With the 15th annual Winter Institute kicking off next week in Baltimore, today we launch our big Buzz Books 2020 Spring/Summer sampler. Now in its tenth year, this sampler offers excerpts from 44 of the most buzzed-about books scheduled for publication this spring and summer as an exclusive, free ebook. Eleven of the featured authors are slated to appear at Winter Institute.
The consumer editions are available for download now for Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple’s Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo, among other online retailers, with click-throughs for preorders. (Also all linked at our main Buzz Books website.)
Our full trade editions include marketing and publicity information on all of the titles, along with click-throughs to read or request full digital galleys on most titles. You can download to read on your platform of choice from NetGalley, where our samplers regularly top the most downloaded lists and drive further discovery, along with hundreds of reviews.
Our “digital convention” features new work from major, bestselling authors like Brit Bennett, Sue Monk Kidd, and David Nicholls, along with Veronica Roth, of Divergent fame, with her first adult novel. Other sure-to-be popular titles are by Amy Engel, Debra Jo Immergut, Anna Solomon, and Ellen Marie Wiseman.
Buzz Books has had a particularly stellar track record with highlighting the most talented, exciting debut authors. A legal thriller by Erica Katz has already been optioned by Netflix, and novels by Naoise Dolan and Kate Reed Petty were sold at auction. Kawai Strong Washburn has literary bona fides, as does Raven Leilani, Benjamin Nugent, and Ilana Masad.
Our nonfiction selections range from comedian Mike Birbiglia’s humorous account of becoming a father to transgender activist and Winter Institute keynoter Jennifer Finney Boylan’s poignant Good Boy: My Life In Seven Dogs. Benjamin Taylor shares his friendship with literary icon Philip Roth in Here We Are.
Finally, we present early looks at new work from four up-and-coming young adult authors: Laura Bates, Brandy Colbert, Kim Johnson, and Court Stevens.
A comprehensive preview from Publishers Lunch of more than 500 additional noteworthy Spring/Summer books to have on your radar is an essential resource. Prepare for Winter Institute, ALA Midwinter, and the spring publishing season by downloading our free Buzz Books collections, and join the viral buzzmaking on social media at #BuzzBooks2020.
Buzz Books are one of our favorite “good for everyone” projects — from authors and publishers to booksellers, librarians and readers — and they are driven by a wide circle of cooperation, enthusiasm and partnership. It starts with the participating authors, agents and publishers, and moves to our ebook distribution partners at Ingram CoreSource (who also produce the limited-edition printed Buzz Books via Lightning Source that lucky booksellers receive through the ABA’s White Box mailing). NetGalley helps drive thousands of downloads and hundreds of reviews through their growing community. Thanks to all, and enjoy the buzz!