August 2026 Events

I'm home from my SEA OF CHARMS book tour and excited for all the awesome book events I've got lined up this month! Hope to see you there! http://sarahbethdurst.com/appearances.htm

SEA OF CHARMS comes out today!!!

Today is the book birthday for my new cozy fantasy, SEA OF CHARMS!!!

I wrote this book to be an escape for anyone who needs it -- and to be a reminder that there's wonder, hope, and love to be found amidst life's fires and storms.

It's about a sailor named Marin who takes to the sea with her crew (a singing sea serpent, a world-famous musician, and a shrub who loves the sea) in hopes of starting over. Set against the backdrop of a revolution, SEA OF CHARMS is about finding your crew, your family, and yourself. 

At its heart, it's about choosing your own happiness.

SEA OF CHARMS takes place in the world of THE SPELLSHOP and THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE -- it's a standalone so you don't have to have read the prior books (though if you have, you will see some familiar faces!). It has absolutely gorgeous cover art by Lulu Chen, as well as beautiful blue sprayed edges.

Thank you to everyone at Bramble and Macmillan for bringing this book to life and for being such a joy to work with! I loved every second of writing this book, and I am incredibly excited for readers to join Marin and her crew as they sail to new islands, discover new wonders, and find hope, joy, love, friendship, winged cats, talking plants, and prize-winning peach pie!

Happy sailing!

http://sarahbethdurst.com/SeaofCharms.htm

YA Midwest Book Fest

This Saturday, July 25, I'll be at the YA Midwest Book Festival, hosted by Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL! I'll be doing four fantastic panels and a signing! I can't wait! Hope to see you there!

https://andersonsbookshop.com/event/2026-07-25/ya-midwest-2026

SEA OF CHARMS Book Tour

I'm SO excited to be heading out on book tour for SEA OF CHARMS next week!!! I can't wait to see you all in Long Island, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Indiana, Denver, Los Angeles, and Portland!!! It's going to be so much fun! Will I see you there? Tickets and info here: http://sarahbethdurst.com/appearances.htm

Happy Paperback Book Birthday to THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE!

Happy paperback book birthday to THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE!!! My cozy fantasy set in the world of THE SPELLSHOP about a librarian who was once a statue, a grumpy gardener, magical plants, a winged cat, tiny dragons, honey cakes, hope, love, and joy is out today in paperback with gorgeous mint green sprayed edges! And it includes a sneak peek at SEA OF CHARMS, which comes out in just two weeks! I wrote this book for anyone who might need a dose of comfort, joy, and kindness. And I'm so thrilled that the paperback will soon be in the hands of its readers!

The Wednesday Witches Book Club

Surprise! I wrote a short story! It's called The Wednesday Witches Book Club, a cozy fantasy mystery that's part of the forthcoming Amazon Original Stories MAGIC & MYSTERY collection, puzzle-box mysteries from top fantasy authors, edited by John Joseph Adams. I'm honored to be part of this amazing collection, which also includes stories by Travis Baldree, Robert Jackson Bennett, Heather Fawcett, Scott Lynch, Tananarive Due, and J. M. Miro!

A book-loving witch finds magic and mystery in a whimsical short story about the transformative power of friendship and community by the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

After a challenging divorce, Ashley joins a witchy book club in search of a new social life. But when members start being transformed one by one, Ashley and the remaining book club members must uncover the culprit behind these sinister spells. With time running out until she’s the next target, she turns to her grimoire for answers. Because what better way to catch a magical culprit than through stories?

The whole collection will be free for Prime and Kindle Unlimited subscribers in ebook and audio starting on pub day, July 28. Info here: www.amazon.com/magicandmystery or www.amazon.co.uk/magicandmystery

Cover Reveal for THE MAGICAL CHEESE EMPORIUM

COVER REVEAL!!! I’m so excited to share the gorgeous cover of THE MAGICAL CHEESE EMPORIUM, coming in January from Bramble — the fourth standalone cozy fantasy in the world of THE SPELLSHOP, THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE, and SEA OF CHARMS!

THE MAGICAL CHEESE EMPORIUM is about the places that tell you you're home when everything burns down and daring to see old friends with new eyes. Prepare for hard work, sparkly dreams, and lots of magical cheese!

Cover illustration: Lulu Chen
Cover design: Esther S. Kim

Coming 1/19/27 and now available for preorder: http://sarahbethdurst.com/Cheese.htm

SEA OF CHARMS is an Indie Next Pick!

Thank you, independent booksellers!!! I'm beyond thrilled and so incredibly grateful that SEA OF CHARMS has been selected as an Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association! YAYYYYYY!!!!!

https://www.bookweb.org/news/august-2026-indie-next-list-preview-1632929

B&N Preorder Sale

Barnes & Noble is having a huge preorder sale!!! Preorder SEA OF CHARMS, THE MAGICAL CHEESE EMPORIUM, and/or THE IMAGITORIUM on BN.com now through 6/26 to save at least 25%!

 

LibraryReads Hall of Fame

SEA OF CHARMS is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame Title for July!!! Thanks so much, librarians! 📚🎉

Amazon's Best YA Books of 2026 So Far

So thrilled, honored, and grateful to share that THE FARAWAY INN was selected as one of Amazon's Best YA Books of 2026 So Far (#8)!!! Thanks so much, Amazon Editors! And thanks so much to all the incredible readers who made this possible by reading and sharing this cozy book!

https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&node=5522563011

Jane Yolen

I love this photo because I was so ridiculously incandescently happy to be sitting between two of my childhood heroes, Jane Yolen and Tamora Pierce, that I look like I'm about to levitate out of my chair and straight up through the roof. This is from Boskone in 2008, about half a year after my very first book came out. 

