iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Amidst escalating fascism and horror, the books we have been reading for the Strength in Community Book Club have been a particular life line. These books point to nature and the wisdom of our ancestors as a guide, and hope, creativity and imagination as key tools in the dreaming of a new world.

Theo a brown dog swims with the words books keeping me afloat and photos of the covers of Theory of Water by Leanne Betasmosake Simpson
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Undrowned by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba
We Are the Middle of Forever
Practicing New Worlds by Andrea J Ritchie
Loving Corrections by adrienne maree brown

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

These books are full of the tools we need to build a better future. We have to imagine another, better future to start building it. Our ancestors did this for us, and now we do it for the next 7 generations.

The words “this country was never for us. Let’s dream something better” and Black Walnut Books queer and Native owned on a green background with a red poppy, green sage and purple lavender drawings.

The words “tools for dreaming” and Black Walnut Books queer and Native owned on a green background with a red poppy, green sage and purple lavender drawings. Images of the book covers of undrowned, let this radicalize you, practicing new worlds, theory of water, fables and spells, love after the end, our history is the future, a darker wilderness, mouths of rain and surviving the future are in the center.

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Kimberly Davis Basso @kdbwrites.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Bookmail from @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social The Art Thieves by @andrealrogers.bsky.social Mapping the Interior by @sgj.bsky.social Can’t wait! 🖤

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Independent Bookstore Day is 4/26✨ Celebrate with us from 10-6pm! Buy a tote at Black Walnut Books and everything you can fit inside it is 20% off📚 Make a day of it and do a little bookstore tour! There are 4 incredible bookstores to explore in The Shirt Factory and many more in the Capital Region💕

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Rachel @villagebooksmith.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Somehow wanted to do three book clubs this month thanks to @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social having some excellent picks, and finished two out of three, fruiting bodies is the third and I’m starting it today!

Cover of the book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Cover of the book What My Bones Know, a memoir of healing from complex trauma by Stephanie Foo

Cover of the book Fruiting Bodies by Kathryn Harlan

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Today is We Need Diverse Books Day! I started Black Walnut Books because I deeply believe in the importance of diverse books & diverse voices. Everyone deserves to see themselves in literature, and it is a delight to be able to read about people like you and people completely different than you.

Hillary wearing a striped turtleneck and a gray cardigan with blueberry earrings holding up a rainbow stack of the following books: God Isn’t Here Today, She Who Became the Sun, How Long Til Black Future Month, The Thick and the Lean, The Magic Fish, Pleasure Activism, Venco, Water Moon, The White Guy Dies First, Deja Brew and A Shadow Crown. Behind her is a large pothos plant, a black hutch with books displayed and a rainbow painted on a white wall.

A graphic with the words We need diverse books day April 3rd 2025 in colorful letters in the shy above a group of people reading books in a field.

A graphic with the words what is We need diverse books day April 3rd 2025 in colorful letters in the sky above a group of people reading books in a field. In smaller font it says to celebrate a decade of work WNDB is launching we need diverse books day, to be celebrated on April 3rd. This holiday is intended to highlight the importance of reading books that reflect our beautifully diverse world.

A graphic with the words how to celebrate We need diverse books day in colorful letters in the shy above a group of people reading books in a field. In smaller black font it says in bullet points: read diverse books, share reviews and lists of diverse books, join a Black Walnut Books book club, or subscription box, follow we need diverse books, check out diverse books from your library or local, diverse focused indie bookstore like black Walnut Books.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Doechii the Don, Doechii the dean, Doechii supreme was awarded the Outstanding Music Artist award at the GLAAD Media Awards! I am so happy to see bi rep so loud and proud, so I did what I do best and made a reading list about it. All of these are available on my bookshop page ✨🐊✨

A photo of Doechii smiling with her tongue out with the words Bisexuals RISE. Underneath in white text are the words Reading List Black Walnut Books Native & Queer Owned. There are hot pink bars on the left and right of the photo.

A photo of Doechii smiling with her tongue out with the words Bisexuals RISE and the covers of the following books: The Essential June Jordan, Greedy, Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution, Bi, It Ain’t Over Til the Bisexual Speaks, Dear Bi Men and Wow No Thank You. At the bottom are the words Black Walnut Books Native & Queer Owned. The background is purple and there is a white line drawing of an alligator at the top right.

A photo of Doechii smiling with her tongue out with the words Bisexuals RISE and the covers of the following books: You Exist Too Much, Monstrilio, Detransition Baby, Futbolista, Bog Swiss, Exciting Times and How to Find a Princess. At the bottom are the words Black Walnut Books Native & Queer Owned. The background is blue and there is a white line drawing of an alligator at the top right.

A photo of Doechii smiling with her tongue out with the words Bisexuals RISE and the words “We are not going anywhere” -Doechii and Black Walnut Books Native & Queer Owned. The background is bands of pink, purple and blue and there is a white line drawing of an alligator at the mid right.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

The Trans Rights Readathon starts tomorrow and goes until 3/31. Join me in reading and celebrating trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming voices. The readathon is about spreading joy and awareness, raising funds and for standing in solidarity. bookshop.org/lists/trans-...

The words Trans Rights Readathon March 21-31 Black Walnut books Native & Queer Owned and “The Trans Rights Readathon is an annual call to action to readers and book lovers in support of Trans Day of Visibility on March 31st. We are calling on the reader community to read and uplift books written by and/or featuring trans, nonbinary, 2Spirit, and gender-nonconforming authors and characters” on a background of pink clouds in a light blue sky.

The words Trans Rights Readathon March 21-31 Black Walnut books Native & Queer Owned Recommended Reading on a background of pink clouds in a light blue sky with the covers of the following books: Docile, Detransition Baby, Light form Uncommon Stars, Future Feeling, Your Body is Not Your Body, Triple Sec, The Tensorate Series, Even Though I Knew the End, Godly Heathens, Transmogrify, Chromatic Fantasy, The Palace of Eros, The Subtweet, Key Lime Sky and The Pairing.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

If you want to read more books by Indigenous authors, join the Indigenous and Lit Book Club! We meet online once a month to discuss books by contemporary Indigenous authors. Each discussion is led by Hillary, a member of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians and owner of Black Walnut Books.

A graphic that has a holographic purple and blue background with the text Black Walnut Books Indigenous and Lit March Discussion The Sky Was Once a dark blanket by kinsale drake Sunday March 16 at 12:30 on discord a native a queer owned bookstore in white. There is a picture of the author looking over her shoulder next to the cover of the book, which is pink with a desert scent illustration.

A purple slide with photos of the covers of blood sisters by Vanessa Lillie Teeth by Dallas Hunt the Sky was once a dark blanket
By kinsale drake moon of the crusted snow by waubgeshig rice a more tolerable body by jaye simpson theory of water by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson swim home to the vanished by Brendan Shay Basham we can never leave by HE Edgmon soft as bones by Chyana marie sage Venco by Cherie dimaline by the fire we carry by Rebecca nagle and indiginerds edited by Alina Pete behind the words black walnut books 2025 Indigenous & lit Native and queer owned in white.

A graphic that has a holographic purple and blue background with the text Black Walnut Books Indigenous and Lit a native a queer owned bookstore in white. Underneath there are the words April, May and June. Underneath each month is a book cover and author photo (moon of the crusted snow, a body more tolerable a George of water respectively).

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Today is International Women’s Day & I wanted to share a stack of a handful of my favorite books by women. Just a reminder: if your feminism is only for white, straight, cis women, it’s not feminism it’s fascism. I encourage you to read as intersectionally as possible, you’ll thank me I promise!

A stack of the following books: Falling Back in Love with Being Human by Kai Cheng Thom
I’m Afread of Men by Vivek Shraya
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
Tauhou by Kōutku Titihuia Nuttall
God Isn’t Here Today by Francine Cunningham
My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi
Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Sky Was Once a Dark Blanket by Kinsale Drake
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers
Four Faces of the Moon by Amanda Strong on a wooden surface in front of a pink and white wall with floating bookshelves.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Celebrating 2 years of the bookstore being open with a delicious glass of wine from my trip back to California and my first ever bookshop ebook! Indie bookstores being able to sell ebooks has been in the works for such an incredibly long time, this feels like such a triumph!

An iPad with the cover of Legendborn by Tracy Deon on the screen on a table with a bottle of wine from Mercury and a glass of wine. There is a piano in the background with cards, plants and photos on it.

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d h @deeholloway.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

bookstore? more like bookSCORE. goodies from @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social scooped last night.

a hand holding the books Fix Your Clothes by Raleigh Briggs and Witchbody by Sabrina Scott.

