Five independent booksellers from Texas were recognized with James Patterson Holiday bonuses.

On Thursday, Dec. 15, author James Patterson announced the names of 149 independent booksellers receiving grants totaling $250,000 as part of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program. Patterson partnered with the American Booksellers Association to distribute the funds, which were awarded to individual booksellers in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.  The Texas winners were:

•  Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston
•  Raul Chapa, BookPeople, Austin
•  John Kwiatkowski, Murder by the Book, Houston
•  Annalia Luna, Brazos Bookstore, Houston
•  Scott Montgomery, BookPeople, Austin

Patterson personally selected the winners from booksellers who were nominated by store owners, managers, fellow booksellers, publishing professionals, and shoppers. This year’s bonus recipients came from stores, both large and small, across the country. Nominated booksellers were praised for their contagious enthusiasm, knowledge across all genres, innovation, and, most importantly, dedication to books and reading.

“I loved hearing about the passion these grant recipients have for the work they’re doing — each is committed to handselling and carefully curating book recommendations for each person that walks through their doors,” said Patterson. “The attention these employees give to their customers is intrinsic to keeping them interested in reading. Booksellers can really make a difference in people’s lives, and I’m glad to be able to acknowledge their contributions in some way.”

American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher said, “With his 2016 bonus program, James Patterson has again demonstrated his unwavering support for literacy and the independent booksellers who are dedicated to spreading the joy of reading. We are immensely grateful for his generosity, which provides extra financial support for 149 deserving booksellers during this holiday season.”

Earlier this year, Patterson pledged $1.75 million in grants to school libraries in partnership with Scholastic Reading Club, bringing his total annual contribution to $2 million.

The full list of the recipients is at BookWeb.org/bonus.

(From organization’s press release

Meinzer and Chappel team up for another Texas ranch-history coffee-table volume

State Photographer of Texas Wyman Meinzer and outdoors writer and novelist Henry Chappell, who teamed up a decade ago to produce 6666: Portrait of a Texas Ranch (Texas Tech University Press, 2006), have debuted their newest book collaboration, Horses to Ride, Cattle to Cut: The San Antonio Viejo Ranch of Texas (Badlands Design and Production, 2016). The duo signed copies at the Candlelight at the Ranch event at the National Ranching Herder the auspices of the East Foundation, is available at the Witte Museum bookstore and the Museum of South Texas History as well as from Meinzer’s online store.

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