Indies Introduce Interview

“I devoured this book, I loved it from page one, so good I couldn't put it down. I loved the story, the writing, the characters, one of my favorite reads. Such a great debut novel, I am so excited to see what this author writes next,” said Amy Buren of Maggie Mae's Bookshop in Gresham, Oregon.

“Death comes calling in Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt — a modern take on the role personified as a 30 something Londoner who falls for the humanity around him, causing hiccups for his calling. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll turn the last page with a clearer outlook on life as only death can give you. For anyone fierce enough to look at death in all its forms and relish the humanity in us all,” said Coco Zephir of An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts.

“After totally nailing her audition for the middle school play, April Xue learns she wasn’t cast because of her tracheostomy tube. So she makes a plan to show the director how perfect she is for the lead role…and only tells a couple fibs to put it in motion. April navigates friendships, overprotective parents, her love of the theater, and the ways people treat visible and invisible disabilities in this vibrant and heartfelt middle grade debut,” said Angela Whited of Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“Elsie is who I want to be when I grow up! She may be eleven, but she is also wise beyond her years, an advocate for change, surrounded by supportive adults, and an open book for all things puberty with no shame attached. This is a book for those who stand up for others and who have curiosity and empathy in abundance,” said Allie Cesmat of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona.

“You’ll love this romance that promises you one thing, while pulling the floor out beneath you. It’s a romance, it’s an adventure, it’s a mystery — you’ll love every minute with Cleo, Kei, and the cast of Camp Couple-Up,” said Coco Zephir of An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts.

“A novel with the spirit of a folktale, Rabbit, Fox, Tar is destined to be a classic. Stories like that of the Tar Baby take on new meaning as they are passed on, and the same will happen with this book as it is passed from person to person. I will continue to come back to this book and I will undoubtedly take away something new each time,” said Amani Jackson of The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, Maryland.

“Goldenborn is the kind of sci-fi/fantasy mashup I didn't know I was looking for. Akoma lives in a near-future AfricaTown in San Francisco and works with a secret law enforcement division to stop crimes where magic may be involved. She just wants to find out what really happened to put her father in a coma, and a sting gone wrong leads her to a mysterious stranger who may have the answers. Goldenborn is filled with lush, beautiful worldbuilding, African mythology, and an Afrofuturist twist,” said Fisher Nash of Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, KY.

Liv Mae Morris is the author of The Last Dragon House, a Winter/Spring 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Morris sat down with Elisa McIntosh of The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, New York, to discuss this debut title.

“Disturbing, dangerous, and unexpectedly elegant. This debut collection grabs hard and doesn’t let go as women become sublime and transcend the ordinary, and men more often than not try to thwart them. Osborn’s writing is kaleidoscopic and precise, and Entomology of the Pin-Up Girl does a grand job showcasing her welcome and exciting new voice,” said a bookseller from Third Place Books Ravenna in Seattle, Washington.

“This fantasy novel immediately draws readers into a world that feels well-built and clearly seen. A young priestess and shepherd for the dead finds herself caught in the middle of many battles that she did not seek while simply trying to do a job that would allow her to provide better resources for her ailing father. Fortunately for both the heroine (and readers), she rises to the many challenges she faces, but not without doubt and difficulty,” said Katie Orphan of Orphan Books in Los Angeles, CA.

“A tragedy leads everyone to examine their place in the family, how they relate to one another, and how they see themselves. Anyone with complicated family dynamics will find this book triggering and cathartic,” said Claire Bone of Wild Sisters Book Company in Sacramento, CA.

Lily Kim Qian is the author of Until We Meet Again, a Winter/Spring 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Qian sat down with Britney Harker of Rediscovered Books in Boise, ID to discuss this debut title.

“Soraya Bouazzaoui brings a refreshing new voice to fantasy with a bold and timely retelling of the mythical figure Aicha. This electric debut is a page-turning glimpse into the people behind a resistance, and the depravity of colonization. Overflowing with love and feminine rage, this is an ode to the strength, resilience, and bravery of those who dare to resist occupation,” said Cassie Goodwin of Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“This book is literally the luxurious gothic fantasy of my dreams; words cannot describe how hauntingly beautiful it is! Balancing colonial commentaries, a crumbling entombed estate, and splashes of magic and romance, one girl will do whatever it takes to save her family. Heba Al-Wasity crafted a masterpiece that had me ready to spill my own secrets to uncover the mysteries woven within Weavingshaw and once this book has you, I think you will too!” said Haley Calvin of The Novel Neighbor in St. Louis, Missouri.

“In a time where influencers are more prominent now than ever, you will love this novel that goes behind the scenes of a tradwife named Natalie that finds herself thrust from her Instagramable life into an alternate timeline (pun intended) where she does not fully recognize her family or any aspect of her farmlife. Her carefully curated life is uprooted very suddenly and you will #lol at Natalie's plight. This debut novel has a lot of heart, humor, and social commentary and I expect it to be big,” said Annastasia Williams of The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee.