Eugene has an array of independent bookstores within city limits, but none so far have filled one specific niche: diverse-authors-only. That’s where Prosed Books comes in.
Jynastie Wilson, the creator of Prosed Books, says it all fell into place this summer. Wilson, 21, is already working as a literary agent, but in July she noticed a need in Eugene for more gathering spaces for diverse communities. She decided to create her own just south of downtown.
Wilson grew up in Virginia and spent her high school years in Texas. When moving to Oregon, she “thought that there were going to be a lot of places for diverse and marginalized people to hang out and meet each other,” Wilson says. “I’m happy to be filling that gap.”
With a love for reading in one hand and an entrepreneurial mindset in the other, Wilson launched Prosed Books as an online and pop-up book vendor. She dedicated the business to getting books by authors who weren’t “cisgender, white, heteronormative” into readers’ hands, she says.
After being a vendor with Ophelia’s Place, an organization dedicated to empowering girls ages 10 to 18, and with Pixie Panic Market, a Eugene-based fantasy market, Wilson says she received feedback that pushed her towards establishing a physical storefront.
“I’m also a very impatient person,” Wilson says, “so once I want to get started on something, I stick to that.”
Wilson says she strives to feature young adult and manga authors from many different backgrounds, cultures and lived experiences.
“I myself am Hispanic and African American, so there’s going to be a lot of that,” Wilson says. “I want to feature stuff by Indigenous authors from North America and from South America, Asian authors and, of course, people that identify with different queer identities.”
Wilson specifies that it’s not just race, ethnicity and sexuality that she looks for in an author, but rather “anyone who doesn’t fit in with the ‘norm.’” This includes religious minorities and plus-sized authors, too.
“I’m hoping that when someone walks inside they’ll feel like this is a place where they can feel a sense of belonging and find voices like themselves, whether that be through people that are in the store or through books that they can relate to,” she says.
Having a physical space will allow Wilson to host free and accessible events, she says, such as board game nights and book signings.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $5,000 towards the bookstore’s operating costs, Prosed Books will officially be opening its doors from 2 pm to 10 pm Saturday, Nov. 16. To celebrate the grand opening, Wilson says she’s partnered with local businesses to put together a raffle for gift cards and book baskets that people can enter to win by visiting the storefront. Every prize will fit into a “cozy niche,” she says, to elevate the book-reading experience.
Everyone is invited to Prosed Books, even if they don’t identify with an author being featured.
“I want people to learn more about cultures different from their own,” Wilson says, “and give them a safe space to do that in the correct way.”
“You’ll find more than just a bookstore,” Wilson adds. “You’ll find a space that you belong.”Prosed Books is open 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 2 pm to 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, at 1237 Charnelton Street. Learn more at ProsedBooks.square.site or @ProsedBooks on Instagram.