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Shea Sullivan @sheasullivan.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Whew! The book expo was quite… inspiring! I had preordered about half of these and the rest were irresistible. Had a great time chatting with authors and readers. ❤️ Really loving The Shirt Factory and @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social

A pile of books with the spines showing: Dead Collections by Issac Fellman; The Street Rat’s Guide to Spells and Royalty by LR Weltmann; Do You Dare? By Tamani Wooley; Silk & Steel edited by Janine A Southard; Bad Cree by Jessica Johns; The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava; Daydreamer by Rob Cameron; Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell; When Stars Have Teeth by Dani Trujillo; Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline; Strike Three: You’re in Love by Anna Denisch

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

We have three Black Walnut Books subscription boxes that coincide with three of our book clubs. They are $20 per month and include the current book club read and a little gift. These boxes quite literally keep the store going & help you decolonize your reading. They are available on our website.

The words Black Walnut Books Subscription Boxes Indigenous and Lit Queer Books Strength in Community Decolonize your shelf support a native owned bookstore $20 per month in white font on a colorful blurred background with flowers.

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Kelly Lynne D’Angelo ✨ @kellylynnedang.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Native people will NEVER stop fighting for our future - and yours. As long as the tree stands, as long as the fish swim, as long as the bear climbs. We are *here* protecting & fighting for each and every one of you, even with the harm your ancestors did or even you do - consciously or unconsciously.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

It’s exciting (and high time) that major publishers are publishing romance by Native authors. If you’d like to read Native romance, while supporting a Native owned store, & send a message to publishers that we want more of this, pre-order Love is a War Song from me here: bookshop.org/lists/exciti...

A hand holding up Love is a War Song by Danica Nava, which had a teal cover with two people laying on their backs looking at each other with one holding a cowboy hat and the other holding a guitar. Behind the book there are bookshelves with books by Indigenous authors. You can see The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava and Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie faced out.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

The Strength in Community Book Club meets monthly on Sunday evenings online to discuss books that look to Indigenous & Black authors for topics of community building, reciprocity, mutual aid, abolition, resistance & intentionality. www.blackwalnutbookshop.com/book-clubs

Black Walnut Books Strength in Community Book Club in white font on a pink and blue gradient background with white triangles framing on the top and bottom.

The words The Strength in Community Book Club will meet monthly on Sunday evenings online to discuss books that look to Indigenous and Black authors for topics of community building, reciprocity, mutual aid, abolition, resistance and intentionality in white font on a pink and blue gradient background.

The words 3/2 @ 5pm EST The Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Pauline Gumbs

4/6 @ 5pm EST The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

5/11 @ 5pm EST Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Mariame Kaba Kelly E. Hayes in white font on a pink and blue gradient background next to an image of the cover of each book. Undrowned is teal with yellow and white writing. The serviceberry is tan with a bird and branch on the cover. Let athis Radicalize You is yellow and orange with blue font and the silhouettes of people in blue at the bottom.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Here are some books by Black authors that I love and think everyone should read. They are listed in the comments and on my bookshop page, where you can order any of them from me. Have you read any of these?

The text Books by Black Authors You Should Read in neon green on a lilac purple gradient background with the words Black Walnut Books in small back font at the bottom. There are small white stars throughout.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

The Indigenous and Lit Book Club reads a book by a contemporary Indigenous author each month. Our next pick is An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States. You can sign up to join the discussion or for more info on our website.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

I absolutely loved this book! It is an epic tale of a demon’s love of her city in a tiny little package. There are so many little details in this book that make it like a little jewel box of magic and fantasy. I don’t often revisit books, but this one might be an annual reread.

The books The City in Glass, which has a green archway with two statues on either side in the foreground and a city on fire with a reflection of the city not on fire in the background, being held on a white blanket next to a black and white plate with a pink macaron with red spots. In the background there is a brown dog, a black and white dog and a back cat.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

I’m starting a new book club! The Strength in Community Book Club will meet on Sunday evenings online to discuss books that look to Indigenous and Black authors for topics of community building, reciprocity, mutual aid, abolition, resistance and intentionality. You can sign up on my website.

