The Watermark Weekly
October 17, 2026
With the fall upon us, we have so many cozy and interactive activities lined up for you!
MONDAY, 10/26 and MONDAY, 11/16: Betsy Bertram is hosting a meditation pop-up at the store from 9:30-10:15am! Give yourself the opportunity to pause, breathe, and relax while surrounded by books and a calming ambience. Sign up for the October pop-up here and the November pop-up here.
THURSDAY, 10/29: We will be hosting Kristy Woodson Harvey for a book signing and a viewing party of her American Dream TV episode! This is a free event, so stop by the store any time between 5:00-7:30pm. We will have plenty of copies of Kristy’s books available (plus charcuterie and champagne), so grab a copy and get it personalized by Kristy!
SATURDAY, 11/21: Announcing the We’re Not in Kansas Anymore November Book Club pick (drumroll please!): A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J Maas! Although we know this is the sixth book in the series, it is one of the biggest releases of the year and we are so excited for it to be this book club’s inaugural read. Book club will be held at the bookstore from 5:30-6:30pm. Space in the book club is limited, so sign up here while you can!
SUNDAY, 11/22: Another book club is meeting in November, too! Lisa’s group, Off the Map, will meet at the bookstore from 5:30-6:30pm to discuss The Disappearers by Marlon James, which is on the Booker Short List. Sign up here!
When the hot Beaufort weather breaks, I love to start going on audiobook walks. I invite you to try it, too! Alternatively, you can try immersion reading — listening to the audiobook while you read along in your physical book. It truly brings a book to life! If you’ve ever been interested in trying an audiobook (or if you’re an avid audiobook listener already) and you want to support a local independent bookstore, I encourage you to try out Libro.fm. They have hundreds of thousands of audiobooks that are DRM-free, which means you get to keep the audiobooks you purchase; this differs from Spotify or Audible, where you “rent” the audiobook files. Take a look at our Libro.fm storefront here. Every purchase supports our store!
October 10, 2026
Last week, Dolly Rever joined us for a signing of A Haunting in the Hammock—a young adult mystery based on a real house on Hammock Lane. It was such a pleasure to have her in the store! She was delightful, and you can really tell how much she wanted to let our little town shine in her work. We thank her for coming by, and we thank everyone who stopped by the store to support a great local author!
A couple of reminders for you:
TUESDAY, 10/26: A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J Maas publishes on this day. If you know you’d like a copy, please stop by the store to preorder well in advance of the publication date. This novel will be in high demand!
THURSDAY, 10/29: We will be hosting Kristy Woodson Harvey for a book signing and a viewing party of her American Dream TV episode! More details coming soon.
Fall is the biggest publishing season of the year, and next week is no exception. Nine books are on their way to us, including the children’s book Do You Like My Pants?, nonfiction work like Jonathan Haidt’s The Happiness Hypothesis, Stephen Graham Jones’s next horror novel Off the Reservation, a debut novel called Mothsblood by Lynn D Jung, as well as Yiyun Li’s Music Against the Night. We hope to see you in the store, perusing our bookshelves and picking out your next great read!
The big finale: we have a new book club at Watermark Books! Please welcome We’re Not in Kansas Anymore—Watermark’s genre fiction book club that focuses on fantasy, science fiction, romantasy, and horror books that portal us from one world to another, from one time to another. Led by our assistant manager, Sierra, we’ll be talking about worldbuilding and magic and lore, certainly, but we’ll also discuss the human characteristics and experiences that transcend places and times. Check back next week for our first book club pick!
October 3, 2026
We’re preparing for rain, and there’s nothing like a rainy day at the bookstore, don’t you think? And today’s trip to the bookstore brings a special treat: an author signing! Dolly Rever, author of A Haunting in the Hammocks, is here at the store from 12:00pm-3:00pm signing copies of her young adult mystery book set right here in Beaufort on Hammock Lane! You can purchase a copy here, or you can bring your own copy for her to sign.
Here’s the news about upcoming events:
TOMORROW: Off the Map Book Club meets at 5:30pm at the store to discuss All Them Dogs by Djamel White. Check out Lisa’s review on the book and click this link to sign up for the book club!
TUESDAY, 10/26: A Court of Splintered Harmony publishes on this day. If you know you’d like a copy, please stop by the store to preorder well in advance of the publication date. This novel will be in high demand!
