Jordan Tromblee (left) and Deezy Violet
Pride Month brought the opening of local LGBTQ-owned bookstore Novelette Booksellers. Owners Jordan Tromblee and Deezy Violet are delighted to set up their bright, colorful shop in the East Nashville community.
“We are children at heart in adult bodies, and we want to expand and keep that,” Tromblee says. “There’s this misconception that you have to grow up and become serious, and you can’t read books by YA authors. Or you have to read scholarly stuff, or there’s a pretense sometimes about books. We’re just like, ‘Books are fun! The best part about them is that they are a hobby, and they should bring you joy.’ That’s kind of what we hope the shop does.”
The two owners met at the popular East Side restaurant Butcher & Bee, and during an in-depth conversation about author Jeffrey Eugenides’ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Middlesex, they realized they had a lot in common. As their friendship formed and they continued to talk, they gained more awareness that bookstores are not always a safe place for everyone.
Tromblee remembers questioning her sexuality as a child and feeling embarrassed to talk about it with anyone, ultimately resorting to a Google search — “How do you know you’re gay?” As she planned to launch the store with Violet, she knew she wanted to provide representation for youths still figuring out their sexuality.
“I felt like as a young queer person, I didn’t have many places where I could come in and get resources for myself,” Tromblee says. “We want to have a space where you can come in and find the tools that you need for self-exploration. We have a lot of books on gender and queer identity, a lot of books on typical thinking and bodies that are underrepresented — and we just want to be accessible and not somewhere where you walk in and you’re afraid to say, ‘Hey, is there a book about this?’ ”
Informing the community that the bookstore is queer-owned was a decision made with purpose. Tromblee and Violet want to give children and young adults a haven if their mental health is at risk because of how society views their sexuality. Lawmakers in Tennessee have increasingly sought to pass anti-LGBTQ legislation, including banning LGBTQ-related instruction in schools, discouraging school staff from using gender-nonconforming students’ pronouns, and limiting trans student-athletes’ ability to participate in school sports.
Violet, who is one-half of indie-rock duo Sad Baxter, says Novelette aims to provide “resources to people who may be confused and worried about their mental health because there are still so many self-harm acts in the LGBT community. Suicide rates are higher. Hate crimes are high right now with trans care being debated [along] with [the reversal of] Roe v. Wade.”
The owners believe being open about their own sexuality will steer away close-minded people and let potential shoppers know that they won’t be selling books that discriminate against others. They won’t veer from their morals to sell books.
“We are in late-stage capitalism, and we don’t want to finance a bigot’s bank account [by selling their books],” Tromblee says. “If you’re queer, it is important that you don’t. There’s an element of safety here, and there is power in numbers.”
The shelves of Novelette are stocked with fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, sci-fi and graphic novels for all ages. In addition to sexuality and gender, topics include body positivity and neutrality, history, music and pop culture. The lineup of books is carefully curated with a diverse roster of authors.
When looking at what’s available already in Nashville bookstores and libraries, Violet and Tromblee saw a need for more books that tell stories with pictures. They’re passionate about placing graphic novels on their shelves as well.
“There are a lot of adults who still struggle with reading and struggle with reading English,” says Violet. “[And] there are a lot of heavy topics that are easily condensed into a graphic form for children to understand.”
Tromblee says of people learning to read: “Why shame someone? As long as they are looking at a story or hearing a story, their empathy is going to grow and they’re going to gain some perspective.”
The owners are committed to staying a safe place for the LGBTQ community and will operate the store according to their values. They say they won’t be surprised if some hateful comments come their way, but hope their journey will motivate other people who fear opening a business due to their sexuality.
“If we can walk so someone can run later, we have a social responsibility to do that,” Violet says. “I’m willing to do that. And if you know you have soft skin, expect to get your skin a little thicker.”
