“Books are a great way to live a million different ways and also to exist in a million different places,” says Nirmaliz Colón, founder of Fable Books and Café.
The awe in her tone suggests a lifelong love of reading, of storytelling, of the escape a good book brings.
Hoping to read more than memes and emails this year? Consider these tips from Nirmaliz and DeAnna, founders of Fable Books and Café.
Recruit a buddy
Reading in tandem with a friend offers accountability without the pressure of a larger book club.
Reread a favorite
“If I’m in a slump, I reread a book that I know is a hit no matter what,” says Nirmaliz.
Turn TV into inspiration
Love police drama? Transported by historical fiction? Swooning for romantic comedy? Let your watchlist influence your next book selection.
Get out of the house
Find a location, such as Fable or a public library, that is free from the distractions of home or work.
Swear by sprints
“Devote a little bit at a time: One chapter, 5 or 10 minutes all adds up,” says DeAnna. “Set small attainable goals, then reward yourself with a walk or a TV show.”
“To be a teen again, unbothered in my room,” Nirmaliz says wistfully. “I was always reading. I was left alone; that time was sacred.”
Nirmaliz describes childhood Borders dates with her dad and attending Harry Potter midnight release parties with her parents — memories intertwined with her love of books.
“Then they left me alone to read all night long. It’s just something that has been ingrained in my being.”
Nirmaliz discovered a kindred spirit in DeAnna Kalk, her partner at Fable.
“A love of reading turned into a love of writing, and that’s actually how Nirmaliz and I connected,” says DeAnna.
While participating in an online writing workshop with participants across the country, DeAnna and Nirmaliz realized they lived within walking distance of each other in Fuquay-Varina.
“We became fast friends pretty quickly,” says DeAnna, describing frequent meetings at Fount Coffee + Kitchen in Morrisville to spend the day reading and writing.
According to Nirmaliz, it only took one text message between friends to launch the idea of Fable Books & Café.
“I texted DeAnna and said, ‘What do you think about opening a bookstore?’ and she was like, ‘Yeah, that would be fun.’” And off they went.
“We had to drive 30 minutes to get to Fount. There was no place like that in our area,” says DeAnna. The pair realized: “We could combine all of our favorite things — books, coffee, pastries, sandwiches — and make it a third space for the community where people could feel comfortable coming in and hanging out.”
Barely a year passed from its conception to the grand opening of Fable Books and Café, located in a refreshed old house on Raleigh Street, about a block behind Pimiento Tea Room in Holly Springs.
A wide front porch leads into the café area, brewing Counter Culture coffee and serving La Farm Bakery pastries and sandwiches. Wander through the house’s rooms — upstairs and down — for seating areas, book browsing, retail offerings, and a colorful children’s corner.
“Had we tried to do this somewhere else, it probably wouldn’t have happened as organically as it has. I think Holly Springs was really craving this kind of spot,” says DeAnna.
Add these selections from Fable’s literary experts to your reading list for the new year.
Literary Fiction
The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong
Horror
The Possession of Alba Díaz, Isabel Cañas
Sports
Masters of the Game, Sam Smith and Phill Jackson
History
Dark Renaissance, Stephen Greenblatt
Travel Memoir
Somebody is Walking on Your Grave, Mariana Enriquez
Memoir
A Man of Two Faces, Viet Thanh Nguyen
Fantasy
The Spellshop, Sarah Beth Durst
Literature in Translation
Human Acts, Han Kang
Young Adult Fantasy
A Fragile Enchantment, Allison Saft
This Dark Descent, Kalyn Josephson
Cruel Thirst, Angela Montoya
Young Adult Romance
You’ve Found Oliver, Dustin Thao
Middle Grade Fantasy
Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning, ND Stevenson
Middle Grade Friendship
Pocket Bear, Katherine Applegate
Picture Book
Zip Zap Wickety Wack, Matthew Diffee
Emmie, Marjorie Crosby-Fairall
“The vibe is chill. It’s always homey here. I’m never upset to be here, even when I’m stressed. Everyone is always welcome to stay for a while,” continues Nirmaliz.
The shelves are stocked with a carefully curated mix of genres and titles, including children’s picture books, middle-grade novels, literary fiction, nonfiction, manga, and more. Using industry knowledge, personal favorites, and customer requests, Nirmaliz and DeAnna continue to evolve the collection at Fable.
“What’s great about an independent bookstore versus a bigger retailer is it’s going to be tailored to the community and what that community wants to see on the shelves,” says DeAnna.
Positioning Fable as a hub not just for solo study and quiet reading but also for social connection has been a goal from the outset.
“We’re doing a bunch of different things to see what people like,” says Nirmaliz, listing off story time, book clubs, trivia nights, paint & sip parties, and yoga in the backyard. “And the fun part is a lot of them are hosted by our baristas.”
“We are consciously trying to come up with new things that people might do. That’s the community feel that we’re after. … People just want to hang out.”
The cozy home buzzed with activity on a Tuesday morning in November when the Main & Broad team visited. Toddlers and caregivers enjoyed story time in the colorful children’s corner, a family played cards upstairs, and numerous groups browsed and brunched in the café and retail areas.
“I think everyone’s heart is in creating this other space where you can be outside your home and outside your lives and just slow down for a little bit,” Nirmaliz says.
“We wanted Fable to be a magical experience where you feel transported somewhere else and relieve the stresses of the world,” adds DeAnna.
