People

In a tradition begun during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the American Booksellers Association will be making a gift of books to President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush for the White House Library on October 9, 2002.

Bo Caldwell has written fiction for years, publishing about a dozen short stories in Ploughshares and other literary magazines. But she's also written an equal amount of nonfiction, in the form of personal essays for the Washington Post's Post Magazine and other publications.

Shirley Muller, the prominent Southern California bookseller, died of cancer on September 18. She was 65.

By Daniel Halpern The bond between a writer and an editor is complex and essential. Daniel Halpern, editorial director of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins, remembers the writer F.X. Toole, an "unusually unyielding author and friend," whose collection of short stories, Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, became one of those books that can justify a life in publishing.

Following in a noble tradition, in the past few years, some independent booksellers have begun publishing or writing their own books. These booksellers noted that -- despite experiencing many challenges along the way -- publishing or authoring books has given them a sense of accomplishment and has allowed them to bring to light important books or ideas that otherwise might never have been published.

Author Monica Wood of Portland, Maine, is a good exemplar of the apt phrase "Those who can, teach." The "teach" part is demonstrated by the adult education and other workshops in fiction-writing technique that Wood's led for years -- and by her new book, The Pocket Muse: Ideas & Inspirations for Writing (Writer's Digest Books), a September/October Book Sense 76 pick.

When Tony Horwitz stepped off the plane to Savage Island, he knew almost nothing about the place. He'd done this on purpose. As part of a year and a half-long journey throughout the Pacific following in the wake of 18th century explorer James Cook, Horwitz wanted at least one blank spot on the map -- a place that was truly terra incognita for a 21st century American author.

Gayle Shanks, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, wrote this "letter" to friends of the store, for the bookstore's September e-mail newsletter, BookStories. BTW is grateful for permission to reprint her letter, which is a wonderful travelogue of a true bookperson's busman's holiday. Dear Bookstore Friends,

By Jennifer Anglin of The Enchanted Forest The noted children's bookstore The Enchanted Forest in Dallas is closing. Here, owner Jennifer Anglin shares a letter about how she reached her decision, and what bookselling has meant to her.