THURSDAY, 10/29: We will be hosting Kristy Woodson Harvey for a book signing and a viewing party of her American Dream TV episode! More details coming soon.
It’s another big week for new releases! We have big names like Barbara Kingsolver, Frieda McFadden, VE Schwab, and Matt Dinniman who are publishing new titles, but there are also several middle grade books coming out too. Scott Reintgen, a former teacher and North Carolina native, comes out with the third book in his Dragonships series, and Stuart Gibbs has two Spy School books coming out!
September 26, 2026
It’s feeling like fall here in Beaufort, and we are taking full advantage of that while we can. The door to the store is wide open, the crisp air is flowing, and the scent of baked goods from the farmer’s market is drifting in from the street. This last Saturday of September is truly perfect for getting some coffee and heading over to your favorite local bookstore.
Before we get into the new releases coming out on Tuesday (there are sixteen of them!), here are some reminders about upcoming events:
TOMORROW: In the Margins Book Club meets at 5:30pm at the store to discuss Land by Maggie O’Farrell. Click this link to sign up!
NEXT SATUDAY: Dolly Rever, author of A Haunting in the Hammocks, will be at the store from 12:00pm-3:00pm signing copies of her book. This novel is a young adult mystery set right here in Beaufort on Hammock Lane!
NEXT SUNDAY: Off the Map Book Club meets at 5:30pm at the store to discuss All Them Dogs by Djamel White. Click this link to sign up!
Now, let’s chat about those new books. We can’t talk about them without mentioning Threshing Day and the gorgeous full color paintings inside. Watch to the end of this video to get a sneak peek! We have super limited copies, so make sure you stop in on Tuesday to get a copy as soon as it hits our tables.
If you were a fan of Yesteryear, get ready for Trad Wife. Although it also explores influencer culture, it leans heavily into dread and horror. Whereas Yesteryear left you thinking about the unlikeable narrator and the implications of her lifestyle, Trad Wife will leave you feeling wholly unsettled. Min Jin Lee, bestselling author of Pachinko, returns with American Hagwon. It’s the story of being a stranger in a strange land, of family, of financial crisis, but on an epic and cross-continental scale. For those looking for something that gives crunchy leaves and adorable rom com, look no further than Trust Fall by adored author Lynn Painter.
In the realm of nonfiction, you’ll see The American Way of Killing, Tower of Basel, The Vanishing Family, This Cursed Beautiful Land, and An Unexpected Life. Along with that, there are plenty of other new fiction releases for you to check out!
P.S. — If you’ve read this far, we think you deserve a little treat! Two brand new book clubs, led by our assistant manager Sierra, will be dropping very soon. And the first book club selection might have something to do with a mega-popular romantasy author who’s publishing multiple books in the next sixth months. Stay tuned to find out who the author is!
September 19, 2026
Happy Saturday, all! Today marks the beginning of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Town Takeover, which is celebrating the publication of her new book, Falling for Peachtree Bluff. Although the Town Takeover event is sold out, we have signed copies of the novel available, so feel free to stop in and grab a copy!
Speaking of events in town, we are hosting several events here at Watermark in the coming weeks.
In the Margins Book Club meets on September 27th to discuss Land by Maggie O’Farrell. Click this link to sign up!
Dolly Rever, author of A Haunting in the Hammocks, will be at Watermark on Saturday, October 3rd from 12:00pm-3:00pm signing copies of her book. This novel is a young adult mystery set right here in Beaufort on Hammock Lane!
Off the Map Book Club meets on October 4th to discuss All Them Dogs by Djamel White. Click this link to sign up!
Next week, new titles will be for sale! Mazywood by Tananarive Due—author of the bestselling novel The Reformatory—explores the origins, legacy, and development of Black Hollywood and how rage can build through generations. For the romantasy fans out there, Raven Kennedy’s The Sweetest Fiend is the first book in a new duology that introduces us to a world of dark magic and fae. In a similar vein, Adalyn Grace makes her adult debut with a romantasy called The Wretched Divine, following a star-crossed love between angels and demons.
Finally, we have some exciting new additions to our website! Lisa and Sierra have started book blogs, which feature essays on the books they are reading. Check out Lisa’s blog In the Margins and Off the Map here and Sierra’s blog, The Uncommonplace, here.
