#feministbookstore — Public Fediverse posts

Our collective endorses the "Sunshine Over Surveillance" open letter published by Sunshine Labs, which urges Asheville City Council to vote NO on a $1.14M DOJ grant to expand surveillance through the creation of a "real time intelligence center," and the authorization of a separate 7.5-year contract with Axon.

In particular, we agree with the following major objections articulated by the authors:

"Public participation and procurement have been bypassed. Council has heard from only APD and the vendors. The 7.5-year Axon contract has had no committee review and is being authorized through Sourcewell—a cooperative-purchasing exemption that bypasses competitive bidding.

Residents need more information. The proposed Axon contract and the existing Flock contract are both unpublished. APD has refused a public records request for Flock audit logs. One agency on APD's Flock data-sharing list is Florida Fish & Wildlife—reported by @404mediaco to be running thousands of Flock searches on behalf of ICE.

Federal money is not free money. The current administration has explicitly conditioned federal funding on local ICE cooperation and pursued legal action against jurisdictions that limit it. The grant resolution itself acknowledges that compliance terms will be set "at the Federal level"—and reviewed only AFTER acceptance. Separately, Axon held approximately $31.9 million in ICE contracts in 2025.

Civilian oversight has been dismantled. Asheville's Citizens Police Advisory Committee was paused in 2020 and dismantled in 2024. APD points to self-audits—but in San Francisco, SFPD shared Flock data with ICE and out-of-state agencies 1.6 million times in violation of state law, undetected through two consecutive quarterly audits."

---

As an abolitionist organization, Firestorm believes that police reform is unrealistic and opposes any investment in policing. Sunshine Labs demonstrates that even non-abolitionists should reject the undemocratic and opaque proposals under consideration by City Council.

#DeFlock #AntiSurveillance #AbolishICE #FeministBookstore

Hey, do you publish zines?? 👀

In addition to stocking both free and for-purchase pamphlets at our bookstore, we mail zines to our sustainers each month—and we're always looking for exciting new material! If you've got a recently published zine that you think would appeal to our community, send us an email about it: [email protected] 💌

What we're looking for:
• Comics, perzines, essays, poetry, or mixed format!
• At least 12 pages long (sorry, no mini zines please!)
• 60+ copies
• $5 or less per zine

We'd love to see your work, but our email will not accept attachments over 10 MB, so either send a short excerpt or a link to view the larger file in the cloud. Because we select just one zine per month to send out, we won't be able to take every suggestion!

#Zinestagram #DIYPublishing #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

What can trans people expect from pregnancy and what roles do supportive friends, family members, and care providers play?

This Saturday at 6pm ET, join editor Simon Knaphus alongside contributors to a groundbreaking new anthology from @pmpress about navigating family building, pregnancy, fertility treatments, conception, loss, healthcare, abortion, childbirth, the early days of parenting, and the intersections of legal, political, and cultural contexts. This virtual event will include readings, discussion, and a chance to ask your questions!

Sign up and claim your copy of "Seahorses: Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Expansive Pregnancy" at https://app.hi.events/event/7167/gender-expansive-pregnancy. Not able to attend live? Sign up anyway and we'll send you the recording to stream at your convenience later!

#TransHealth #TransPregnancy #NonbinaryPregnancy #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

We're teaming up with Pansy Collective on May Day / International Workers' Day / Beltane for a free screening from @Elememts_of_MA's docuseries, followed by a community potluck!

The Elements of Mutual Aid is a four-part, independently produced documentary series putting a finger on the pulse of community-led survival projects confronting crisis with care. We'll be watching the first chapter together, which includes interviews with Reclaiming Our Homes, Justseeds, Klee Benally, and more.

Alongside the documentary, Pansy Collective will be selling merch to fund the installation of a free vending machine for Plan B and Naloxone in West Asheville!

If you are able, please bring reusable plates and cutlery along with a dish (vegan and gluten-free preferred). Because we will be eating outdoors, the potluck is weather dependent, but the film screening will take place rain or shine.

#MayDay #MutualAid #QueerSouth #TheElementsOfMutualAid #FeministBookstore

How do we reverse the suicidal course of capitalist society and build a liberated world?

This weekend we're teaming up with @pmpress to host a virtual conversation between Jarrod Shanahan, author of the recently published essay collection "Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help," and writer Eman Abdelhadi. Together they'll reflect on Jarrod's book and the last decade of US struggles—including Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, and the George Floyd Rebellion—alongside the rise of Trumpism, the alt-right, and an apocalyptic shift in popular culture.

Register for this free event and find your copy of "Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help" at https://app.hi.events/event/7035/every-fire-needs-a-little-bit-of-help. Not able to attend in person? Sign up and we'll send you the recording to stream at your convenience!

#EveryFireNeedsALittleBitOfHelp #GiveTheAnarchistACigarette #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

OMG Firestorm is turning 18?! Lift a glass (or maybe a bottle 😉) to the end of our youth. We're celebrating the milestone with a limited edition shirt from one of our favorite seditious artists—KRIME.

Starting today you can preorder one of these gorgeous gorgon shirts on our website for $36. They'll be printed by the good folks at Black Moon Ink on a 100% combed cotton tee from AS Colour, a company focused on high-quality, longer-lasting apparel. These shirts are tough enough to wear reading critical theory, but cozy enough for a fantasy novella!

Place your preorder before Sunday, May 3rd at https://firestorm.coop/products/24878-firestorm-birthday-t-shirt-preorder.html 📦

#FeministBookstore #TurnCopsToStone #Gorgon #FeministMythology #FirestormCoop (- L)

OMG Firestorm is turning 18?! Lift a glass (or maybe a bottle 😉) to the end of our youth. We're celebrating the milestone with a limited edition shirt from one of our favorite seditious artists—KRIME.

