The evening of Feb. 19, Fabled Bookshop and Cafe opened their floor to eighteen local authors to display their books to the Waco community during their annual Local Author Book Faire. This event drew a large crowd — nearly 300 people — and the store became crowded with attendees walking around the bookshelves, perusing the different displays and exhibited books.
Events such as this one emphasize the benefits of engaging with the larger Waco community, an important
reminder for Baylor students who struggle to step outside of the “Baylor Bubble.”
‘Baylor Bubble’ is a term which has been around for at least a decade and refers to the insular, privileged environment that Baylor’s campus creates. This bubble creates a buffer between Baylor students and the Waco community, which can create a narrow-minded perspective and an echo chamber which inhibits personal growth. Benefits such as fresh perspectives, empathy from hearing other people’s stories, and a wider understanding of how the real world works are lost when students confine themselves to the ‘Baylor Bubble’.
Kai Jackson, the communications manager for Fabled who was overseeing the Author Book Faire, says the event grew out of a desire to create space for local writers.
In a KWBU interview, he said this event is more than just selling books, it’s about community. “Most authors tend to be introverts,” Jackson said. “So to have a space not just to celebrate their work, but also to connect with the other authors … just to know that they’re not alone in the work.” The Author Book Faire builds the Waco community as well as creating a space for local authors to feel represented and seen. Mary Beth Talley, author of non-fiction memoir Not Bad, Just Different was a first-time participant in Fabled’s event. “They’ve been very gracious hosts,” she said. “It’s been wonderful, it’s a really great opportunity. I’m meeting all kinds of different people and other authors..”
Talley’s book was published in October and navigates grief and post traumatic stress in the aftermath of the Wedgewood Baptist Church shooting, which Talley experienced when she was 17. One reviewer describes how the book brings light into a dark situation. “It’s a good reminder of God’s power to redeem even the worst situations,” the reviewer said, “We are never without hope.”
“It’s a little surreal,” Talley said, “I have a book that has the story of my life, and it’s out there for people to read.” Reyna Shanks, another author featured at the book fair, echoed the astounding reality of having a book published: “This started out as me just writing in my room,” she said.
Shanks stands apart from the other authors highlighted at the event as one of three child authors showcased. Chapter 10 is a poetry collection published last April, the assembly of poems from when Shanks— now twelve— was just 10 years old. Chapter 10 invites readers into the mind of a child, seeing the simple things of life—trees, pets, moments of quiet—as magical.
“I’m not used to this attention,” Shanks laughed. “It’s a little intimidating, but it’s exciting to see where I could be someday.”
Fabled Bookshop & Cafe places important emphasis on the visibility of local authors, whether it is through events such as the Book Faire or their bookshelf for local authors only. Reading local authors such as the ones Fabled highlights teaches valuable lessons. Stories like Mary Beth Talley’s Not Bad, Just Different show readers how to have hope and empathy in hard times, and stories like Reyna Shanks’ Chapter 10 encourage readers to step out of their perspective and see the beauty in the mundane— particularly for older, college students engaging with her poems. While Baylor students are only in Waco for four years, these years should be expanded beyond campus. Listening to the stories of local writers reminds students that the community around them is filled with voices worth hearing if they take the time to step outside of their own perspective and pick up a book.