I first met Jane in 1999. Just looked up my notes from back then -- I was a baby aspiring writer at the time, and I kept notes whenever I went to book events -- and I'd written down one of the things she said: "Great books that resonate forever are those about the getting of wisdom." I also wrote underneath that: "I'm starstruck."

Jane Yolen wrote many, many great books (450, to be precise), including my favorites WHERE HAVE THE UNICORNS GONE? (illustrated by Ruth Sanderson) and DRAGON'S BLOOD (The Pit Dragon Chronicles). And she touched countless lives with both her wisdom and her kindness. She was a light. 

I last saw Jane in 2024 with her daughter Heidi Stemple, and I am so very grateful for the memory of every single time I've had the privilege of seeing her. She was wise, kind, funny, smart, and wonderful. She lived her life filled with words and love, and I can think of no better way to be.

What a profound loss for the world. What a tremendous legacy she leaves behind. She was so loved and will be so missed. 

Sending so much love and sympathy to her family -- to Heidi Stemple, Adam Stemple, and Jason Stemple -- and to everyone who loved her.

Walmart Exclusive Preorder Campaign for SEA OF CHARMS

STICKERS!!! Walmart is running a preorder campaign for SEA OF CHARMS! If you preorder SEA OF CHARMS from Walmart.com via this exclusive deal, they'll include with the book a pack of 6 sticker sheets featuring images from the Spellshop series! They have a limited number of these sticker packs, so this offer will only be available while supplies last. If you're interested, you can preorder here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/20339724200

Big Ohio Book Con 2026

I'm headed to the Big Ohio Book Con this weekend!!! My schedule:

Friday at 8pm - Author Keynote: Sarah Beth Durst and TJ Klune, moderated by Jennifer Mandula, followed by book signing (on the Main Stage)

Saturday at 10pm - Panel: "Spells & Small Towns: The Ultimate Cozy Fiction Panel" with Sarah Beth Durst, Ashley Poston, Breanne Randall, and Erin Sterling, moderated by Molly Harper, followed by book signing (on the Main Stage)

Saturday from 2:30pm-4pm - General Admission Signing (at the Headliner Author Tables)

Sunday from 11am-12:30pm - General Admission Signing (at the Headliner Author Tables)

Hope to see you there!

 

Pgh Book Fest 2026

Pittsburgh friends, I'm on my way to Pgh Book Fest!!! On Sat 5/30, I'll be on the "Wings and Whimsy: Cozy Fantasy" panel at 2:30pm in the Lecture Hall, followed by a signing at 3:30pm in the tent outside the Carnegie Library. Hope to see you there! 

Cover Reveal for THE IMAGITORIUM

COVER REVEAL!!! Super excited to share with you the cover and purple sprayed edges of my forthcoming kids' book, THE IMAGITORIUM, a middle-grade fantasy about a girl and her imaginary friend who set off to save a magical factory full of fantastic creatures! Think Willy Wonka meets Howl's Moving Castle meets Build-A-Bear for imaginary friends! Huge thanks to the wonderful cover artist, Alessia Jon Trunfio, and everyone at Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan who graced my book with this gorgeous cover! THE IMAGITORIUM comes out on 3/2/2027 and is available for preorder now!

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250427540/theimagitorium/

THE FARAWAY INN is a #1 New York Times Bestseller!!!

INCREDIBLE NEWS!!! My editor just called to tell me that my YA cozy fantasy THE FARAWAY INN hit #1 on the New York Times YA Paperback Bestseller List!!! This is a monthly list, so it covers all of April! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who read, shared, and told your friends about this book! And huge thanks to my agent Andrea Somberg and my editor Lydia Gregovic, who believed in this book before anyone else did, and the incredible team at PRH/Delacorte whose hard work made this possible! I published my first YA book in 2009. THE FARAWAY INN is my ninth YA book and my first YA to hit the NYT list. To hit at #1 is an unbelievable dream come true, and I am beyond grateful.

One Book, One Borough

Massachusetts friends! A little while back, I was contacted by four libraries in central Massachusetts -- Northborough (where I grew up), Marlborough, Westborough, and Southborough -- with the great honor that they had selected my book, THE SPELLSHOP, as their "One Book, One Borough" community read across all four boroughs! They've been hosting dozens of programs related to the themes of the book, and this Thursday, May 7, at 7pm, I'll be doing a fireside-style chat and book signing at Whitcomb Middle School in Marlborough, MA as the culmination of this four-borough joint venture. I'm so grateful to the wonderful librarians of my hometown(s) for this fantastic honor, and I'm so excited for Thursday night! This free event is open to all, so please join me! If you'd like to attend, registration is requested:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/one-book-one-borough-author-talk-and-book-signing-with-sarah-beth-durst-tickets-1983478058266

Hope to see you there!!!

SEA OF CHARMS Book Tour!

BOOK TOUR!!! I'm thrilled to announce that I'm going on book tour at the end of July to celebrate the launch of SEA OF CHARMS, the third magical adventure in the Spellshop series! I'll be visiting incredible bookstores in Long Island, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Indiana, Denver, Los Angeles, and Portland, in conversation with Aamna Qureshi, Seth (dramakingbooks), Kate Dramis, Rebecca Thorne, Dahlia de la Vega (ofpagesandprint), and Sarah Hawley! I can't wait! Many events are ticketed, so be sure to reserve your spot!

http://sarahbethdurst.com/appearances.htm

Independent Bookstore Day

Hope everyone had a wonderful Independent Bookstore Day!!! I had a blast signing books with Jen Calonita and Tessa Bailey at Northport Books in Northport, NY!