Love My Indie with author Ashley Hope Perez

Love My Indie is a feature where fellow bloggers, readers, and authors tell me about their favorite independent bookstores. I love the feeling I get when I go into an independent bookstore - like it is filled with hidden treasures just waiting for me to find them. Maybe one day I will have the chance to visit these amazing bookstores.

Showing some Indie Love today is:

Ashley Hope Perez, author of What Can't Wait

Bloomington, Indiana, is home to a number of lovely independent bookstores, but if I could shrink one down, hide it in my pocket, and then reconstitute wherever my family and I next settle, it would be Boxcar Books, hands down.

Boxcar is exceptional because it’s a volunteer-run, not-for-profit store that uses proceeds to fund community outreach and a Pages to Prisoners program. (Read their mission statement and history here.)  


I love cruising over to Boxcar for poetry readings, and I hear that their writing workshops are stellar. They even host a program that provides free writing consultation to senior citizens and community members interested in writing memoirs. But Boxcar won my heart forever by hosting the Bloomington book launch party for my debut YA novel, What Can’t Wait. (Psst! Read Joli’s review here .)

In addition to a sweet collection of books, Boxcar has all sorts of zines and other quirky finds. Even the bathroom is full of interesting reading material, but don’t even think about taking a dump in there! The bathroom is plastered with clever posters prohibiting that particular activity due to some delicate plumbing.

If you’re in Bloomington, don’t miss Boxcar Books. Your coolness quotient will go up the minute you step through the doors of this awesome store. 

Thanks Ashley for stopping by Actin' Up with Books for sharing your favorite independent bookstore and um, the interesting note about their plumbing.


If you're interested in participating in this feature, please send me an email at actinupwb@gmail.com - I'd love to hear from you and discover your favorite indie bookstore!