Introducing my newest adventure — a mobile bookstore dedicated to supporting and celebrating Western North Carolina’s vibrant literary arts community.

Ramona’s Book Bus is open on most Thursdays from 4-7 pm at the Trailside Market, hosted by The Yard in Brevard.

Schedule of additional events is forthcoming. To never miss a pop-up, follow me on IG @ramonasbookbus.

The Bus

Once a Jackson County school bus, this 1989 Thomas International Bus was lovingly refurbished by Dawnn Sanders, who transformed it into a bookmobile. For the last few years, Chapters Bookstop has brought happiness to book lovers all over Western North Carolina. But with Dawnn moving out of state, the bus needed a new caretaker.

The pieces all magically lined up, and—voila!—Chapters is now Ramona’s Book Bus, and I am the new very grateful owner and caretaker of this gorgeous mobile bookstore.

It is quite possibly my favorite thing I’ve ever done.

The “Why”

For me, this is more than a school-bus-turned-beautiful-bookstore (though it is very much that). But it’s also a vessel that carries hundreds of worlds inside of it, and thousands of pages of art and ideas. It’s an invitation to engage our curious centers, awaken our brains and hearts, and step into experiences and imaginations outside of our own. This feels particularly important in this era of book banning, mis- and dis-information at the highest levels, the gutting of education and art, and attacks on so many of our community members.

The Name

Ramona’s Book Bus is named after my best friend/soul dog, who passed away in January 2025. Ramona (named after Ramona Quimby) hardly left my side for 15+ years, sleeping happily amid piles of my books and writings.

She would have been the best book bus co-pilot.