MWPA is pleased to announce Signed for ME, a new pilot project to highlight the recent work of Maine writers and illustrators and to encourage sales of signed children’s, middle grade, and young adult books at Maine independent bookstores. Signed for ME is a collaboration between MWPA, PRINT: A Bookstore, The Briar Patch, and Maine author Lynn Plourde.

Amid the lingering pandemic, participating Maine authors, illustrators, and bookstores are working together right now to make sure that books with signed bookplates will be available at 17 bookstores from Fort Kent to Farmington to Portland as the holiday season approaches. The more than 30 participating authors and illustrators include those with many books and awards as well as those with one or two recent books; all of those participating have books that were published in the last two years.

Participating authors and illustrators include Cynthia Baker, Nancy Baker, Megan Frazer Blakemore, Ellen Booraem, Elisa Boxer, Josephine Cameron, Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Sharon Creech, Betty Culley, Samara Cole Doyon, Melanie Ellsworth, Julie Falatko, Terry Farish & OD Bonny, Ruth Freeman, Gillian French, Ann & John Hassett, Kevin Hawkes, Alexandra Hinrichs, Fran Hodgkins, Jamie Hogan, Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Lisa Jahn-Clough, Cynthia Lord, Lois Lowry, Hazel Mitchell, Anne Sibley O'Brien, Lucky Platt, Lynn Plourde, Anna Crowley Redding, Anica Mrose Rissi, Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, Melissa Sweet, Matt Tavares, and Chris Van Dusen. These authors and illustrators’s books are published by a wide range of publishers, from various imprints of the “big five” publishers to Maine-based presses like Islandport, Tilbury House, and McSea Books.

The participating bookstores include Bibliophile Bookshop & Coffeehouse (Raymond), Bogan Books (Fort Kent), The Briar Patch (Bangor), Devaney, Doak, and Garrett Booksellers (Farmington), Letterpress Books (Portland), Longfellow Books (Portland), Neighborhood Books (Presque Isle), Print: A Bookstore (Portland), Royal River Books (Yarmouth), and all eight locations of Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops (Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta, Freeport, Portland, Rockland, Topsham, and Windham).

“This project has been a true collaboration between bookstores, authors/illustrators, and all involved,” said MWPA Executive Director Gibson Fay-LeBlanc. “We hope it helps shine a light on some wonderful books that folks might have missed because of the pandemic.” If this pilot project is successful, the Signed for ME partners hope to expand it to include more types of books next year.

Those interested in purchasing a book with a signed bookplate are encouraged to contact one of the participating bookstores.