2025 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS - FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION PROMOTIONS

Promote your Golden Poppy Finalist in our weekly Bookseller Newsletter with a Banner Ad or an E-Blast. For Your Consideration Promotions open soon and will run November 25th-January 11th.

Bookseller voting will take place January 1st-11th.

2025 GOLDEN POPPIES - BY THE NUMBERS

The Golden Poppy finalists have been announced! Click here to view the 2025 Golden Poppy Award Finalists. Congratulations to the authors and publishers whose books made the lists! The Virtual Golden Poppy Awards will take place on January 29th at 7 PM PST.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Now-January 11: For Your Consideration Promotions sent to Booksellers
• January 1-11: Bookseller Voting Period
• Week of January 12: CALIBA Office Will Reach Out to Winners' Submission Contacts
• January 29: Virtual Ceremony
• January 30: Shelf Awareness x Golden Poppy Awards Winners Emails Sent to Bookstore Customers

2026 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS - SUBMIT YOUR TITLES BY CA AUTHORS SOON

2026 Golden Poppy Book Award submissions open soon. Note: the timeline is different this year (see link below), think about which titles you want to submit!

2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards Timeline | Learn about the Golden Poppy Awards History

If you're interested in sponsoring the Golden Poppy Display Contest prize, please email Hannah. 

FEBRUARY SOCIAL MEDIA - DUE JAN. 15TH

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote Love Your Pet Day (2/20/26). Submit your pet related titles for inclusion in our social media assets by Jan. 15th.

Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited. Price: $100

Have more marketing ideas or special events members would find useful? Send in your ideas here.

SPRING 2026 SHELF INSIDER - BOOK SUBMISSIONS DUE FEB. 3RD

Want to maximize visibility for your latest titles? Our seasonal newsletters offer prime space to showcase your books to our engaged booksellers and their audiences. Your book will be included in an email listing with cover art, blurb, and a contact link for ARCs or galley requests. Reaching over 1,000 booksellers, our first Shelf Insider had a 48% open rate. Member Price: $275 | Non-Member Price: $300

CONGRATS TO THESE NEW CERTIFIED FRONTLINE BOOKSELLERS!

Sarah Augusta, Fair Arrow Books (in Martinez)

Gail Levine, Through the Fold (in San Diego)

Publishers, Sales Reps & Book Industry Professionals (Non-voting)

Individual: $150

Small House & Commission Groups: $250 (up to 3 sales reps)

Large House: $550 (up to 6 sales reps)

Membership Perks:

• Discounted admission/exhibit space to our annual Fall Fest
• Free or discounted rates at education and member programs
• Subscription to our weekly e-newsletter & bestseller list
• Stay up-to-date with industry, association and bookstore news
• Access to our online Rep Directory
• Post your job openings in our classifieds

Click here for more details.

January: #JanuaryinJapan / International Creativity Month / Financial Wellness Month / National Book Blitz Month

Late January: 2026 Golden Poppy Awards Book Submissions Open | 2026 RAMP Summer Guide Ad Space Bookings Open

January 1-11: Booksellers vote for the 2025 Golden Poppy Book Awards

Week of January 12: CALIBA Office will contact 2025 Golden Poppy Winners

January 23: 2026 Spring Forums Call for Authors and Rep Picks Interest Forms Due

January 29: 2025 Golden Poppy Virtual Ceremony - RSVP Here

January 30: 2025 Golden Poppy Winners Announced to Public

January 31: Friends of Fantasy Day

February: Black History Month / Ramadan (Feb 17-Mar 19)

February 13: 2026 Spring Forums Sponsorship & Promotional Opportunities Due

February 28: 2026 Golden Poppy Awards Winter/Spring Titles Due

Late March: 2026 RAMP Winter Catalog Ad Space Bookings Open

1 - Warwick's Books, in La Jolla, closed out 2025 with a proposal. He said yes!

2 - Invisible Jet Comics, in San Francisco, is returning to their original location - with a new setup.

3 - YOU SHOULD READ, in San Diego, closed out 2025 by supporting San Diego Writers, Ink with their Emerging Artists Fund.

4 - Vroman's Bookstore, in Pasadena, has a "Different Ideas of Home" book display to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires.

5 - Peninsula Book Collaborative, in Daly City, reflected on 2025 and set intentions for 2026 with a vision board event. Look at that great turnout!

6 - Ruby's Books, in Folsom, welcomed Breanne Randall to their store to sign books and celebrate their pre-order campaign nearly hitting 500 orders.

7 - Capital Books, in Sacramento, has a great idea for promoting pre-orders with a prominent wall display, book covers, and QR codes. Bravo!

8 - Once Upon A Time Bookstore, in Montrose, celebrated National Bird Day and re-purposed CALIBA's marketing assets to make the social post their own. Fantastic!

Don't forget to follow CALIBA (@caliba_20)!

• James Patterson & Bookshop.org Literary Prize for Debut Authors
• Black Bookstore Heritage Grant

• Bookstore for Sale - Camino Books, Del Mar
• National Trade Sales Manager - Chronicle Books, San Francisco

Have a grant, scholarship, or classified listing for booksellers? Email Alecia to be listed on our site.

Alecia

Supporting Staff

Brigands & Breadknives

Travis Baldree

9781250334886

Hannah

Executive Director

The Raven Scholar 

Antonia Hodgson

9780316577229

Valentina

Operations Manager

The Possession of Alba Díaz

Isabel Cañas

9780593641071

Check out CALIBA’s 2026 Reading List!

• 2025 Fall Fest Exhibitor Evaluation Form
• For Authors: How to Partner with Independent Bookstores
• 2025 LA Fires Resources Page
• From the ABA: Urge Congress to Reverse Tariffs
• Anti-Censorship Resources
• Panorama Picks - Books in Demand at US Libraries

Click here for a complete list.

Hannah Walcher

Executive Director

hannah@caliballiance.org

Valentina Moberg

Operations Manager

valentina@caliballiance.org

Alecia Reddick

Supporting Staff

alecia@caliballiance.org