Starting today you can preorder one of these gorgeous gorgon shirts on our website for $36. They'll be printed by the good folks at Black Moon Ink on a 100% combed cotton tee from AS Colour, a company focused on high-quality, longer-lasting apparel. These shirts are tough enough to wear reading critical theory, but cozy enough for a fantasy novella!

Place your preorder before Sunday, May 3rd at https://firestorm.coop/products/24878-firestorm-birthday-t-shirt-preorder.html 📦

#FeministBookstore #TurnCopsToStone #Gorgon #FeministMythology #FirestormCoop (- L)

OMG Firestorm is turning 18?! Lift a glass (or maybe a bottle 😉) to the end of our youth. We're celebrating the milestone with a limited edition shirt from one of our favorite seditious artists—KRIME.

Starting today you can preorder one of these gorgeous gorgon shirts on our website for $36. They'll be printed by the good folks at Black Moon Ink on a 100% combed cotton tee from AS Colour, a company focused on high-quality, longer-lasting apparel. These shirts are tough enough to wear reading critical theory, but cozy enough for a fantasy novella!

Place your preorder before Sunday, May 3rd at https://firestorm.coop/products/24878-firestorm-birthday-t-shirt-preorder.html 📦

#FeministBookstore #TurnCopsToStone #Gorgon #FeministMythology #FirestormCoop (- L)

OMG Firestorm is turning 18?! Lift a glass (or maybe a bottle 😉) to the end of our youth. We're celebrating the milestone with a limited edition shirt from one of our favorite seditious artists—KRIME.

Starting today you can preorder one of these gorgeous gorgon shirts on our website for $36. They'll be printed by the good folks at Black Moon Ink on a 100% combed cotton tee from AS Colour, a company focused on high-quality, longer-lasting apparel. These shirts are tough enough to wear reading critical theory, but cozy enough for a fantasy novella!

Place your preorder before Sunday, May 3rd at https://firestorm.coop/products/24878-firestorm-birthday-t-shirt-preorder.html 📦

#FeministBookstore #TurnCopsToStone #Gorgon #FeministMythology #FirestormCoop (- L)

OMG Firestorm is turning 18?! Lift a glass (or maybe a bottle 😉) to the end of our youth. We're celebrating the milestone with a limited edition shirt from one of our favorite seditious artists—KRIME.

Starting today you can preorder one of these gorgeous gorgon shirts on our website for $36. They'll be printed by the good folks at Black Moon Ink on a 100% combed cotton tee from AS Colour, a company focused on high-quality, longer-lasting apparel. These shirts are tough enough to wear reading critical theory, but cozy enough for a fantasy novella!

Place your preorder before Sunday, May 3rd at https://firestorm.coop/products/24878-firestorm-birthday-t-shirt-preorder.html 📦

#FeministBookstore #TurnCopsToStone #Gorgon #FeministMythology #FirestormCoop (- L)

This Sunday, we're excited to host Argentinian anarchist Tomas Rothaus, author of the recently publish memoir "Another War Is Possible," which takes us on a wild, bumpy, and beautiful ride through a lifetime of resistance.

Joined by a member of the @crimethinc collective, Tomas will discuss the lessons he learned from veterans of the Spanish CNT, his first experience trading blows with police in the streets of Paris, and his adventures slipping across borders to participate in epoch-making riots. "Another War is Possible" is the first of three explosive books Tomas is publishing with our friends at PM Press!

Register for this free event and find your copy of the book at https://app.hi.events/event/7033/militant-anarchist-experiences-in-the-antiglobalization-era. Not able to join the event live? Register anyway and we'll share a recording to enjoy at your convenience!

#AnotherWarIsPossible #AnarchistHistory #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

Like a lot of small businesses in our region, Firestorm has been in financial distress for the last year. Hurricane Helene was our tipping point, but local cost of living increases, inflation, and higher occupancy costs are huge contributors. In simple language: our sales are down, our costs are (way) up, and capitalism is the worst.

With less than $15k in financial buffer left, we've projected that our co-op will no longer have the resources needed for normal operations by the end of July.

⚠️ What We're Doing

Over recent months, we've analyzed our situation and explored possible interventions. We're planning to modestly increase store hours, refresh our Sustainers Program, explore new advertising opportunities, better promote our bulk / B2B sales, research grants for unfunded work done by our members, and look for new pop-up gigs. More immediately, we're planning a big sale for mid-April and we've requested and received a temporary reduction to our mortgage.

Our hope is that a handful of short-term measures will buy us time to pursue the longer-term shift in revenue needed to stabilize Firestorm. If we don't succeed, our nuclear option is a cut to pay. As a horizontal co-op we set a payrate democratically, so no changes take place without buy-in from our whole team, but moving away from a living wage runs counter to our collective health.

⚠️ What You Can Do!

If Firestorm surviving and thriving is important to you, we welcome your support. Here are a few ways to pitch in:

🌈 Buy your next book from us, or tell someone who buys books about us! Not a physical media person? We also sell audiobooks through Libro.fm.

🌈 Join our Sustainers Program, starting at $10/mo! Members receive discounts on books and can access free shipping, a monthly book subscription, and other great perks.

🌈 If you work in an organization that coordinates book-related programs, reach out to us about bulk purchasing (we offer discounts!)

We extend our huge appreciation to everyone who is already supporting our co-op financially, or otherwise! We've only made it this far because of you.

