MUNCIE, Ind. — In a little shop on High Street, books are more than pages and covers; they are stories. Ink Drinkers Anonymous is a local bookstore that works to bring under-represented authors to the front cover.
“My focus with the bookstore is diverse authors and stories,” explained owner Keeley Malone. “Inclusivity and diversity are really important to me because there is a lot of that lacking in the available books and literature that are out there. So I wanted to be a hub that provided that for the community.”
Growing up, Malone rarely read books with a character who looked like her. She wanted to create a space of inclusivity to show young people that they can be the hero in their own stories.
“So the first time that I read a book, other than the color purple, that the main character looked like me was probably in 2021 or 2022,” said Malone. “I was in my early to mid-20s, and there was this sense of euphoria in seeing and reading about a character that I could see myself in their place, that I could see myself playing that role."
Keeley feels it's important for other people to experience the joy of reading about and seeing someone who looks like them. In addition to sharing and selling books, Keeley also uses decorating to share the love of reading.
Even though they are moving to a new location, Ink Drinkers Anonymous will continue to work to represent all authors one page turn at a time.
Ink Drinkers Anonymous will close its current location on Dec. 20 but will reopen on Patterson Block on Jan. 4. If you want to visit them at their current location, you can visit their Facebook page to see any and all upcoming events.
Contact Abby Urban with comments at abigail.urban@bsu.edu.
