Today in Fort Greene: Totally Independent Book Fair!

It seems there's something about the corner of Fulton and South Portland that attracts the literary types. On the very stretch of Fort Greene street where Greenlight Bookstore will open this fall, a different kind of literary marketplace is in effect today, June 13: the Totally Independent Book Fair!


You can read more about the TIBF on the New York Times' Local blog. The fair is the brainchild of Nehprii Amenii, a children’s author and illustrator, and aims to give self-published and independently published authors a chance to pool their resources and interact directly with readers and book buyers. Authors bring their own table to set up on the sidewalk (no permit required to sell books on the street in NYC!), and the fair is in effect. It's kind of like when everyone on the block has their stoop sale on the same day -- the excitement generated is more than if any one person had done it on their own, and that means more publicity (and hopefully more sales) for everyone.

Participating authors include Ms. Amenii, erotica author Monica Martinez, poets KL Belvin and Janice Brabaw and graphic novelist Jemir Johnson, as well as MAS Media Studios, Street Fiction writer David L. and Marvelous Harrison. I haven't read or seen any of their work -- but I'm always a fan of independent literary ventures. So take a stroll over to Fulton and South Portland today between 10 and 5, and support another great DIY bookish experience in the neighborhood.

New Roots

"Put a bookstore in a neighborhood, and you really feel the roots of a community growing," said Lois Harvey, owner of West Side Books.

That's from a Saturday article in the Denver Post about the community bookstores in that great bookish town.

I thought it was a perfect expression of not only why Rebecca and I want to start our bookstore in Fort Greene, but why the neighborhood wants one.

A bookstore isn't just a place to get books; there are lots of those. It's a place to spend your leisure time, to meet your neighbors, to talk to folks with shared interests, to hear new authors read, to learn about issues or what's coming up. It's what's often called a Third Place, like a pub or a social club: not home, not work, but the place in between, where the life of the neighborhood really is. It's where our shared history gets made.

Fort Greene has strong roots already, and it's also got lots of newer residents who have been attracted to that history and identity. When the Fort Greene Association's Retail Survey revealed that residents of all backgrounds and races were hoping for a bookstore, that revealed something: that the neighborhood wants to strengthen and grow those roots.

We hope Greenlight Bookstore is going to be a place that together the different threads of the neighborhood, where all our roots can grow together.

Party Time!

I'm still trying to maintain my fallow time / industry-standard hiatus / enforced recharging until the end of August. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this unique and exciting joint venture with the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative! Here's the beautifully designed invitation -- for you!



The Fort Greene community feels so strongly that they need a bookstore in their neighborhood that they are supporting me in my efforts to create one, and throwing a party to rally community support and resources. This level of commitment to a local bookstore before it has even opened is unique, I believe, in the contemporary book industry, and reinforces my love for Brooklyn as a place where community is a powerful force.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to know more about this project. As September begins, I'll be writing more about the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Committee, our partnership and planning process, our goals, and the fabulous writers we have lined up for this event (sneak preview: the Fort Greene-based authors of The Intuitionist and The Keep will both be in attendance!) And I'll be keeping you posted on the process of finding a space, securing funding, and all of the ins and outs of opening an independent bookstore in Brooklyn.

For now, I hope you'll RSVP via email for September 16 as early as possible, to show your support for local business and for books. See you there!