D.C.'s newest mini-bookstore is hiding underground
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Photo: Theodore Carter
A new bookshelf in Dupont Underground wants to spotlight books by local authors who publish with smaller presses.
Why it matters: It can be hard and financially difficult for small press authors to land spots in larger brick-and-mortar bookstores, says bookshelf organizer Theodore Carter.
State of play: Carter — an author and Georgetown Day teacher — was volunteering at Dupont Underground after a poetry reading when he realized many of the writers were sticking around afterward to sell their books.
- So he decided to create a mini-store that would carry their work alongside those by other DMV authors.
- With help from the creative writing group Inner Loop and an Awesome Foundation grant, Carter launched the Local Author Bookshelf earlier this fall using a $40 Facebook Marketplace shelf he picked up at a University of Maryland frat house.
What they're saying: "No one's in it for the money," says Carter of everyone involved in the project. "But I do think they believe in the art and making that art accessible to as many people as possible."
- Any money made through sales will be reinvested in stocking local authors.
What we're watching: A kickoff event for the bookshelf will be held at Dupont Underground Oct. 2, during which some of the featured writers will "pitch" their books to the audience.
The bottom line: "Even if they don't buy them, for me, that's a win," says Carter of people visiting the bookshelf, "because they're looking over all these local authors."