Find a 'golden ticket' for free audiobooks at Nook & Cranny this Indie Bookstore Day
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Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities.
Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert and unique book recommendations.
This week we have Maren Comendant, owner of Nook & Cranny Books in Seattle, Washington, just in time for their grand re-opening on Indie Bookstore Day next Saturday, April 26.
What's your store's story?
Nook & Cranny is a queer, femme-owned shop that opened in June 2022 to elevate marginalized voices and tell unusual stories. As the name would suggest, we are pocket-sized and cozy, with books organized by mood or topic like "Cheaper Than Therapy," "When You're Feeling Witchy," or "Books About Books" – one of my personal favorites. Despite limited capacity, we pack in as much community connection as we can, with book clubs, author events, an art group and a well-attended open mic.
We are in the process of moving our storefront and Indie Bookstore Day will serve as our official Grand Opening.
What makes your independent bookstore unique?
Folks love the non-traditional organization, which encourages getting lost in the shelves and surprising yourself with unexpected finds. It's an ideal store for the curious reader of any age. The intimate space also allows for highly personalized service and recommendations for those looking to find the perfect gift or travel read. We strive to be a third place that fosters community, found family and the elevation of marginalized voices.
What's your favorite section in your store?
My favorite shelf in the store is the "Where in the World?" shelf, where we feature books from a different country or region every month. I love exploring books in translation and learning about the world. This is also the category that inspires our "Read Around the World" book club.
What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?
For kids (and kids at heart) I always recommend the "A Narwhal and Jelly" series by Seattle local Ben Clanton. My current favorite in the series is "Narwhalicorn and Jelly," when the characters visit a unicorn planet and the unicorns come to visit the ocean. The books can be read in any order. I love the illustrations and the relatable, admirable friendship. Jelly can be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud and sometimes Narwhal can be a bad friend, but they always learn from their mistakes and become better friends for it.
What book do you think deserves more attention and why?
"Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko and "They Will Drown in Their Mothers' Tears" by Johannes Anyuru quickly catapulted their way into my all-time top 10. "Ceremony" is a 1977 novel that is considered a modern classic by many, but should be required reading because of its exquisite writing on the traumas of war and colonialism. Johannes Anyuru is a Swedish-Ugandan poet and his astonishing book is part dystopian sci-fi, part time-travel and part scathing indictment of the Islamophobia and anti-immigration policies rampant in Sweden (and here at home). Saskia Vogel's translation is perfect, and I recommend it to everyone I can.
Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?
You get personal service, you're more likely to find local and indie authors represented, your money gets cycled back into the local economy and we donate to local orgs too. We have our fingers firmly on the pulse of the local community and strive to adapt our businesses to meet the specific needs and desires of that community. We advocate for you.
What are some of your store's events, programs, or partnerships coming up that you would like to share?
For Indie Bookstore Day, we will have snacks, door prizes, a book exchange, Indie Bookstore Day exclusives and special editions of some favorite titles. Somewhere in the store, there will be a hidden Libro.fm Golden Ticket, good for a year's worth of audiobooks. We'll also be participating in the Seattle Indie Bookstore Day Book Crawl with nearly 30 other stores in the Seattle area.
We also host a monthly "Read Around the World" book club in person every 4th Sunday, a twice-monthly open mic every 1st and 3rd Thursday, and "Trans*pire: a Trans Creative Group" is a newly added monthly meet-up for trans, nonbinary and genderqueer writers, artists and other creatives to co-work, share and network. We currently partner with local arts orgs Noveltease Theatre and Joketellers Union to promote their regular shows and we're always looking for new, fun partnerships with the other small businesses on our street.
(This article was updated to include video.)
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