Booksellers, already competing with grocery superstores and price clubs, will surely be thrilled to hear that Starbucks, as previously noted on Quillblog, plans to start selling books this fall. Mitch Albom’s latest novel, For One More Day, will be featured at counters along with the CDs and DVDs Starbucks offers its customers.

The coffee chain has already been selling the children’s classic The Little Engine That Could and a couple of children’s audiobooks, but this novel marks the official launch of its book “strategy.” The Associated Press reports that Starbucks Entertainment president Ken Lombard “declined to say how many books Starbucks was ordering, but with The Little Engine That Could selling more than 25,000 copies in just one week, For One More Day seems a good bet to sell hundreds of thousands.” Jittery booksellers about to swear off caffeine may take some comfort in Lombard’s assurance that Starbucks is not planning a major expansion into books or other entertainment items.

Lombard added that Albom’s novel was selected because it’s “an inspirational tale that encourages people to examine their lives with family and friends,” and as such “embodies Starbuck’s values.” Now why was Quillblog expecting something about an aggressive entrepreneur who stalks his competition, incessantly breathing down their necks by setting up shops right next door?

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Click here for the AP story