Author Archives: Nicole Barnett

Jan Kirchner

Jan Kirchner is a multi-genre indie author whose writing explores the emotional terrain between light and shadow. She is the author of several poetry collections, including Holes in Your Umbrella and Borderline, as well as novellas such as A Love Stolen in Time and A Book Club Survivor’s Guide. Her work often centers on themes of mental health, identity, longing, and the quiet power of everyday survival.

A lifelong writer and storyteller, Jan holds a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing and teaches college writing courses as an adjunct professor. She also runs a personal blog, Ghosts in the Glass, where she shares reflections on writing, life, and the ever-changing weather of the mind.

Whether she’s crafting poetry that speaks to emotional truth or suspenseful fiction with a twist, Jan is passionate about creating stories that resonate—and helping others feel a little less alone in the process.

When not writing, she spends her days in Illinois with her husband, a gecko, and a bearded dragon named Hermes. She is also a proud Avon representative.

Learn more about Jan at her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jankirchner

Jan’s books are now available at Rubber Rose!

AMIBA

AMIBA is building a strong Local Economy Movement through support, training, and advocacy nationwide.

We became a member of AMIBA in February of 2025 and have since participated in three campaigns: Choose Indie Sustainable, Choose Black-Owned & Choose Indie Pride Month. We are currently one of just two businesses in all of Illinois that are active members of AMIBA, so this membership means a lot to us!

We were proud to have been featured in multiple newsletters for our collaboration with Project Sun at their “Creating An Inclusive Community” event in May 2025.

Check out this article we were featured in:

https://chooseindielocal.substack.com/p/choose-black-owned-month

Audiobook Sale
Now through June 22, get two audiobooks for one credit during @librofm’s members-only, buy-one-get-one sale!
This is the perfect way to celebrate your love for reading and for independent bookshops like ours
Not a member? Start a new monthly membership using code SWITCH and you’ll get three audiobook credits to redeem from the start, plus the ability to shop the sale.*
Visit the link below to start shopping today!

Watercolor Bookmarks For Beginners – Fri, June 13th 6p-7p

We love partnering with local businesses, especially those in the arts! If you’ve never heard of Little Me Studio, then you’re in for a real treat 

Join us for a relaxing, beginner-friendly watercolor class where we’ll turn upcycled book pages into beautiful, handmade bookmarks!

This class is perfect for beginners—yes, even if you’ve never held a paintbrush or think you have zero artistic talent.

There’s no pressure, no judgment—just a fun evening of playing with watercolors, exploring creativity through trial and error, and making something uniquely yours.

You’ll leave with a one-of-a-kind bookmark and a reminder that art is meant to be fun, imperfect, and entirely within your reach.

The cost is $12 per participant.

Register at the link below

https://www.hisawyer.com/little-me-studio/schedules/activity-set/1471140?source=semesters

Everywhere Is Queer – Founding Supporter

Everywhere Is Queer is a public resource (and ever-growing searchable map!) created for the LGBTQIA2S+ and ally community to find welcoming, queer-owned spaces to shop, connect, eat, learn, and grow all over the world… even in your own neighborhood!

Your community is waiting for you just around the corner.

The Everywhere Is Queer App features 17,000+ queer-owned businesses of all shapes and sizes and growing. The EIQ app is constantly-updated allowing you to find queer-owned businesses wherever you are in the world. Plus a job board, connecting you with your next best job that sees you as your most authentic self! Download the QUEER BIZ MAP using the links below to start finding your next fav queer-owned spot!

IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/everywhere-is-queer/id6467166300

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everywhereisqueer.app&pli=1

We have been a Founding Supporter of Everywhere Is Queer since February 2024 and have contributed $663 to the organization to date.

 

Boozhoo Bindery – Indigenous Lit

Boozhoo Books is a publishing imprint dedicated to uplifting diverse voices.

Naomi @fromthemixedupdesk is an Indigenous book content creator who is passionate about championing underrepresented voices in literature. Boozhoo means “Hello” in Anishinaabemowin.

We love what Naomi does for the Indigenous community, so we became a subscriber to the Boozhoo Bindery at the Enemies to Lovers level. We have been a subscriber since November of 2024 and have contributed $108 to date.

Bindery is a membership platform for tastemakers of the book world to cultivate community, champion the authors and stories that matter to them, and earn a sustainable income doing so from the most passionate members of their audience. Tastemakers with larger communities, upon invitation, may open a publishing imprint that surfaces new books by authors their communities will love. Bindery partners with the tastemaker to design their imprint brand, solicit submissions, and manage editorial, design, printing, publicity, and distribution to everywhere books are sold.

Follow Noami on Instagram using the link below for the best Indigenous books recommendations:

https://www.instagram.com/fromthemixedupdesk/