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The Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association concluded its annual FallCon on October 9 in Denver, attracting a notable turnout of 234 booksellers alongside 24 librarians and other attendees. Heather Duncan, the executive director of MPIBA, shared with PW that overall participation grew, despite the recent acquisition of the Tattered Cover, a beloved local bookstore, by Barnes & Noble.
Duncan attributed this uptick in attendance to the influx of new bookstores and first-time attendees. Among the newcomers was Elizabeth Mattson, who launched Henry’s Books in Spearfish, South Dakota, this past June. She and her husband, Dylan, utilized crowdfunding to establish the only indie bookstore in their community of Black Hills, which offers a unique program for community members to “sponsor a book” for inclusion in the store’s inventory and hosts readings featuring local, often self-published authors.
Another first-time attendee, Laura Sharp, opened Literally a Bookshop, a children’s bookstore in Chandler, Arizona, earlier in July. She previously operated the store as a pop-up for two years before finding a permanent space within a coffee shop. Support via BookTok from local author Rebecca Thorne helped boost Literally’s visibility within the metro-Phoenix area. The store offers various programs, including a middle-grade reading club and book fairs, catering to readers of all ages.
During the MPIBA conference, several professional development initiatives were available, such as an “ask an expert” table outside the exhibit hall. This format allowed booksellers to pose specific inquiries to seasoned experts without requiring them to prepare extensively, according to Duncan.
Highlights of the program included a conversation on book purchasing led by Jeanne Costello of Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado, and Allie Cesmat from Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix, who shared her enthusiasm for the young adult dystopian novel, Moira Buffini’s Songlight. Julia Atwood of Boulder Bookstore and Elizabeth Barnhill from Fabled Bookshop & Café in Waco, Texas, addressed merchandising strategies and display ideas suitable for various business models, emphasizing seasonal themes and portable designs for pop-up shops. Atwood expressed appreciation for the informal engagement, where the audience actively listened and contributed thoughts.
Duncan highlighted the value of networking and idea-sharing, stating, “It’s basically the best part of shows like this.” She also connected with publisher representatives and exhibitors, ensuring their events did not conflict with MPIBA programming, allaying any concerns they had.
In addition to the conference activities, Mountains and Plains booksellers raised $1,500 through donations and t-shirt sales to support the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, which is currently engaged in hurricane relief efforts. Contributors to the fundraising efforts participated in a game of Heads or Tails, with the winner receiving a $250 gift card.
Rebecca Leber-Gottberg, co-owner of Rediscovered Books in Boise, Idaho, purchased a chance to play the game and graciously passed it to Dara Landry, co-owner of Class Bookstore in Houston. Ultimately, Landry emerged victorious, much to the delight of Kathy Bartson, Binc’s development director, who remarked, “Booksellers are the best people.”
For Landry, winning the gift card was a delightful conclusion to an enriching experience among fellow MPIBA members. “When I describe the challenges of the third quarter and express hopes for a strong holiday season, I find camaraderie with those who truly understand,” she remarked. “The education provided this year was exceptional. There’s so much I’m eager to implement back at our store.”
Authors in the High Desert
Authors played a pivotal role in making FallCon a memorable event, both as keynote speakers and participants on the exhibition floor. “One of my favorite tasks during the planning of the show is receiving author pitches and curating the event schedule,” said Duncan.
Meal times at MPIBA featured presentations from authors alongside substantial stacks of advanced reader copies (ARCs). The conference kicked off on October 7 with a Young Readers’ Fest keynote breakfast featuring notable authors including Jorge Cham, Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, Thyra Heder, Rex Ogle, and Brian Selznick. Michael Sampson, author of the upcoming Rainbow Bear (Brown Books Kids, scheduled for release in October), delivered his remarks through a pre-recorded video due to personal commitments related to Hurricane Helene.
Later in the day, a multitude of authors gathered for a lunch session hosted by emcee Carter Wilson, who will release Tell Me What You Did in January. Ariel Courage shared insight about her novel Bad Nature (Henry Holt and Co., April), which follows a terminally ill woman on a revenge-driven road trip, who crosses paths with an environmentalist. Kevin Anderson revealed that he composed his horror-in-space novel Nether Station (Blackstone/Weird Tales, October) solely through dictation while hiking in the Colorado wilderness, showcasing his impressive ability to multitask.
Cori Cusker of Bright Side Books in Flagstaff, Arizona, moderated brief lectures by six popular authors during breakfast on October 8. Nnedi Okorafor discussed her upcoming speculative novel Death of the Author (William Morrow, January), emphasizing that her disabled Nigerian American protagonist is distinct from her own identity. Johnny Compton, discussing his vampire novel Devils Kill Devils (Tor Nightfire, available now), posed a deep question: “Who is the real villain?” as he explored the dynamics between monsters and humanity.
Jonathan Evison delivered a heartfelt presentation about his elderly mother, whose experiences inspired his novel The Heart of Winter (Dutton, January), reflecting on familial complexities. “I wanted to write her the love story she deserved,” Evison remarked, humorously contrasting this work with his earlier book, Lawn Boy, which has faced significant challenges.
Karen Russell, promoting her Dust Bowl novel The Antidote (Knopf, March), commended her fellow authors’ contributions and recognized the valuable feedback from booksellers. She humorously noted how early reviews helped her connect more deeply with her work.
Nickolas Butler captured the audience’s attention with a dramatic recounting of an overheard conversation that inspired his upcoming novel A Forty Year Kiss (Sourcebooks Landmark, February 2025). Meanwhile, Latvian American author Michael Idov shared insights on crafting espionage thrillers, stating that his novel The Collaborators (Scribner, November) stays rooted in realism by setting every scene in a city where he has lived, ensuring his characters reflect a plausible range of language abilities.
The event concluded with a robust turnout of over 30 additional authors engaging in afternoon sessions on October 8, followed by a breakfast on October 9 featuring nonfiction writers. Pam Houston conveyed her busy schedule, mentioning 23 upcoming book events for her succinct manifesto Without Exception: Reclaiming Abortion, Personhood, and Freedom (Torrey House).
Other nonfiction presenters included historian Rick Atkinson, who discussed volume two of his Revolutionary War trilogy, The Fate of the Day (Crown, April 2025); Zak Podmore, whose timely work, Life After Dead Pool (Torrey House, currently available), investigates the impact of drought on Lake Powell and the revitalization of the Colorado River; and Stanley Milford Jr., a former law enforcement officer, who explored the supernatural in his book The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator’s Search for the Unexplained (William Morrow, available now).
As FallCon came to a close, Duncan reflected on the meaningful interactions with MPIBA members, especially with individuals she had yet to meet in person. The next FallCon is set to return to Denver from October 5–8, 2025.
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