#WorkerCoop #FeministBookstore #SolidarityEconomy

It would be hard to think of a more influential book over the last 5 years than Dean Spade's "Mutual Aid." It's a perennial bookclub pick, there’s an even chance it comes up in any conversation about local organizing, and we regularly hear customers enthusiastically recommending it to each other.

It’s also a book that’s worth revisiting, and Dean does just that in this new edition, starting with a 38-page preface that’s good enough to print as a standalone zine. When the book was first published in 2020, part of its incredible appeal was that it emerged directly from urgent conversations and collective actions that readers themselves were part of. This new preface again brings the text into our moment and serves as a critical intervention against the cooptation and pacification of mutual aid 🔥

https://firestorm.coop/products/23866-mutual-aid.html

From the new preface: “My hope is that ‘Mutual Aid’ helps more people join with others in taking risks to care for people in crisis and dismantle the violent systems that are endangering all life and have already prematurely ended the lives of so many. What we need is not just individual or small-group acts of redistribution and care-which are no doubt meaningful-but to create entire voluntary, horizontal, decentralized systems of living together that do not operate through profit, scarcity, and extraction…

Our only chance at freedom is to break from the liberal hope that elites will act for us, and begin to take direct action and care for each other right now… Any particular part of the work we take up will, inevitably, be inadequate to address the crisis-we can't possibly give out enough money, tents, water bottles, masks, hormones, babysitting shifts, abortion pills, or bowls of soup for the level of crisis that the systems we are living in are creating. But we can do this care work with a focus on bringing more people into the struggle, creating new ways of surviving that are autonomous from our opponents' deadly supply chains, and building more capacity for our fights on every front, so that more of us are ready to join every riot or strike in reach and to risk everything for each other.”

#MutualAid #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

One of the most consequential trials of Trump's second term begins on February 17th, and our friend Des is in the middle of it with a box of zines.

Join us in Asheville on Sunday, Feb 15th at 5pm for a teach-in on the Prairieland case. We'll begin with a brief presentation of background information, the situation of our friend Des, and the latest updates on his trial, with a special emphasis on the implications for the movement to abolish ICE and defeat fascism in the US.

Our collective will then facilitate a discussion on how this case might inform our thinking about violence, nonviolence, and state repression in this moment of growing opposition. The final segment of the teach-in will be a space for participants to engage with the Free Des Solidarity Week by writing a letter, creating art, or developing materials to educate others about the case!

This is a free event, but we ask that you bring a donation to support Des' legal defense fund. Given the topic of this conversation, consider the recommendations we've made at https://firestorm.coop/news/expect-surveillance.html

#FreeDes #ZinesAreNotACrime #PrairielandDefendants #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

Snow day! ❄️ Grab your sled, because Firestorm will be open today and (hopefully) tomorrow from noon to 7pm, but our annual winter break starts MONDAY. We'll be closed from February 2nd through 10th to get some rest, catch up on other projects, and maybe even read a few books!

During our break Firestorm won't be open, but unlike in previous years, we will still be shipping in-stock books ordered through our website. So if you're snowed in today, don't panic (or risk your life)—you can grab that next Margaret Killjoy novella at firestorm.coop 📦

Note: since the weather is still weathering, consider calling the store before trekking in if it looks dicey.

#FeministBookstore #AllegedSecretAntifaHeadquarters #FirestormCoop (- E + L)

We're trying something new in 2026 to help us (and you!) ditch Meta.

We know from personal experience that, paradoxically, logging off can make it hard to maintain IRL connections. So much grassroots activity only seems to get advertised on social media—and for spaces like Firestorm, there's a trap in thinking that Instagram is the best place to reach people, even when they live right down the street.

But there are alternatives... if we build them!

Follow us to a place without data harvesting, shadow bans, and right wing trolls. This week we're launching a new broadcast thread on the Signal app, specifically for events at Firestorm. Sign up and you'll get event announcements + a weekly roundup reminder (no memes, no side chatter—strictly event details!).

Since most of our events are in-person, this new thread will primarily be useful to locals. For more local community events, we also recommend the Asheville Radical Community Calendar (DuckDuckGo it! IYKYK)

#FeministBookstore #QueerSouth #FirestormCoop (- L)

Now that we're in the 2025 home stretch, our collective is shifting from retail hustle to reflection. This was a tough year, on lots of levels, but our public messaging has mostly focused on political concerns rather than the difficult financial position we've been in since Hurricane Helene.

Thanks to strong community support and a grant from the Southern Power Fund, our co-op started 2025 with what we thought was a generous buffer. But between Asheville's slow recovery and worsening conditions for low and middle income folks nationally, we're seeing sales far below those of previous years—and we've burned through our reserves trying to bridge the gap. Our collective is still analyzing the situation, but it's clear that the Q4 turnaround we'd hoped for did not materialize, and we're now headed into late winter on thin ice.

We value transparency, so this post is intended to be a heads up that our project is increasingly precarious. We'll share more information in January along with an outline of how we plan to address Firestorm's financial sustainability. In the meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and hope that you'll keep us in mind when you're buying books! ❤️‍🔥

#FeministBookstore #HurricaneHelene #FirestormCoop

Now that we're in the 2025 home stretch, our collective is shifting from retail hustle to reflection. This was a tough year, on lots of levels, but our public messaging has mostly focused on political concerns rather than the difficult financial position we've been in since Hurricane Helene.

Thanks to strong community support and a grant from the Southern Power Fund, our co-op started 2025 with what we thought was a generous buffer. But between Asheville's slow recovery and worsening conditions for low and middle income folks nationally, we're seeing sales far below those of previous years—and we've burned through our reserves trying to bridge the gap. Our collective is still analyzing the situation, but it's clear that the Q4 turnaround we'd hoped for did not materialize, and we're now headed into late winter on thin ice.

