How did you get your start as a bookseller?

I think in NYC you have an opportunity to fall into and be completely absorbed by your obsessions and mine has and always will be books. I’ve loved books since I was a child. I believe in them. I think that they have the capacity to open minds, to inspire, to feel less alone, and they give one an opportunity to explore anything from poetry to literature, airplanes, different cultures, animals, and so on….it's truly endless.

I always carry a book with me. When I moved to NYC I knew no one, and I had two small suitcases (one filled with books and the other with clothes) and only $400 in cash (no credit cards!) I showed up with an idea that if you want to be somewhere, you’ll figure it out. The books were my company, my guides, and my friends as I navigated the unknown streets of NYC in search of work and a stable home. When I arrived in NYC at Penn Station a friend’s ex-boyfriend's grandfather let me stay with him in Queens for 2 weeks. I often think about this kindness of letting a stranger sleep on their sofa until I found work. Without the kindness of people, where would I be now? After I left his apartment, I ended up crashing with other generous people I met at gig-ish jobs. I worked in NYC until I could save enough money to secure a room. It was a stressful time but I don’t regret it.

Have you ever sold a book you regretted selling afterward?

I don’t regret anything. Sure, I could’ve done things differently but I didn’t. I loved selling books, giving books, and sharing books with people on the street. The excitement when someone discovers something new and exciting and can walk away with it is very gratifying, not only for myself but for them. No, I’ve never regretted selling any book. They were always there for the people to find them. During my 8 ½ years on the streets working as a bookseller on Ave A and St. Marks I was able to set aside a few for my own library with each book buy. With that process I slowly built my library like the people who came by and bought books at the table.

Selling books was an utter joy. Since the table had no walls, the entire street, everyone walking by was welcomed. People that would never step in a bookstore would stop and look, even if just out of curiosity. The freedom to be on the streets, to be together on the streets in NYC and share books is a magical opportunity. I love that part of my life was spent in this way. It will forever shape the way I see the world. It taught me so much about humanity, about trusting yourself, about trusting others, about listening to others, about being so open that you are able to read the energies of the streets. About sharing and how important sharing what you love with people is and how this, love and conversation and passion is a base to building community.