Bodhi Tree Bookstore

Hot Asian Sales and More News

That title made you look didn’t it? Admit it. But I am NOT spamming, selling inappropriate body access or anything else. LOL

In this week’s Shelf Awareness, there are two news tidbits of interest to those of us interested in Asian Lit:

Unfortunate news from the Bodhi Tree Bookstore, West Hollywood, Calif.: the sale by longtime owners Stan Madson and Phil Thompson to Karuana Gatimu and Lori Cutler (Shelf Awareness, September 21, 2011) has fallen through because the offer was “rescinded,” the store said.

“We had invested a great deal of hope and optimism in the offer agreement that, after many months of planning and negotiation, has come to naught,” the owners wrote. “As a consequence, we have re-contacted interested parties in the business to explore opening a new dialogue. We will make every effort to keep the Bodhi Tree going in the community. If you know of anyone who has an interest and seems qualified to assume and continue the business, please contact us. Time is critical but we remain hopeful.”

Madson and Thompson have already sold the building in which the Bodhi Tree located. A new owner will need to move the store.

AND …

Though a freak snowstorm kept many New Yorkers from venturing out last Saturday afternoon, quite a few authors and book lovers made their way to the third annual Page Turner Festival, benefiting the Asian American Writers Workshop. Alexander Chee was there to drum up some advance buzz for “Hot Asian Singles,” an e-book imprint the AAWW hopes to launch early next year that will publish a mix of fiction and nonfiction in the 6,000-20,000 word range.

“Part of what’s driving this is a sense that there was work that had been overlooked by the regular outlets both for its content and its size,” Chee explained. “Digital publishing is a way for us to bring out this kind of work without the costs that used to weigh us down when doing earlier anthologies.” Proceeds from Hot Asian Singles will be split between the writers and the AAWW, and Chee suggested that the workshop’s earnings might eventually support print projects. The first titles in the program will be announced soon; check @HotAsianSingles at Twitter for details.