We value transparency, so this post is intended to be a heads up that our project is increasingly precarious. We'll share more information in January along with an outline of how we plan to address Firestorm's financial sustainability. In the meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and hope that you'll keep us in mind when you're buying books! ❤️‍🔥

#FeministBookstore #HurricaneHelene #FirestormCoop

Now that we're in the 2025 home stretch, our collective is shifting from retail hustle to reflection. This was a tough year, on lots of levels, but our public messaging has mostly focused on political concerns rather than the difficult financial position we've been in since Hurricane Helene.

Thanks to strong community support and a grant from the Southern Power Fund, our co-op started 2025 with what we thought was a generous buffer. But between Asheville's slow recovery and worsening conditions for low and middle income folks nationally, we're seeing sales far below those of previous years—and we've burned through our reserves trying to bridge the gap. Our collective is still analyzing the situation, but it's clear that the Q4 turnaround we'd hoped for did not materialize, and we're now headed into late winter on thin ice.

We value transparency, so this post is intended to be a heads up that our project is increasingly precarious. We'll share more information in January along with an outline of how we plan to address Firestorm's financial sustainability. In the meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and hope that you'll keep us in mind when you're buying books! ❤️‍🔥

#FeministBookstore #HurricaneHelene #FirestormCoop

Now that we're in the 2025 home stretch, our collective is shifting from retail hustle to reflection. This was a tough year, on lots of levels, but our public messaging has mostly focused on political concerns rather than the difficult financial position we've been in since Hurricane Helene.

Thanks to strong community support and a grant from the Southern Power Fund, our co-op started 2025 with what we thought was a generous buffer. But between Asheville's slow recovery and worsening conditions for low and middle income folks nationally, we're seeing sales far below those of previous years—and we've burned through our reserves trying to bridge the gap. Our collective is still analyzing the situation, but it's clear that the Q4 turnaround we'd hoped for did not materialize, and we're now headed into late winter on thin ice.

We value transparency, so this post is intended to be a heads up that our project is increasingly precarious. We'll share more information in January along with an outline of how we plan to address Firestorm's financial sustainability. In the meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and hope that you'll keep us in mind when you're buying books! ❤️‍🔥

#FeministBookstore #HurricaneHelene #FirestormCoop

Now that we're in the 2025 home stretch, our collective is shifting from retail hustle to reflection. This was a tough year, on lots of levels, but our public messaging has mostly focused on political concerns rather than the difficult financial position we've been in since Hurricane Helene.

Thanks to strong community support and a grant from the Southern Power Fund, our co-op started 2025 with what we thought was a generous buffer. But between Asheville's slow recovery and worsening conditions for low and middle income folks nationally, we're seeing sales far below those of previous years—and we've burned through our reserves trying to bridge the gap. Our collective is still analyzing the situation, but it's clear that the Q4 turnaround we'd hoped for did not materialize, and we're now headed into late winter on thin ice.

We value transparency, so this post is intended to be a heads up that our project is increasingly precarious. We'll share more information in January along with an outline of how we plan to address Firestorm's financial sustainability. In the meanwhile, we appreciate your continued support and hope that you'll keep us in mind when you're buying books! ❤️‍🔥

#FeministBookstore #HurricaneHelene #FirestormCoop

Did you know that in addition to books our co-op stocks tabletop games? 🎲

Selected with an eye toward social movement themes and cooperative elements, these games are the perfect for adding excitement to an evening with housemates, family, or an affinity group! We've also recently added two awesome roleplaying games to our lineup: "Coyote & Crow," a game set in an alternate future where colonization of the Americas never occurred, and "The Defenders Almanac," a rules-light RPG from the creators of the hit game Defenders of the Wild, where forest creatures fight back against the machines.

Find tabletop games available for in-store pickup or eligible for free shipping at https://firestorm.coop/catalog/type/236-tabletop-games.html.

#TableTopGames #CooperativeGames #FeministBookstore (- L)

We've gathered together some of your very favorite craftspeople for a two day Holiday Craft Pop-Up. You're welcome!

We accept that you can't gift every person you love a book for every holiday, every single year (we work at a bookstore, believe us, we've tried). Switch it up with a macabre mug or a delightfully nerdy bauble made of dice!

Each day of the pop-up includes a unique group of artisans with a wide variety of mediums, styles, and flavors. The event is a Palestine solidarity fundraiser, with a portion of proceeds going towards the Gaza Soup Kitchen.

Join us on Saturday, December 13th to delight in the wares of Cardamom Bakery, Savim, & Friends, Earth to Hands, Fig Crochets , Miles Madonna, Ruckus Ceramics, The Crows' Teeth, The Dicey Dungeon, and WNC Mask Bloc, and Woodberry Designs.

Then on Sunday peruse treasures from Al's Stained Glass, Finn and the Whale, GasStationVampire, HK Hotteok, Lucin Zac, Luzida.Art, Matilda's Menagerie, Polycreative Collective, Shop.Tamango, Turned Worm Studios, and VII Ceramics.

We'll see you there! 🎨🧶🫖💎🍪🧣

#QueerBookstore #CoopsNotCops #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (-Esmé)

‼️ We're extending our Indies First sale through today! ‼️

You can come by today to snag 15% off all non-discounted inventory — this includes books, stickers, shirts, prints, and more! And when you're a Firestorm sustainer that stacks to a whole 25% off. If you were shopping for say, a major gift giving holiday... to name a random example... that 25% really goes a long way 😉

If you're not interested in braving the cold today you can always shop online with the promo code INDIESFIRST. We'll even throw in some free goodies like a sticker and a zine with your order 🫶

#OnHaywoodRd #FeministBookstore #IndiesFirst #SmallBusinessSaturday #FirestormCoop

Friends, comrades, book lovers, this Saturday our co-op is joining the retail pandemonium to offer you discounts on books! That's right, books made of paper, filled with delightful stories and subversive ideas. Skip the mall, skip the big box store, and DEFINITELY skip the Am🤮zon Surveillance Mega Corp, because our team is out here slinging 15-25% discounts on almost everything we stock! How do you get the biggest discounts? We're offering 25% off to members of our sustainers program! Sign up before you shop using the link in our bio.

