Coronavirus has led to hundreds of bookstore employees across the country out of work—and while our #ShopBookstoresNow campaign raised over $89,000 for our partner bookstores, we didn’t want to stop there.
We put out a call to hire booksellers who have been affected by COVID-19 to work with us from April 13th to May 15th, and we’re delighted to introduce you to our new team!
Cristina Rodriguez is the General Manager at Deep Vellum Books, a bookstore in Dallas that specializes in international literature, independent presses, and marginalized writers. A Las Vegas native, she has an extensive knowledge of forgotten pop culture from the 90’s and early-2000’s. When she’s not reading, she’s most likely talking about a reality show or her deep love for young Brendan Fraser.
Cristina Rodriguez
Dallas, TX
Kathy Burnette
South Bend, IN
Kathy owns the children’s bookstore Brain Lair Books (fun fact: brainlair is an anagram of librarian). She reads books like it’s her job and is always up for a lively debate on what everyone should be reading. The only thing Kathy loves more than books is coffee. And possibly her daughter. Possibly.
BrocheAroe Fabian is an anthropologist, a world traveler, a writer, and a thirteen-year veteran of the book industry. She is the proud owner of River Dog Book Co., an independent bookstore with a nontraditional model focused on highlighting diverse, global, inclusive, and representative books for all ages—with a mission to foster cross-cultural communication and understanding via access to literature. She, her wife, and their two dogs call Portland home.
BrocheAroe Fabian
Portland, OR
Katie Fee
Brooklyn, NY
Katie Fee is the Children’s Manager at McNally Jackson Seaport in New York City. With over 15 years experience in children’s book publishing and bookselling, very little makes her as happy as finding the perfect story for each reader. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her cat, and way too many books for a one-bedroom apartment.
Mike Kelleher lives and works in Oakland where he helps out at A Great Good Place for Books, a small but mighty indie bookstore. Away from the bookstore, Mike is also a trial graphics consultant, attorney, and former submarine officer. He loves audiobooks and has been recently recommending The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, and Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham.
Mike Kelleher
Oakland, CA
Charlene Browne
Boston, MA
An art aficionado from a young age, Charlene Browne enjoys writing stories, painting, and listening to Broadway musicals. She often daydreams about the next country she will visit, or the next fantasy world she will encounter in a book.
Claire Handscombe is a British writer who moved to Washington, DC, in 2012, ostensibly to study for an MFA in Creative Writing, but really, let’s be honest, because of an obsession with The West Wing. She is the host of the Brit Lit Podcast, a monthly show about news and views from UK books and publishing; the author of Unscripted, a novel about a young woman with a celebrity crush and a determined plan; and the editor of Walk With Us: How The West Wing Changed Our Lives.
Claire Handscombe
Washington, D.C.
Devon Dunn
New York, NY
Devon lives in New York City. She’s a museum addict with a passion for languages, theater, art and the whimsical things in life. Her favorite books are those which pair well with a piece of cake and a cup of really good coffee.
Barbara Lane is a longtime Bay Area writer, producer, and on-air television and radio host. She’s currently a book columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and Director of Events for Copperfield’s Books.
Barbara Lane
Marin, CA
Kelsey Norris
Washington, D.C.
Kelsey Norris is a writer and former bookseller currently based in DC. She enjoys travel, outdoor activities with her pup, and overcommitting to DIY projects.
Rebecca Baruc is a visual artist, curator, producer and bubbelah based in Chicago, and you can discover more of her world on her website.
