Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair Is Strictly for Adults

There’s nothing quite like it. The clank of coins and the feel of dollars crunching in your pocket. The hurried rush to line up straight, followed by a hushed stroll down the hall. It’s the most magical time of the school year. It’s Scholastic Book Fair time.

“Everybody has that story of they walked in and they just got to see all of the rows of books,” Richardson-based romance author Rachel Lewis says.

For bibliophiles, some of their fondest childhood memories are at their school’s book fair. The excitement mounted as you circled your soon-to-be haul from the catalogue and begged your parents for overpriced invisible pens, snazzy bookmarks and need-to-have hand pointers.

Dallas adults can revive that rush, thanks to Lewis.

Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair will hold its second adult book fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, at White Rock Brewing Company, 2477 N. Beckley Ave.

“It's just a lot of my favorite things all put together,” Lewis says.

Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair will present 10 local adult authors spanning the romance, fantasy, nonfiction and horror genres, their adult-intended books and other bookish vendors. Expect great reads, book-related merch and novel-inspired cocktails.

“I wanted it to be focused on grown ups and focused on adults because there are all these things for our kids, and there's just so much available for them that you want to have some fun things that you can do,” the book fair founder says.

Lewis is well primed in all things books and all things book fair. Ten years in education as a teacher, librarian and reading specialist gave her first-hand knowledge of the ins and outs of managing a children’s book fair. Get Lit is fueled by her own passion for books through an adult lens.

“Physical books are my trophies,” she shares. Her collection is filled with special editions, pretty covers and deckled edges. Her Kindle is also a workhorse.

The book fair organizer is the co-host of Dallas-based podcast “Welcome to the Smut Show.” Her self-published debut romance novel – the first in a series – was released in May. Yours, Unexpectedly is loosely based on Lewis’ relationship with her husband, she says. Her latest release, a holiday romance novella titled Merrily Yours, follows the Bardot siblings from her debut.

Over the last few years, she’s been an insider in the ever-growing book renaissance in Dallas and beyond.

Whose Books helped to transformed Oak Cliff’s former book desert into something bountiful. Dallas’ first romance-only bookstore, Blush Bookstore, opened in Bishop Arts this fall. The Plot Twist romance bookbar is set to open early next year in Denton. Even big box stores might be coming back. Barnes and Noble recently dodged bankruptcy, opening 60 new stores this year including one in Allen’s Watters Creek Village, according to Publishers Weekly.

“It's becoming cool again,” Lewis says before a chuckle. “Well, I don't know if it ever was not cool in my opinion.”

Get Lit debuted on Oct. 13 at Lockwood Distilling Co. The adult book fair’s Facebook event garnered over 10,000 interest impressions and 50 different author and vendor applications. It was euphoric madness set aflame by a search for fellowship, Lewis recalls.

“Coming from post-COVID life where, you really couldn't interact with people and so now it's like, ‘How can I find my people that enjoy the things that I enjoy,’” she says.

The author-focused book fair is a community incubator for both readers and writers.

“As writers, it's a very isolating career,” Lewis shares. “You don't really get to interact. You don't have a lot of co-workers, right? But it's almost like these local authors are like our local co-workers. We get to meet people that have read our books, or want to read our books.”

For readers, it’s a hyper-local event to discover new-to-me authors and connect with like-minded book lovers outside of Goodreads and social media.

“I always love just talking books, period,” Lewis says. “I don't even care if you've read my book, let's talk. ‘Do you like romance books?’ Let's have a moment. Like, what have you been reading?”

Small town romance specialist Amber Bynum, paranormal romance author Aimee Vance, Mad World saga writer Brandon T. Bernard and the swoony Baleigh Jayne, who just debuted Tied Together, will be onsite. Featured authors will be selling copies of their books.

Vendors include Hispanic-author-focused romance book subscription Yo Leo Sola Book Box, Fused Jewelry Bar and Book Beau book sleeves.

White Rock Brewing Company will feature the Gin Austen, a gin- and Prosecco-based cocktail, for the event.

On top of all this, the Yours, Unexpectedly author will sign copies of her books from 6 to  8 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Barnes and Noble in Richardson.

Lewis has two adult book fairs on the calendar for next year. She plans to host them quarterly. “People are wanting to find book people and wanting to meet with book people,” Lewis says.

Interested authors, vendors, hosting sites and attendees can follow Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair on Instagram for updates.