Indie Spotlight: Fleeting Pages

Have you ever walked by the empty shell of what was once a gigantic corporate bookstore and thought "I should rent this space and fill it to the ceiling with independent literature" if for no other reason than the obvious symbolism?

Meet Fleeting Pages, an independent "popup book emporium", who is doing just that. Temporarily taking over a space in Pittsburgh, PA that was previously occupied by a big box bookseller, founder Jodi Morrison will be re-opening the doors for one month starting April 30th.

What can you expect to find at Fleeting Pages?

According to Jodi, she is not entirely sure yet! The challenge? Reaching out to publishers, authors, zine makers, and artists via email. The draw? "There's 24,000 sqft to fill and an opportunity to use a space that many didn't have access to before to show how diverse and how much indie work is out there".

In addition to books, Jodi plans to have workshops and group work stations as well as event spaces. She is currently working with people to design and build the floor layout.

When I asked Jodi where her interest in independent literature and fiction stemmed from, she said, "The way I learned about things that I was interested in was through zines and indie mags. I used to order records through the mail. I would participate in mail art projects. When I went to Boston for college, I was amazed by the work that was out there that I never knew about. The first indie book I bought was at a show. Some kid was walking around and trying to sell them. I can't remember his name. But I'll always remember the conversation with him about what it took for him to get it printed and all the people he's met traveling around with his friend's band to sell it."

If you are a publisher, author, or are otherwise indie-affiliated and are interested in partnering with Fleeting Pages, you can find contact information here.

Please help spread the word, and if you can make it out to Pittsburgh in May, be sure to swing in and show your support!

I think this quote, taken from fleetingpages.com, sums up this initiative quite nicely:

“It’s sort of an ode to the transformation of the publishing industry and a way to comment on the irony of the big box bookstore’s demise giving rise to the independent book creators and sellers who were pushed out by box stores.”