Chances are, if you are in this community, you probably know who Dominique Burleson is. Or, at least, you have heard of her bookstore, Paperbacks & Frybread.

On the off chance that you haven't, Paperbacks & Frybread is an Indigenous/woman-owned-Bookstore based out of North Carolina. And Dominique, the owner, is one of my very best friends.

Over the years, we have worked together in so many different ways to try to bring change to this industry. Similarly to myself, she has worked tirelessly to be a champion for authors in the margins and to be a direct challenge to every system that is set up against them.

One of the primary ways she has contributed to the fight for Black & brown authors is through her bookstore, which she uses to highlight authors that many other bookstores do not create space for. Not only is her inventory heavily stocked with marginalized authors, but she is also one of the most loudly indie-friendly bookstores in the business.

You may have also seen her advocating for me directly. It is no secret that the last year of my life has been hell, to say the least. While I am arguably on the cusp of seeing dreams that took decades of hard work finally start to come true, it has also been undeniably the worst 12 months of my life, and has left a lot that I had planned for myself in peril. And Dominique was one of the people who has shown up through all of that. She has not only rallied the community to show up in one of the biggest moments of need in my life, but she has also been one of the people in my life who has refused to allow me to throw the towel in. And trust me when I say, I have wanted to many times over the last year. But she has insisted that the work I am doing NEEDS to be done, and that giving up is not an option. So the things I am accomplishing...Dominique is partially responsible for that.

And now, she is in a bind that she doesn't see a way to climb out of without help. And I would love it if this community could show up and help fight for her business the way you have mine.

Paperbacks & Frybread is an important part of the book world. We talk often about the need to decolonize, but that is not something we can ever truly accomplish without Black and Indigenous voices at the front. Which has been the beauty of our friendship and working relationship. We have centered each other and worked to ensure that both of those necessary perspectives continue to be front and center in the work each of us is trying to accomplish.

Over the years, our community has been instrumental in launching many indie author's careers. And for many of those authors, Dominique was the person I called, letting her know there was an author who deserved shelf space that no one wanted to give them. And there has not been a single time where she has not trusted me when I've said an author deserves that space. She lists their books without hesitation. Every time.

Why? Because she believes in the same mission that we do. That the fight for change cannot be won without Black and brown indie authors.

Currently, her store is in trouble. Like many indie bookstores.

With the crumbling economy and major shifts in the way Ingram runs their business, Dominique has had to shift the way her business operates. Which is fine, long term. But in the short-term, it means a huge financial burden that has the potential to interrupt business. And if it isn't figured out, there is a very real possibility that Paperbacks & Frybread will have to close.

And we're not gonna let that happen.

So here is what she needs from us:

She needs us to buy books.

We have sat down and done the math. Dominique needs to sell about 200 books to cover this current crisis and get back on track.

200 books feels like a huge number, but let's be honest. There are almost four thousand people in this community. Collectively, we probably buy that many books every other day. So I am asking you to do ME a huge favor and to buy your next book from Paperbacks & Frybread.

It would mean the world to me if we could rally together and save this bookstore. Dominique fights tirelessly for the book community. Trust me, we need her to keep her doors open.

Obviously, if you have not bought a copy of Cry, Voidbringer and Devil of the Deep yet, go grab those! Otherwise, grab something else that's been on your mind lately!

Here is a direct link to her store: https://paperbacksandfrybread.com/collections/new-books

Currently, all books are 15% off, no code needed! And if you are a paid subscriber to Left Unread, you have a PERMANENT discount, which you can find in the discord and in a previous blog here on Bindery. So feel free to upgrade and continue supporting them long into the future!

Thank you all!

Dominique means the world to me. Please help her save her business.