana Farmer's Market. Thanks for coming by!
I'm a new business owner (I literally just did my third event as a bookstore EVER) and so I am still learning so much about how to make sure I have what you are interested in reading. It's a combination of finding the queer and/or political books everyone is talking about, and uncovering some cool hidden gems to share with you so you get that serendipity experience.
One of the ways I get books is through this distributor, Ingram, who ships books to a lot of bookstores around the U.S. But another way to get books is to get to know the publishers themselves, and order books directly from them.
I have some publishers I'm getting to know, and I'm going to share some info about them with you here so that you can get to know them too! I think it's important to support indie publishers who are doing things right and taking care of their authors. As someone who used to work in publishing, I got to see what the other side is like.
Publisher Highlight: Working Girls Press
This week I wanted to highlight Working Girls Press, which is doing some really awesome work. Their website says they are “committed to collaborative and collectivist publishing practices” and I really saw that in action last week in Chicago at their event to promote I Hate My Job, which we carry at Carnation Bookhouse. A lot of publishers don’t give royalties to contributors on anthologies, for example, but WGP does! They are doing things right and their books are really special!
Here's a little bit about I Hate My Job from the Working Girls Press website (read the full description here):
I Hate My Job features essays from former and current sex worker contributors who explore the intersections of criminalized labor, working in an underground economy, respectability politics, class division, capitalism, and Carol Leigh's coining of the term "sex worker."
This book provides a platform for sex workers to share their experiences and insights on the realities of their work, raise awareness about the often-overlooked issues facing sex workers, and challenge the stigma and discrimination they face in society. Most especially, this collection aims to provide a safe place for sex workers with ambivalent, or even negative, feelings about their work and clients to express this discontent without fear of the usual pushback i.e., “Why don’t you get a real job?”
Come check out our booth to support this Press and grab your copy of I Hate My Job.
What I'm Reading: I Kissed Her First by Betty Cayouette
Part of owning a bookstore means I'm looking ahead to what's coming out in the future. The adult romance I Kissed Her First will be released on August 25, 2026, and I was able to get my hands on an Advance Reader Copy (thanks St. Martin's Press!).
This is going to be a great end of summer read! It's a super fun romantic romp through Europe. The characters were well developed, specific and interesting. Luna, a pop star, is going on tour and vying for a Grammy when she meets Riley, who is hired as her private chef. Sparks fly pretty quickly, but will Luna stick with her PR hungry boyfriend, or take the leap into a romance that makes her, and her career, vulnerable? I'm a sucker for any book that includes a lot of food descriptions, so this was right up my alley.
I do want to content warn that there are some more serious topics treated in this book, including drug and alcohol abuse. I am not an expert on these topics so I can't be sure, but I felt that they were treated gently and with a nuanced touch.
If you are interested in a copy of this book when it releases, comment here, shoot me a DM or email me! I can make sure there's one ready for you to pick up at the market closest to the release date.
If you made it to the end, thanks for reading! Come see me at the Farmer's Market if you want me to order a book for you, and get it for a 10 percent discount!