I took a longer-than-expected hiatus from Orphan Books for the last two years as I managed & bought for another bookstore. It was great to be back in a bookstore and to be part of a community of readers again, and by the end of my time there, I knew more of what I wanted for my own bookstore.

My goals now include finding a permanent home for Orphan Books in Frogtown and doing work with local schools. I still want to have a mobile store that is ready to do pop-ups, events, and school book fairs, but I’d also like to build a longterm home in my own neighborhood. Depending on how long it takes to find the right spot, I may have the mobile bookstore open in Frogtown regularly, but available to travel all over Los Angeles.

I’m on the hunt for a great retail location in Frogtown (or Elysian Valley, as many maps have it) and am looking forward to some upcoming pop ups at some of the businesses in the neighborhood. I can’t wait to get to know the readers of Frogtown and beyond and provide recommendations for them. If you know of a place that could be a great fit, let me know.

Finally, if you are in need of someone to sell books at an event for you, I’m available to do that now. You can fill out this form to get an event set up and Orphan Books will come to you!

Right now, the emphasis is on fundraising to actually get a truck and stock inventory. There are other essential start up costs, but that’s the goal at the moment. You can support that with my GoFundMe.

You can also get merch from Bonfire, or buy books through Bookshop.

Once things are in the works with the operational essentials for the bookmobile, I’ll have ways to contribute to provide books at cost or for free to families who need that support.

I love to read just about anything.

My specialities are nineteenth century literature (I have to use that MA somehow!) and Los Angeles literature (you can check out my book Read Me, Los Angeles for lots of lists and insight), with a strong dash of Madeleine L’Engle thrown in (and a Substack newsletter about her books to boot). That doesn’t mean it’s all I know or care about!

In the midst of the pandemic, I’ve hunkered down with a lot of what I call “comfort reading,” spending most of my evenings with a romance novel, a YA novel, or fantasy. Of course, many of the books I’m reading combine all three.

I am passionate about young readers for a lot of reasons. I think reading is a transformative act, showing us who we are and who we could be and illuminating the humanity of others. While I mostly read fiction, I find plenty of that in poetry and nonfiction as well. When readers, young or old, find characters who have essential things in common with them, it can reveal new possibilities; and when readers read about those who are different from them in those same essential ways, it shows that despite many external differences, the beating heart of another is not so different after all.

While I will carry books for all ages and stages of readers, and will work to have offerings in other languages than English (all depending on publisher availability), I will especially focus on kids’ books. Studies show that kids who have books in the home are at an educational advantage, and I want to help bring access to books to neighborhoods that don’t have their own bookstore, to help make that easier.

Two things: a mobile bookstore and a book collection consultant.

What’s a mobile bookstore? It is a bookstore on wheels. I’ve got a van that I’ve been converting, and have started popping up around Los Angeles to sell books.

Why a mobile bookstore instead of a brick-and-mortar? A lot of reasons! I was having a hard time picking a single neighborhood in Los Angeles for a bookstore. I don’t want to infringe on any of the existent indie bookstores in LA – most of which are owned or managed or otherwise staffed by friends – and I want folks to have easy access to bookstores. That led me to decide on a mobile model that can go into different neighborhoods on a daily basis, bring books to schools and community events, and partner with other businesses for events.

What is a book collection consultant? I have years of experience with putting together libraries for private enterprises (hotels, coffee shops, etc.) and want to help both other businesses who want to include a book component. With some previous clients, that has been books for a hotel room or a collection for a hotel library, for others, it has been assisting other retailers in introducing book elements tailored to their clientele. I also love putting together home libraries. While I can make an attractive, color-coordinated collection if that’s what you need, I am best used to create a library that reflects your interests and may impress visitors to your home.