Have a family member who doesn't love to read? Even flawed people deserve gifts! Give them stickers, t-shirts, board games, art prints, or other unique items from our catalog. If you're shopping in person, our collective is happy to provide bespoke recommendations to help you find exactly what you're looking for. We know that braving the crowds can be exhausting, so hot beverages are on the house!

Indies First savings aren't just for the geographically privileged. Shop online with the promo code INDIESFIRST for the same great deal (minus the hot beverage, sorry). We love it when people choose to support us over corporate shit-peddlers and we'll show you our appreciation with free stickers, postcards, or radical literature in every package. Plus shipping is always free on orders of $50 or more! 💓

#OnHaywoodRd #FeministBookstore #IndiesFirst #SmallBusinessSaturday #AnticapitalistCapitalism #FirestormCoop

Ditch the cranberry sauce and get ready for gore! In dishonor of the Thanksgiving holiday, we're hosting a horror movie double feature fundraiser. All proceeds will support Indigenous anarchist political prisoner Oso Blanco, currently serving 55 years related to bank expropriations in support of the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico in the late 90s.

Suggested donation $5-20. Learn more about Oso Blanco at https://freeosoblanco.org.

#AntiColonialFilm #FeministBookstore #OsoBlanco #NoThanksNoGiving #FirestormCoop (- L)

Black Friday, hold the capitalism! 🙅

This year we're bringing back our Black Friday Book Swap, a chill, community-based alternative to the consumer chaos of retail's busiest weekend. Bring books you loved but are willing to part with, and take home something new! There's no limit on the number of books you can bring or take, just be considerate. You're also welcome to hang out and read, but dress warmly since the swap will be taking place on our patio!

Can I join if I don't have any books to bring?
Yes! No worries if you don't have any books you want to bring this time. Firestorm staff will also contribute from our collective's personal beloved book stacks.

Where is the book swap happening?
Come to Firestorm's patio where there will be cute tents and also ✨ free ✨ hot apple cider! Beware, books inside the bookstore are NOT part of the swap and sadly still subject to Commerce. But the point is, you DON'T have to spend money at the book swap!

#QueerBookstore #CoopsNotCops #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- Esmé)

One week from today Firestorm will be hosting @MsKellyMHayes in conversation with organizer Ash Williams to discuss the launch of "Read this When Things Fall Apart," a new publication of letters to activists and organizers on the frontlines in catastrophic times.

“If you need an antidote to despair, this book is for you. It’s a repository of fortifying collective wisdom, a tonic for our troubled times. The letters Kelly Hayes has collected offer vital insights amid the darkness, shrewd strategic advice for aspiring change-makers, and a reminder none of us are in the fight alone.”—Astra Taylor, co-author of "Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea"

Register for this online event, and find your copy of "Read This When Things Fall Apart," at https://firestorm.coop/events/3487-read-this-when-things-fall-apart.html

#Activism #MovementMemos #KellyHayes #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

On Saturday the 15th, Firestorm will be hosting a virtual book launch with activist Yavor Tarinski, whose new primer "Horizons of Direct Democracy" is out this month from On Our Own Authority! Yavor will appear alongside notable social-ecologist contributors Eleanor Finley and Modibo Kadalie for this panel facilitated by fellow author and frequent Firestorm collaborator Andrew Zonneveld. Don't miss it! 🌱🏴

"Horizons of Direct Democracy" is a short and accessible volume surveying the political thought of philosophers like Cornelius Castoriadis and CLR James while also dissecting real-world examples of direct democracy in action from the Baltic, to Latin America, Western Asia, and beyond.

Register for free and find your copy of "Horizons" at https://firestorm.coop/events/3491-horizons-of-direct-democracy-book-launch.html. Not able to make the event live? Sign up anyway and we'll send you the event recording to soak up at your leisure!

#DirectDemocracy #Anarchism #SocialEcology #HorizonsOfDirectDemocracy #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

The annual Firestorm Holiday Craft Market returns and we are now accepting vendor applications!

After a few wonky years (pandemics, hurricanes, and whatenot) we're excited to relaunch the holiday craft market! This year, the craft pop-up will include two dates: Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th from 11am to 4pm. If your application is accepted, we'll schedule you based on your preference.

This crafty market has always been a fantastic opportunity for our community to support makers who share their values. In lieu of a booth fee for this event, we're asking that vendors donate a percentage of sales to the Gaza Soup Kitchen. By connecting holiday shopping with Palestinian mutual aid, we hope to extend the narrow circle of care traditionally associated with this "gifting season."

If you're interested in peddling your wares for either date, please fill out this form by November 10th at midnight 🎨🖌️🧶

https://cloud.firestorm.coop/apps/forms/s/62nrsLaWA7NcBPeCF45NYdXZ

#QueerBookstore #CoopsNotCops #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (-Esmé)

This Sunday, in collaboration with friends at Asheville for Justice, we're hosting an event on mutual aid and women's liberation! Come learn about Rojava, the revolutionary autonomous zone in Northern Syria. We'll be screening "Berxwedan Jiyaneand / Resistance is Life" and "I Am the Revolution," two films about Rojava, alongside a virtual Q&A with Ruken and Sultan of The Foundation of Free Women in Syria (Weqfa Jina Azad a Sûrî) and Savushka of Kongra Star.

