I've been really lucky this year, between having the honor of being a first-time parent, spending time with family, working on my next book, starting up the free secondhand bookshelf, and continuing the mission of Underground Bookshelf.
Thank you for supporting and being a part of this community, whether you submitted your writing, participated in the monthly contests, made use of the resources, shared your thoughts in a Q&A, made a donation, or came by to read something new. Your support and participation are critical to keeping Underground Bookshelf going strong.
I hope you'll be back next year!
If you'd like to help me fund Underground Bookshelf programming and support my work, there are a few ways you can do so.
- Ko-Fi: I accept tips and have a membership option on Ko-Fi. Members are now able to receive a free book annually.
- Square: I accept donations on Square, which requires no signups.
- Patreon: My Patreon is set up for tiered memberships starting at $1, one-off tips starting at $3, and sales of PDF copies of my books.
- Venmo: You can tip me using Venmo, @Laura-Browne-Lambert-1313
- Amazon: My books are available as ebooks, paperbacks, and large-print hardcovers.
- Barnes & Noble: My books are available as ebooks on Barnes & Noble.
- Secondhand Books: I'm seeking book donations for the secondhand bookshelf. I take these books to local events for attendees to take for free as a way to support access to literature. Please, email me to make arrangements.
- Merchandise: I have a modest merch store where you can pick out stickers, buttons, apparel, and more.
Image Description: A person shown from the shoulders to the knees is holding a white box with a slot in the top. The word, "donate," is written across the box. They are wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans.
Credit: Liza Summer / Pexels
Where does your money go?
Your tips, donations, memberships, and other financial support help me cover the costs of website and tabling fees, travel, supplies, secondhand books, and time. I have a lean budget at the moment, but I do my best to stretch it so that I can continue this work of supporting diversity in literature.
Underground Bookshelf's Mission
The mission of the Underground Bookshelf brand is to celebrate diverse perspectives in literature, enabling minorities, women, queer folks, and people with disabilities to see themselves reflected in the art/ media they consume.
The Values of Underground Bookshelf
- Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion – I believe that all people should be able to see themselves in the media they consume and know that they belong in this world.
- Creativity – I believe that art reflects life and life reflects art, creativity captures the beauty of life and when shared it is a vehicle for human connection.
- Empathy – I believe that it is imperative that we seek to understand each other’s lived experiences, so that we can learn how to respect and uplift one another.
- Empowerment – I believe we all hold power to drive positive change, and it is important that we unlock that power to make the world a better place.
My Business Operating Strategy
The underground bookshelf will leverage four platforms to further its mission:
- Website / Blog Posts – With this platform I will use my voice to amplify those books that are getting banned but are an integral part of the fullness of life. I will also use this platform to self-publish free short stories, and share other short stories from a diverse set of authors (when available)
- Book Authorship – As an author, I will continue to spotlight characters from different walks of life, to tell rich stories from new and unique perspectives.
- Social Media – My social media will be used primarily as vehicle to help drive awareness to my website and books. This is a critical strategy in ensuring that those who need to find the website can find it.
- Festivals and Fairs – Participation in festivals and fairs will be the last advertising strategy to drive readership to the website and the books I and other minorities create. I will prioritize participating in local / minority run festivals to ensure that they remain a vibrant part of our society.
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