Hillary wearing a green hoodie and a yellow and maroon bandana holding up the books The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a tan book with a bird and plants on the cover, and Undrowned, a turquoise book with yellow font and 3 dolphins in a circle on the cover. Behind her is a pink wall, bookshelves and cork boards.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

We’re hosting a bunch of awesome events in February! We try to have a good mix of virtual and in person events to cultivate community wherever you may be 🌈📖💕

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Sneak peak of our new *giant* tote bags. Charlie inspected and approved! #bookstoredog #decolonize #bookstore #nativeowned

Charlie, a black and white border collie blue heeler mix sits with a big open mouthed smile behind a white tote bag with a black raven and the words Black Walnut Books Decolonize Your Shelf Queer and Native Owned Glens Falls New York written in black swirly font.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Taiwan Travelogue is our current queer book club pick & I am absolutely loving it. Charlie, Theo & Nellie are loving a good snuggle session. If you’d like to join the discussion, we meet once a month on discord & you can sign up on my website 🌈📖 #booksky #queer #bookclub @graywolfpress.bsky.social

The book Taiwan Travelogue in the foreground on a white blanket with a black and white heeler border collie mix dog, a brown dog with one floppy ear and one upright ear and a fluffy tortoiseshell cat sitting in a row in the background. The book is a collage of red and orange colorful borders, a black and white photograph and a train window inside of which as a ceramic bowl.

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

The bookstore pups Charlie and Theo helped with a book donation pick up tonight. They have many skills and book hauling is just one of them! #booksky #bookstoredog

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Rob Costello @cloudbusterrob.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

An excellent follow for queer book lovers (and writers)!

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Sarah (AKA Serrano) @solson5212.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

I adore this bookstore and suggest joining!

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unforth | Claire Houck | Duck Prints Press @duckprintspress.com · 26/01/2025

ahhh one of my favorite book stores (and the first brick-and-mortar bookstore to ever carry our books!) has joined Bluesky! Ya'll, give Black Walnut Books a warm welcome please and thank you! They're in Glens Falls, New York.

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kacey should be writing @kaceychili.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

This year I am doing the #DecolonizeYourShelf2025 challenge set by @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social and already got no.1 ticked off thanks to the Never Whistle At Night anthology

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Got some super exciting arcs from Indigenous authors yesterday! You can preorder either here: bookshop.org/lists/exciti... #booksky #NativeSky

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

2025 Decolonize Your Shelf Reading Challenge Read 20 Books by Indigenous, Queer & BIPOC Authors Use the #decolonizeyourshelf2025 hashtag & tag Black Walnut Books in your posts and stories. The challenge is also on Storygraph here: app.thestorygraph.com/reading_chal...

2025 Decolonize Your Shelf Reading Challenge in white front surrounded by a border of flowers, butterflies and bees on a rainbow background.

Read 20 Books by Indigenous, Queer & BIPOC Authors in white front surrounded by a border of flowers, butterflies and bees on a rainbow background.

1. AN ANTHOLOGY
2. A GRAPHIC NONFICTION
3. A POETRY COLLECTION
4. A PALESTINIAN AUTHOR
5. A NONFICTION CHILDREN’S BOOK
6. A NONBINARY OR TRANS AUTHOR
7. A BANNED BOOK
8. AN INDIGIQUEER AUTHOR
9. A SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOK
10. A SMALL PRESS BOOK
in white front surrounded by a border of flowers, butterflies and bees on a rainbow background.

11. A BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2025
12. A YOUNG ADULT BOOK
13. A MYSTERY OR THRILLER
14. A BOOK PUBLISHED BEFORE 2000
15. A TRANSLATED BOOK
16. A HISTORY BOOK
17. A BOOK WITH AN ASEXUAL M.C.
18. A BOOK FROM DEEP IN YOUR TBR
19. A HORROR BOOK
20. THE START OF A SERIES
in white front surrounded by a border of flowers, butterflies and bees on a rainbow background.

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Shane Hawk @shanehawk.com · 26/01/2025

I’ve compiled a NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT starter pack which includes the contributors who have a Bluesky account so far. 🙂 go.bsky.app/9zoBpYS

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Today I got a visit from the wonderful folks from @possible-futures.bsky.social 💕 one of my favorite parts of being a bookseller is connecting with other awesome book people!

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

I have made a Black Walnut Books Discord server! It will be the new home for my virtual book club discussions. I also made a virtual bulletin board and a few channels to share resources and recommendations. Please join the Discord community! Here is a link: discord.gg/MvmjhyVbTA

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Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Hi I’m Hillary and I own Black Walnut Books. I’m Southern Pomo and Coastal Miwok and am a member of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians. I created Black Walnut Books to lift up the voices of Indigenous, BIPOC & queer authors.

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