Bobzbay Books

The energy at Authorcon is absolutely amazing and it is an event I have been looking forward to for almost 12 months - the bookstore actually was a sponsor this year because I want to see it continue to be successful and grow.

The horror lover hat is on during the later half of the week when I drive to Williamsburg for Scares That Care Presents: Authorcon, a horror author convention with panels (I’m on one!) and book signings.

The bookstore owner hat is on in Pittsburgh for ABAs Winter Institute during the first half of the week where I’m meeting with authors, publishers, and other bookstore owners to learn about new books & to discover new ideas to bring to the shop. I’m excited for SO many of the panels.

I’m (Liz) away this week wearing my 2 hats (bookstore owner & horror lover) but the shop is open as normal thanks to the wonderful team (Carey, McKenzie, Michelle, and Sydney!).

A vaporous spirit floats up out of a deck of playing cards that’s also a source of water. The spirit has its hands out in supplication/invitational display. It wears a steel helmet with deer antlers coming out the sides.

Weird time to share art, but I’m finally allowed to share the cover of my next book, THE SHIP OF DEATH, from @harpercollins.bsky.social & Avon A. (9/29/26) Expect some other posts w/ choice blurbs and preorder links! Illustration: Peter Strain/Design: Julianna Lee. Editor @peterkispert.bsky.social

Bobzbay Books' BobzBlog - 1/9/26 Click here for an update from Bobzbay!

The newsletter is updated, fairly brief aside from events (both in-store & around town) & employees sharing their musings.

squaremktg.com/campaigns/ep...

Lots of love from all of us wherever you are (physically, mentally, emotionally).

A pale yellow, pink, green, and purple themed graphic with cartoon arts and crafts materials scattered around the design. Text reads: CARD MAKING FOR CARDS OF HOPE! Join us in making cards for recipients of Midwest Food Bank disaster relief boxes! We will have a card-making station with all the supplies needed to make a thoughtful card for community members. EVERY DAY UNTIL 1/23/26 @ BOBZBAY BOOKS! 419 N. MAIN ST. BLOOMINGTON

A zoomed in photo of handmade greeting cards

A zoomed in photo of decorative paper used for greeting cards

Colored pencils

I am incredibly tired and everything is a lot but little joys need to be shared.

Just today we’ve had an adult with their toddler, an older retiree, and now 2 people who appear to be on a first/early date all making cards to put inside Midwest Food Bank boxes.

If you’re local, come hang out. ❤️

The #1 movie from when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go.

A blonde person in a pink sweater holds up a stack of books in front of their face. Books include: - [x] Veil by Jonathan Janz (signed copies available) - [x] One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar Al Akkad - [x] Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle - [x] Casual by Koji A Dae - [x] Fiend by Alma Katsu (signed copies available) - [x] Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin - [x] I Contain Multitudes by Christopher Hawkins (signed copies available) - [x] The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry (signed copies available)

A brown hair person in a purple jacket holds a stack of books that includes: - [x] Vineland by Thomas Pynchon - [x] The Dark Dark by Samantha Hunt - [x] Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood - [x] Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte - [x] Kindred by Octavia E. Butler - [x] Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn - [x] Timbuktu by Paul Auster - [x] Foxfire by Joyce Carol Oates - [x] One Woman Show by Christine Coulson - [x] Beasts of Burden: Omnibus - [x] From Hell by Alan Moore - [x] Circles on the Water by Marge Piercy

A person with rainbow glasses and short brown hair holds a stack of books: - [x] Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove - [x] There is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM - [x] Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree (free pins & stickers with purchase) - [x] What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (1 signed copy available) - [x] The Murderbot Diaries (Martha Wells) - [x] Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle - [x] Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

A person with glasses and blonde-brown hair holds a stack of books: - [x] Sorcery & Small Magics by Maiga Doocy - [x] A Song for You and I by K. O‘Neill - [x] Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher - [x] Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett - [ ] A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandana - [x] The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson - [x] Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee - [x] The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill - [x] Peter Darling by Austin Chant - [x] The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

The Bobzbay Books staff top of the year picks are here! So so many good books this year.

What are some of your favorites?

Got a bee in my bonnet to clean/organize the break room at the shop but unfortunately that bee has left the building halfway through.

@sofiaajram.bsky.social is a jewelry designer & fellow author!

I think one of the hardest things about being a career writer in traditional publishing is that writing attracts the neurodivergent brain while the variable reinforcement schedule punishes it. We are all the rat at the water bottle, waiting for the hit of cocaine. You get one win, and you need MORE.

Bobzbay Books' BobzBlog - 11/28/25 Click here for an update from Bobzbay!

Our newsletter is updated, with some fun event info, deals from our affiliates @libro.fm & @bookshop.org + our holiday shopping guide.

The ‘Bloomington Bubble’ might be in effect tomorrow and the snow will skip us. I sure hope so 🙃

Send pictures of your pets to 309-434-9515 & I’ll put them in the bobzbay newsletter ☺️

A brown/gray tabby kitten looking at the camera with one eye open

My favorite unflattering angle when I’m taking a photo of Chairry.

When you shop with Bobzbay your money goes towards feeding this lil girl and not towards w/e stupid shit bezos is up to.