We'll learn as we listen to stories of organized resistance, mutual aid, and solidarity without borders!

#RojavaRevolution #KongraStar #RiseupForRojava #BijiYPJ #WomenOfRojava #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

This Sunday, in collaboration with friends at Asheville for Justice, we're hosting an event on mutual aid and women's liberation! Come learn about Rojava, the revolutionary autonomous zone in Northern Syria. We'll be screening "Berxwedan Jiyaneand / Resistance is Life" and "I Am the Revolution," two films about Rojava, alongside a virtual Q&A with Ruken and Sultan of The Foundation of Free Women in Syria (Weqfa Jina Azad a Sûrî) and Savushka of Kongra Star.

We'll learn as we listen to stories of organized resistance, mutual aid, and solidarity without borders!

#RojavaRevolution #KongraStar #RiseupForRojava #BijiYPJ #WomenOfRojava #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

Where do cops come from and why does the capitalist state need them? ❓🚓

On Tuesday the 28th, organizer and author brian bean will share reflections at Firestorm Books on the connection between policing and capitalism. Drawing from their new book "Their End Is Our Beginning," brian will trace the roots and development of policing through colonial rule, racist enslavement, and class oppression, concluding with an analysis of how police power can be challenged and, ultimately, abolished to build a thriving community-organized society!

Learn more and find your copy of brian's book at https://firestorm.coop/events/3462-their-end-is-our-beginning.html 🚫🚓

#AbolishThePolice #AbolishICE #Abolitionism #ACAB #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

This Wednesday, we'll be hosting anarchist writer @rechelon who has recently published a new book on the conflict between postmodernists and scientists in the the late 20th century. William will be joined in conversation by mathematical physicist @mmarcolli who has described the book as "a lucid and detailed analysis" of how left-leaning postmodernists gave birth to a fascist resurgence that's ensnared millions in an "alternative reality."

"Did The Science Wars Take Place?" returns to an infamous conflict across radical subcultural spaces and academia to examine its lingering influence on the Left and the Right today, with an eye towards what anarchists and activists can take away. Simultaneously a gossipy account of historical drama among radicals and a studious engagement within contemporary philosophy of science, it provides a discursive autopsy and political analysis that will surprise most readers.

You can register for this free event, and find your copy of "Did the Science Wars Take Place?", at https://firestorm.coop/events/3479-the-political-ethical-stakes-of-radical-realism.html. Not able to make the event live? Sign up anyway and we'll send you the recording to consume at your leisure!

#ScienceWars #Antifascist #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

This Monday, Firestorm is teaming up with scholar Zane McNeill for a conversation on the terrifying new wave of anti-transgender rhetoric and political persecution. Speaking with activists Eric King and Josh Davidson, co-editors of "Rattling the Cages: Oral Histories of North American Political Prisoners," we'll put this federal attack on trans rights in historical perspective—connecting it to repression during the Red Scare, the Lavender Scare, Black Liberation and Gay Rights Movements, the Green Scare, and solidarity with Palestine.

We'll also explore what we can learn from past struggles—how organizers not only survived but built movements under constant FBI surveillance—highlighting harm and risk reduction strategies that remain relevant today.

Find more and register to join this free event at https://firestorm.coop/events/3478-gender-terrorism-surviving-magas-war-on-trans-people.html. The recorded conversation will also be shared via our YouTube channel for folks who cannot join live!

#TransLiberation #TransRights #LavenderScare #NoTrumpNoKKKNoFascistUSA #WeKeepUsSafe #QueerSouth #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

After Hurricane Helene, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't go through another disaster without a battery backup for our rooftop solar. Thanks to the folks at Footprint Project, we're on track to install 20kWh of battery capacity for our building this month!

So now want to pay it forward. On Thursday, October 9th, we'll be donating net proceeds from all sales in-store and online to the Feral Crust Infoshop in Davao, Philippines. This longstanding eco-anarchist project is a living experiment based on principles of mutual aid, cooperation and ecology. So buy a book (or two) and the donated sale will help to fund upgrades to Feral Crust's off-grid electrical infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems!

https://firestorm.coop/catalog/new.html

#HurricaneHelene #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore #EcoAnarchism #Infoshop #FirestormCoop (- L)

After Hurricane Helene, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't go through another disaster without a battery backup for our rooftop solar. Thanks to the folks at Footprint Project, we're on track to install 20kWh of battery capacity for our building this month!

So now want to pay it forward. On Thursday, October 9th, we'll be donating net proceeds from all sales in-store and online to the Feral Crust Infoshop in Davao, Philippines. This longstanding eco-anarchist project is a living experiment based on principles of mutual aid, cooperation and ecology. So buy a book (or two) and the donated sale will help to fund upgrades to Feral Crust's off-grid electrical infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems!

https://firestorm.coop/catalog/new.html

#HurricaneHelene #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore #EcoAnarchism #Infoshop #FirestormCoop (- L)

After Hurricane Helene, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't go through another disaster without a battery backup for our rooftop solar. Thanks to the folks at Footprint Project, we're on track to install 20kWh of battery capacity for our building this month!

So now want to pay it forward. On Thursday, October 9th, we'll be donating net proceeds from all sales in-store and online to the Feral Crust Infoshop in Davao, Philippines. This longstanding eco-anarchist project is a living experiment based on principles of mutual aid, cooperation and ecology. So buy a book (or two) and the donated sale will help to fund upgrades to Feral Crust's off-grid electrical infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems!

https://firestorm.coop/catalog/new.html

#HurricaneHelene #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore #EcoAnarchism #Infoshop #FirestormCoop (- L)

After Hurricane Helene, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't go through another disaster without a battery backup for our rooftop solar. Thanks to the folks at Footprint Project, we're on track to install 20kWh of battery capacity for our building this month!