September 12, 2026
We hope that you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend! Here at Watermark Books, our children and middle grade sections were well loved by the many families that stopped in. With all of the amazing places to visit in Beaufort, we are so grateful that you chose to spend time with us.
Kristy Woodson Harvey stopped by the store this week and graciously signed many books, including her highly anticipated Falling for Peachtree Bluff, which releases on Tuesday! Just like many of you, we are looking forward to Kristy Harvey’s “Town Takeover” on September 19th and 20th! Check out Kristy’s website (www.kristywoodsonharvey.com) and the Beaufort Historic Site (beauforthistoricsite.org) for more information.
In addition to Kristy’s new book, there are some great titles coming out next week. We know that many of you are eager to grab a copy of Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult; unfortunately, due to some shipping delays from Labor Day weekend, Hollow Bones is not in our hands yet, but we are hopeful that it will be in the store soon! In this book, Picoult does not hold her punches. With the 25th anniversary of 9/11 as a touchstone, Hollow Bones explores the deep yet sometimes toxic bond that can exist between mothers and daughters, as well as the way grief forever undulates. Emily St John Mandel, author of Station Eleven (2014) and Sea of Tranquility (2022), is releasing Exit Party. This novel follows several timelines and places–from America to Greece to Paris to the moon! It teaches us about “the price of safety” and “the perils of the surveillance state” (Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel). You can get into the fall spirit (pun intended) with B.K. Borison’s Grim Tidings—an enemies-to-lovers, simmering romance between a grumpy grim reaper and an even grumpier guardian angel.
Looking ahead, get excited for John Green’s return to fiction with Hollywood, Ending! You’ll also see authors like Rick Riordan, Hernan Diaz, Raven Kennedy, Lynn Painter, and Sarah Langan with new releases on our tables by the end of September.
Don’t forget that Lisa’s book club In the Margins is meeting on September 27th to discuss Land by Maggie O’Farrell! Our other book club, Off the Map, will meet on October 4th for All Them Dogs by Djamel White. White’s novel is on the Booker longlist; the Booker shortlist is coming out soon, so keep your eyes out! Spots are limited for both book clubs, so please click this link to sign up.
In addition to the Watermark Weekly, Lisa and Sierra will be launching their own book blogs soon! You’ll get to see what they are currently reading, a dash of literary analysis, and how the stories are impacting their lives. Check back soon!
September 1, 2026
Welcome to The Watermark Weekly! This blog will provide you with updates on new releases, bestsellers, staff picks, events, book clubs, and more. This week, we are excited to share that several major fall publications are already on our tables: The Disappearers by Marion James, which is on the Booker Long List; the gothic romantasy queen, Rachel Gillig, recently published Knave and the Moon; for Middle Grade readers, the anticipated third installment of the Impossible Creatures series has arrived. Brandon Sanderson’s Blightfall has already sold out, but there are more copies on the way.
We are very excited for next week’s publications. The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman is the September Read with Jenna’s Book Club pick! Sierra, our Assistant General Manager, recommends Victoria Aveyard’s Tempest—a slow-burn, swashbuckling pirate romantasy perfect for Beaufort. One of her favorite authors, R.F. Kuang, is releasing Taipei Story; this novel cements Kuang as a generational writer, flexible in her ability to write in several different genres, styles, and tones.
We have launched two new book clubs hosted by Lisa, our General Manager. In the Margins focuses on novels that demand conversation, while Off the Map takes you on an adventure to darker—maybe even unruly—places. Sierra is developing book clubs as well; these will be announced soon! Check out our Book Club page to RSVP for our September or October offerings.
Thanks to our staff, especially Denise, our Children’s Section is looking fabulous! We offer Board Books, an assortment of transportation and animal books (including the recently published Dragon Dog), and books with beautiful illustrations. The children’s nook now includes a beanbag chair that your kids will love!
Finally, we would like to welcome Denise and Rose to the Watermark staff! When she isn’t substitute teaching at local schools, Denise joins us and shares her expertise in children’s literature. Recently, she loved Riley Sager’s The Unknown and she is looking forward to reading Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult, releasing on September 15th. Rose is a Beaufort local and loves literature from all different genres. She is currently reading through Sarah J Maas’s work in preparation for this year’s biggest releases: A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody. And yes—you can stop by the store to preorder a copy!
