the PREFACE
Hi! I’m Kristen Gasparino,
Owner of Book Affair & I’m so excited to share our events (affairs) with the Jacksonville community. As a former teacher, I’ve seen all kinds of incentives used to motivate students: treasure box, fun Friday, lunch bunch, and so many other daily pick-me ups. When I was feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, my sweet mom sent me a box filled with little individually wrapped gifts. She wrote a note stating that this was a “Teacher Treasure Box” and that I was to open a gift when feeling down. I immediately opened one to find a blue llama pen and tiny notebook. With tears in my eyes, I laughed at how these silly stationary supplies made me so happy. Opening these little gifts became my monthly self-care routine and got me through the rest of the school year. I started thinking about how I often put myself on the back burner and how this directly impacts my interaction with others. And as a self-proclaimed strong, independent woman, I decided to address that. |
Instead of waiting for others to encourage me, I decided to encourage myself. I set aside an allowance to buy a little something once a month that would boost my spirits. For me, there’s nothing better than a new book so I would often end up at bookstores around town. This commitment gave me the freedom to "treat myself" without feeling guilty. I began bringing friends along and we joked with our significant others that we were having a "book affair". We looked forward to these "affairs" every month. But as life went on, our busy schedules made our getaways less frequent and eventually canceled all together.
Then another thing happened.
I ran my school’s book fair.
“This is a happiness delivery service.” I thought.
How can I bottle up this feeling of joy & excitement and share it with grown-ups?
No bottles needed! Just a portable bookshelf and a little magic.
Book Affair brings the nostalgic experience of our childhood book fairs to everyday locations and offers accessibility to our books and self-care products.
I am thrilled to bring Book Affair to our community
& can’t wait to see you soon!
Then another thing happened.
I ran my school’s book fair.
“This is a happiness delivery service.” I thought.
How can I bottle up this feeling of joy & excitement and share it with grown-ups?
No bottles needed! Just a portable bookshelf and a little magic.
Book Affair brings the nostalgic experience of our childhood book fairs to everyday locations and offers accessibility to our books and self-care products.
I am thrilled to bring Book Affair to our community
& can’t wait to see you soon!