So now want to pay it forward. On Thursday, October 9th, we'll be donating net proceeds from all sales in-store and online to the Feral Crust Infoshop in Davao, Philippines. This longstanding eco-anarchist project is a living experiment based on principles of mutual aid, cooperation and ecology. So buy a book (or two) and the donated sale will help to fund upgrades to Feral Crust's off-grid electrical infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems!

https://firestorm.coop/catalog/new.html

#HurricaneHelene #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore #EcoAnarchism #Infoshop #FirestormCoop (- L)

After Hurricane Helene, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't go through another disaster without a battery backup for our rooftop solar. Thanks to the folks at Footprint Project, we're on track to install 20kWh of battery capacity for our building this month!

So now want to pay it forward. On Thursday, October 9th, we'll be donating net proceeds from all sales in-store and online to the Feral Crust Infoshop in Davao, Philippines. This longstanding eco-anarchist project is a living experiment based on principles of mutual aid, cooperation and ecology. So buy a book (or two) and the donated sale will help to fund upgrades to Feral Crust's off-grid electrical infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems!

https://firestorm.coop/catalog/new.html

#HurricaneHelene #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore #EcoAnarchism #Infoshop #FirestormCoop (- L)

For #BannedBooksWeek we're doing a limited run of shirts with one of our favorite designs of all time! The "Trash Fascism, Not Books" possum was created by artist Des Revol for our 2023/24 campaign to send thousands of banned books back to Florida kids. Since then, we've had so many people reach out asking for the image on stickers and apparel.

We hope that these shirts will also help to raise awareness for Des, who is facing years in prison and possible deportation over allegedly transporting "subversive" literature in his car. The fact that zines exactly like those you can can find at Firestorm (and countless other radical bookstores) are being used as evidence of criminality is a reminder that fascism isn't just coming for your TBR pile—it's coming for us all, unless we trash it! http://freedes.net

We're only taking shirt orders through Bonfire until Saturday, October 18th, so check out the full details at https://www.bonfire.com/store/firestorm 🔥

#TrashFascismNotBooks #ZinesAreNotACrime #FreeDesRevol #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

On Wednesday of next week, we're hosting a virtual conversation on the history of rebellion explored in the new book "Anarchy in the Big Easy." Author Max Cafard and illustrator Vulpes will be joined by artists Liz Lessner and Mat Keel to share their graphic account of the quest for freedom in radical and revolutionary New Orleans!

From maroon communities and labor militancy to jazz music and armed community defense, "Anarchy in the Big Easy" pairs the storytelling of a lifelong New Orleanian with the striking images of a comix artist based in the Gulf South.

Register for this free event and find your copy of "Anarchy in the Big Easy" at https://firestorm.coop/events/3460-revolutionary-new-orleans-a-conversation-with-max-cafard-and-vulpes.html. Not able to make the 7pm ET conversation? Sign up anyway and we'll send you a recording to enjoy at your leisure!

#GraphicHistory #NewOrleansHistory #NewOrleansBooks #AnarchistHistory #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

Next Tuesday, our collective will be hosting local forager and ethnobotanist Rebecca Beyer for the launch of her newest book, "The Complete Folk Herbal." Rebecca, who has been a longtime friend and collaborator of Firestorm, will offer a presentation on how plants can be used for medicine and the unique histories of these herbs!

"The Complete Folk Herbal" is a comprehensive guide to Western folk herbalism designed to help you work with the natural medicinal and healing powers of wild plants. With easy-to-implement practices that are grounded in sustainability, Rebecca demonstrates how to work with plants to soothe everyday pains, including headaches, burns, backaches, menstrual pain, itching, insomnia, fatigue, and dozens of other minor ailments and maladies.

No registration is required for this free event, which can be joined in-person or online via our YouTube channel. Copies of the book can be purchased at https://firestorm.coop/products/23219-the-complete-folk-herbal.html.

#FolkHerbalism #WildPlants #MedicinalForaging #AppalachianFolkMedicine #FeministBookstore #RebeccaBeyer #FirestormCoop (- L)

#TACOpedo has authorized #PeteKegsBreath to shoot-to-kill all #Portlandia extras and #FeministBookstore employees...

#FuckedCountry #CrushFascism

This weekend marks a year since Hurricane Helene poured into our mountains, creating both big C catastrophe and small C communism. To grapple with what we'd experienced, we created a Disaster Reading Group, initially focused on exploring Rebecca Solnit's "A Paradise Built In Hell." It was a wildly successful space, filling our bookstore to capacity for biweekly discussions. The group became a container for friendships forged in the chaos of last September alongside new relationships premised on a shared desire to process the worst, and hold onto the best, of the storm days.

Like other containers created for folks to find one another post-Helene, the reading group served as a launch pad for a multitude of organically organized activities, spaces, and dreams. In the new year, as we slipped from infrastructural crisis into political crisis, our group developed into a place to process the horror of watching fascism reassert itself within the US American body writ large, an anti-solidarity antithesis of what we'd co-created as storm survivors.

We know that Helene will continue to fall further behind us, with new storms looming. And while what we experienced will stay with us forever, it's time to wind down this particular space that was created for our grief and joy as survivors. The final reading cycle will, appropriately enough, return us to Helene and our own stories.

