THE FIRST-EVER WALMART LIVE BOOK CLUB POWERED BY TALKSHOPLIVE® TO LAUNCH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH READERLINK AND WELCOME CASEY MCQUISTON AS PREMIERE GUEST

News provided by

Jul 13, 2022, 12:48 ET

McQuiston will stream on July 13 at 7 p.m. ET to discuss her novel, I Kissed Shara Wheeler

LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- talkshoplive^®, the leading social selling, online network, today announced the Walmart Live Book Club powered by talkshoplive^® in partnership with ReaderLink, will launch on Wednesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. ET. The Walmart Live Book Club is a new, innovative way for customers to connect with popular authors and shop new releases.

As part of the launch, New York Times Bestselling author, Casey McQuiston, will participate and talk about her new novel, I Kissed Shara Wheeler which was chosen as this month's book. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a page-turning love story about "breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places." Viewers can watch, interact and buy an autographed copy of the novel here.

"Accessibility is so important for teen readers who don't have a local bookstore or library that spotlights—or even carries—queer stories. I was one of those kids myself, but I devoured any book I could find on supermarket shelves. I know many kids still do. Imagining young people all over the country discovering a book like Shara through Walmart means the world to me," McQuiston said of her participation in the launch.

The objective of the Walmart Live Book Club is to meet customers where they are online and change the way in which they engage and shop with the Walmart brand, seamlessly shortening the distance between inspiration and commerce.

"We are thrilled to have the first-ever Walmart Live Book Club pick with Casey McQuiston's wonderful I Kissed Shara Wheeler," said Sara Goodman, Vice President and Editorial Director of Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group. "Having their support in the book retail space not only means so much to Wednesday Books and Casey, but also to readers out there who may not live close to a traditional bookstore but who are looking for stories like Shara. Now they can discover them at Walmart. We're truly so honored!"

"As our programming with Walmart has expanded to include several weekly live shopping programs across multiple verticals, we are thrilled to continue connecting the retail landscape with our incredible partners at ReaderLink to launch the Walmart Live Book Club powered by talkshoplive^®," said Bryan Moore, Co-Founder and CEO of talkshoplive^®. "Books are one of our leading categories at talkshoplive^® enabling authors to see monumental success in pre-order sales and continuing to move the needle for their New York Times chart position. By connecting authors directly to their fans in these interactive talkshoplive^® experiences, Walmart once again leads with putting the customers first and providing an avenue for authors to move significant units while creating the best fan experiences around their book launches."

"ReaderLink and talkshoplive^® have been partners for many years and we have been amazed at the success authors have seen promoting their books on the platform. We are very excited about the launch of the Walmart Live Book Club and are certain it will drive sales and bring increased visibility to the overall book category at Walmart," said David Barker, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of ReaderLink.

Upcoming Walmart Live Book Club powered by talkshoplive^® authors and books include Colleen Hoover with Verity on August 25 as well as Erin Sterling with The Kiss Curse and Jennifer Lynne Barnes with The Final Gambit in September.

Additional authors who have sold their books with talkshoplive^® include Oprah Winfrey, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Dolly Parton, Alan Cumming, Alexa & Carlos PenaVega, David Copperfield, Dr. Drew, Eric Wareheim, Garcelle Beauvais, Hannah Brown, James Patterson, Jenna Dewan, Jenna Kutcher, Jennette McCurdy, John Cho, Questlove, Joshua Weissman, Julie Andrews, Katee Robert, Katie Couric, Kelsea Ballerini, Kevin & Danielle Jonas, Kristin Chenoweth, Leslie Jordan, Ludacris, Marcela Valladolid, Michael Symon, Phil Robertson, Newt Gingirch, Patti Labelle, Rachael Ray, Scarlett St. Clair, Scottie Pippen, Sunny Hostin, Terry Crews, Trisha Yearwood, Valerie Bertinelli, Vivian Aronson and many more.

Watch and Buy here:
https://talkshop.live/watch/X1hikm3Y0i96

https://www.walmartshoplive.com/shows/walmart-live-book-club-casey-mcquiston

Media and others are encouraged to Embed:

About talkshoplive^®

talkshoplive^® is the leading livestreaming, social selling online network. Sellers showcase their products via live shows, displaying product details and chat in real-time, with customers who can purchase with one click on the Buy button. Shoppable video content created on the platform can be shared and embedded on multiple sites and social platforms, eliminating all click-through and creating multiple points of purchase. The platform and iOS app are full service for sellers - from live show creation to order processing to ease of shipping and payouts. Buyers are able to access unlimited channels and live product shows. With talkshoplive^®, buying has never been more interactive and entertaining.

An incredible lineup of stars and brands have launched their own talkshoplive^® channels including Oprah Winfrey, Walmart, Best Buy, Fred Segal, Condé Nast, Hearst, BuzzFeed, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Dude Perfect, Dolly Parton, Alicia Keys, Julie Andrews, Meghan Trainor, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Patti LaBelle, Drew Barrymore, Rachael Ray, Ree Drummond, Jamie Foxx, Tim Tebow, Kristin Cavallari, Tim McGraw, Jenna Dewan, Leslie Jordan, Michelle Williams, Kathy Ireland Worldwide and many more.