I can’t wait, y’all continue to be one of my favorite presses!

Cover art, a swan alights on a cosmic celestial sea, the sky in the colors of the trans rights flag

🔥 COVER +TITLE REVEAL + SUBMISSIONS OPEN🔥

YOUR BODY IS A FEVER DREAM: A Cosmic Body Horror Anthology from Trans & Gender Nonconforming Voices

A Charity collection coming in October 2026🖤☠️🏳️‍⚧️

Art by @mxmorgan.com

All the info here: tenebrouspress.com/blog/2025/11...

A hand holds up a foam koozie that says THIS IS ACTUALLY A CAN OF HEARTY DELICIOUS SOUP

A hand holds up a foam koozie that says THIS IS ACTUALLY A CAN OF HEARTY DELICIOUS SOUP with a campbells soup can sticking out the top

A graphic advertising a canned food drive FOOD DRIVE! Let’s fill our local food partries! PLEASE BRING DONATIONS TO: BOBEBAY BOOKS 419 N MAIN ST. BLOOMINGTON, IL DONATE 3+ ITEMS OR SHOW PROOF OF $10 DONATION TO MIDWEST FOOD BANK AND PICK OUT A FREE BOOK FROM OUR ARC LIBRARY AS A THANK YOU! Collecting donations all November!

Reminder that we have also have fun things that aren’t books + our canned food drive is still going strong!

The holidays are fast approaching and we all know you need some books! Both of my books can be found at @bobzbay.bsky.social (if you're out-of-state, they will ship!). Head on over and shop local!
*Cat not available at Bobzbay. Please see your local shelter for cat.
#cats #shoplocal 📚💙

Cover reveal time for CROSSROADS, the incredible novella from @laurelhightower.bsky.social!

This is the first cover reveal for our 2026 titles.

Cover art, design, and typography by @alandistro.bsky.social

CROSSROADS will be published in April 2026.
shortwavepublishing.com/catalog/cros...

David Bowie in Japan. He's waling up some steps while wearing a long black coat and smoking a cigarette.

David Bowie in Japan. He's standing in front of a train while wearing a long light-colored coat.

David Bowie in Japan. He's riding a subway car while wearing a long dark-colored coat.

David Bowie in Japan. He's walking away from a train while wearing a long black coat, gray checked scarf, charcoal trousers, and black shoes.

most people don't want politics that hurt other people. we just want a long overcoat like david bowie and affordable housing

Everything is a lot right now, but at least we have a new bookmark of the month and isn't it perfect.

🖤Thank you Dandy Taylor for this incredible piece of art we get to hand out to everyone, go find Dandy on Patreon
www.patreon.com/dandydullahans & Instagram www.instagram.com/3dullahans/

Why Is Horror Having a Moment? Authors Alma Katsu and Becky Spratford Break It Down (Exclusive) The horror genre is having a major moment in the world of books and publishing, and authors Alma Katsu and Becky Spratford are getting together to discuss why. The authors of 'Fiend' and 'Why I Love H...

Thank you @peoplemag.bsky.social for allowing me & @raforall.bsky.social to talk about our favorite topic: horror people.com/why-is-horro...

🌈 In this newsletter: A round up of all FIVE events we have coming up next week (!!!), a new booklist from bookseller Carey, a very special announcement of an annual activity (you've got to open the newsletter to find out what it is!), and a super cute pet photo of the week.

a sign that says MOTHMAN IS REAL! (AND THESE ARE THE BOOKS ON HIS TBR) along with a book display that features the book GOTH MOTH

4 books laying flat on a graffitied bench. books are MMURDERBOT, MAL GOES TO WAR, OF MONSTERS AND MAINFRAMES, and STATION ETERNITY

a light wood bookcase with 3 shelves filled with books, there are a few books faced out so we can see their covers... those books are CAT DRAGON, TOURIST SEASON, and WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER YOU

📚 Our newsletter is hot off the presses (hot off my fingertips?). Anyways, I have obviously used all of my brain power to get this out.

✨Read all about it: squaremktg.com/campaigns/LV...

*rubs hands together like a fly* oooo we’ve got a fun announcement in the newsletter tomorrow.

In 2024 I took the train to St Louis for the Bury Your Gays release, this year I went to Chicago for the Lucky Day release.

Fingers crossed we’ll get a closer date for 2026 (my birthday IS in July 😉)

Chuck Tingle announced their new book the day I’m wearing my Love is Real shirt, this timeline is great sometimes!

Pre-order: bobzbay.square.site/product/fabb...

Greeting Cards | Bobzbay Books

Cards are also available on our website if you’re not local bobzbay.square.site/shop/greetin...

An illustration of a tomato on a checkered background that says ITS CRAZY OUT THERE

An illustration of a rabbit playing the tuba that says TE AMO

An illustration of tiny baby things (books, rattles, plush) that says CONGRATS ON YOUR TINY NEW READING BUDDY

An illustration of two people wearing a horse costume that says YOU COMPLETE ME

Getting snail mail is fun! Send a card to a pal!

Maybe you don’t need to be in constant communication with everyone all of the time. 🙃

(If you ask at checkout, we’ll even throw in a postage stamp for free - saves you a trip to the post office!)