Whether or not you've attended in the past, you're invited to join on Monday, Oct 6th to discuss "Appalachia the Catastrophe," the final issue of the incredible Mergoat Magazine. Copies can be found at our shop or purchased through our website with a 10% discount using promo code BEHOLDEN. We'll be splitting the publication—replete with photos, poetry, art, and essays—into two sessions followed by a final potluck to send us off into the next adventure, no doubt full of both terror and unanticipated possibilities. We hope you can join us!

#HurricaneHelene #AshevilleStrong #MutualAidDisasterRelief #FeministBookstore (- L)

The anarchist bookfair is kicking off next week! 🏴 And while Firestorm isn't a primary venue this year, we are hosting a welcome table and the first session with local author Blu Buchanan!

Blu, who recently co-edited "Be Gay, Do Crime," an anthology from PM Press, will provide a short talk about the history of radical queer resistance and what it means for us in this particular historical moment. The presentation will be followed by a discussion of the communities boldly rising to challenge capitalism, white supremacy, and authoritarianism. This opening session will be followed by the bookfair's opening night potluck, so bring a dish if you're able (vegan and gluten-free preferred).

More information about our event with Blu and copies of the book can be found at https://firestorm.coop/events/3436-be-gay-do-crime-book-launch.html. Can't make the session in person? We'll be streaming it live on our YouTube channel (no registration required).

Additionally, don't miss PM Press's booth on Saturday alongside 30 other radical publishers and grassroots projects! Bookfair sessions, including numerous presentations related to mutual aid disaster relief and the anniversary of Hurricane Helene, will be running in other locations throughout the day and into Sunday. If you're looking for a chill activity, swing back by Firestorm on Sunday between 11am and 5pm for prison books packaging and political prisoner letter writing.

#BeGayDoCrime #QueerSouth #QueerLiberation #AnotherCarolinaAnarchistBookfair #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (- L)

At the end of the month Firestorm Books will be hosting journalist and former Black Panther JoNina Abron-Ervin for a virtual conversation with author Robyn Maynard! Together they'll be discussing the new and revised edition of JoNina's "Driven By the Movement," recently released by AK Press.

"Driven by the Movement: Reports from the Black Power Era" collects the stories of twenty ordinary people who did extraordinary things for the Black liberation struggle during the pivotal decade of 1965-1975. These activists came from across the US and all walks of life—single working mothers, clergy, students, teachers, military veterans—to organize against police brutality, poverty, hunger, substandard schools, and colonialism in Africa.

Register for free and find your copy of "Driven by the Movement" at https://firestorm.coop/events/3442-reports-from-the-black-power-era.html. Can't make the event live? Register anyway and we'll send you the recording to enjoy at your convenience.

#PeoplesHistory #BlackHistory #BlackPower #BlackPantherParty #FeministBookstore #JoNinaAbronErvin #FirestormCoop (- L)

Is the all-encompassing quest to become a self-sustaining artist worth the sacrifices it often requires? Is art enough?

At the end of the month, we'll wrestle with these questions alongside author and UNC-CH professor of creative nonfiction Stephanie Elizondo Griest, who will be sharing her latest book "Art Above Everything: One Woman's Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life."

Stephanie, whose books and journalistic writings have taken many awards, is a globetrotting author/activist originally from South Texas. In "Art Above Everything," she draws on interviews with over a hundred artists to offer a a sweeping exploration of the sacrifices women make to pursue their work across borders, disciplines, and decades.

Learn more and find copies of the book on our website at https://firestorm.coop/events/3410-art-above-everything.html

#WomenArtists #ProfessionalArtists #TheCreativeLife #ArtistsAroundTheWorld #FeministBookstore #AvlArt #ArtAboveEverything #FirestormCoop (- L)

Last year, the book club read & loved Lindsay King-Miller's zombie novel "The Z Word" which is what possessed us jump on this new work of queer exorcism horror. Gretchen Felker-Martin, author of "Manhunt" calls it "a brutal, brilliant story of motherhood, memory, and religion, deviously simple and terribly clever. King-Miller has become one of my must-read authors."

Each meeting of this book club is structured to encourage deep engagement with the themes of the text, as well as facilitate connection among the participants. If you are looking to meet other queer people and/or horror lovers this is the book club for you! This month, we will also be welcoming Lindsay King-Miller for a virtual Q&A for the second half of the book club discussion! So bring all of your questions, your musings, and your religious trauma 🙏

Use promo code YIKES to save 10% at checkout.

https://firestorm.coop/events/3446-skeletons-in-the-closet-queer-horror-book-club.html

#BookClub #QueerHorror #QueerBookstore #FeministBookstore #FirestormCoop (-Esmé)

On Wednesday, August 13th, Firestorm Books is teaming up with AK Press to host an online event with multidisciplinary artist Rasheedah Phillips, author of a radical new treatise on time, "Dismantling the Master's Clock." Rasheedah will be joined in conversation by geographer and Scalawag founding editor Danielle Purifoy!

In "Dismantling the Master's Clock: On Race, Space, and Time," Rasheedah Phillips unfolds the history of time and its legacy of racial oppression, from colonial exploration and the plantation system to the establishment of Daylight Savings. Yet Black communities have long subverted space-time through such tools of resistance as Juneteenth, tenant organizing, ritual, and time travel. What could Black liberation look like if the past were as changeable as the future?

Register for this free event and find your copy of the book at https://firestorm.coop/events/3429-dismantling-the-masters-clock.html. Can't make the conversation live? Sign up and we'll send you a recording to enjoy at your convenience!

#BlackQuantumFuturism #TemporalJustice #BlackSpeculativeFiction #Temporality #FeministBookstore #DismantlingTheMastersClock #FirestormCoop (- L)