Books Are My Bag has today announced Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson as Fiction Book of the Month, and These Are My Rocks by Bethan Woollvin as Children’s Book of the Month for April.
 
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting Hagstone and These Are My Rocks throughout April on social media and in-store. Books Are My Bag will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.
 
From Sinéad Gleeson, acclaimed essayist and winner of the Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards and the Dalkey Literary Award for Emerging Writer, comes a haunting debut. Described as ‘intelligent, probing’ (Maggie O’Farrell), ‘wonderfully gothic’ (Douglas Stuart) and ‘passionate, wild, hugely atmospheric’ (David Nicholls), Hagstone tells the story of artist Nell, the island she calls home and The Iníons – a reclusive community of women who consider the island a place of refuge and solace in nature.
 
One day, a letter from the Iníons arrives at Nell’s door. They invite her to produce an artwork celebrating their Samhain anniversary and Nell cannot resist accepting. But as the fateful day approaches, Nell senses tensions building beneath the placid surface of the commune. Will she be able to unearth the truth behind the events unfolding around her? And how far will someone go to protect what they hold most dear?
 
 
Sinéad Gleeson, author of Hagstone commented: “my most beloved bookshops are indies. In world of behemoths, their personal touch and word-of-mouth recommendations are a lifeline for writers. I am so honoured that Hagstone is the Indies Fiction choice for April.”
 
From Bethan Woollvin, award-winning creator of New York Times ‘Best Illustrated’ book Little Red, comes the perfect picture book for any child who has started to form collections (whatever
oddities these might be...). Stylish, funny and utterly engaging – this is a classic in the making that will delight readers young and old.
 
Join the narrator as they proudly introduce the reader to their prized  collections, featuring BIG things to small things, and spiky things to wobbly things! (but please,  make sure you listen to our narrator and DON’T wobble their wobbly collection!) Each page is bursting with humour — and is also interactive — with children invited to point, make noises, clap  their hands and think about what they could collect.
 
Bethan Woollvin, author of These Are My Rocks commented: “My favourite thing about Indie bookshops is that they’re never just bookshops! They always have a special kind of warmth and charm - the kind that comes from a genuine passion for books. Inside you’ll find endless ideas and adventures, overhear interesting book recommendations, and maybe even sign up to the weekly book club, all before treating yourself to a slice of cake (or two!). I owe a lot of thanks to all the Indie bookshops who have supported me over the years. They’ve celebrated my work, welcomed me into their communities, and have been brilliant cheerleaders of my books. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them…but I do suspect my bookshelves would be a little emptier! Shop small and support your local Indie bookshop!”
 
The Indie Book of the Month titles are selected by panels of booksellers from publisher submissions. The Fiction panel were from City Books, Hewson Books, Caper Books and Truman Books. The Children’s panel for April comprised members from Booka Bookshop, White Rose Books, Children’s Bookshop (Huddersfield) and Norfolk Children’s Book Centre. 
 
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