Steal My Crawl: Kamelia DeSoucey
Need ideas for your crawl? We asked some folks to share how they participated last year, or what they’d like to do this year. Take inspiration or copy them outright–we won’t tell!
Kamelia DeSoucey, writer and photographer
Kamelia DeSoucey is a writer and photographer living in Tinton Falls, NJ. She is best known for her dark humored poetry, contributing to the anthology New Jersey Fan Club, and her photo project Humans of Asbury Park.
Kamelia’s 2025 Crawl, an argument for doing the bookstore crawl alone
Having friends who love books as much as I do is both a blessing and a curse. We recommend great books to each other, the ones that match our niche interests, share our dark humor, or make us nod along and cry because the author’s trauma speaks to some of our own. It is its own unique love language to say to someone, “I read this book and thought of you.” Having friends who are librarians and writers and organizers also means we get amazing events like the New Jersey Bookstore Crawl. The “curse” is that the magic of reading is that it’s a solitary activity. The whole point of reading is to leave the world of real people behind and quietly slip into another one, filled with characters who are speaking to you without knowing you are there. Books connect us but also give us an opportunity to sit with ourselves: alone, but not lonely.
Last year, I decided I would do the New Jersey Bookstore Crawl, and pay particular attention to how it felt, almost like a social experiment. I decided it would be a date I took myself on. I gave myself the same budget I would spend if I was planning a special day for my husband. I had been feeling really burnt out from work and was constantly fighting self-inflicted feelings of guilt over spending money on myself. I decided this day would be my treat, the ultimate form of self care.
I started my morning by dressing up all cute, but comfortable. The key to this day would be sneakers so I could navigate the crowds of other book lovers without getting fatigued. I looked at the map and made a plan of attack. I didn’t want to be overly ambitious and then feel disappointed in my self for not accomplishing my goal (another flaw of mine), so I picked four stops, all fairly local to me.
I wanted to take my time at each bookstore, allowing myself to peruse leisurely—a luxury I could afford since I didn’t have anyone waiting on me. I wanted to chat with the store owners if possible, to tell them how much they matter. Some small local bookstores are dying out with Amazon and other online booksellers taking up large profits and rents becoming too expensive for physical locations. But if there’s one thing I know about bookstore owners, its that they keep going for the love of the books and community. This would be a great opportunity to express to them through my words and wallet how much their dedication means to us.
But first, I had to start my morning getting coffee from my favorite local coffee shop in Asbury Park, Cafe Volan. Iced coffee in hand, I ran across the street to Cardinal Provisions for the ultimate indulgence—a box of flaky, creamy, crumbly pastries that would sustain me through the crawl and the hunger that comes with book shopping. Picture it: just me alone in my car, with the windows rolled down blasting nostalgic early aughts emo music, eating my cardamom miso-glazed cinnamon bun, licking icing off my fingers and sipping on my cold brew with zero obligations or inhibitions. Best morning ever, and I hadn’t even hit a bookstore yet!
Naturally my first stop was Asbury Book Cooperative, MY local bookstore, which was packed with people on the crawl. I write poetry and have an extensive collection of poetry books but am always looking to discover new writers. Luckily for me, the lovely people at ABC recommended Soft Science by Fanny Choi. Book one and store one down. My next stop was Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake. They had just recently moved to a new, bigger location and the store was gorgeous and very busy. Author Lindsey Carver was there signing books so of course I had to snag a copy of Juliet was Wrong, set in Point Pleasant. Book two and store two down. Next up, I made my way to where the adorable Between the Covers mobile bookstore was parked. I really enjoy a wide variety of genres when it comes to reading, so I was drawn to the dystopian fantasy book Babel by R.F. Kuang. Book three and store three down. My final stop was Booktowne in Manasquan where I almost got a ticket for making an illegal U-turn to snag a spot on very busy Main Street. I was able to sweet-talk the cop into just giving me a warning by telling him all about the book crawl. He either thought I was crazy or charming, but either way it worked, and I made my way into the store sans ticket. It was packed! I picked up a nice summer read by Pamela Kelley titled The Nantucket Restaurant. Book four and store four done!
I got myself a delicious sandwich from a local restaurant Town Grill to celebrate hitting my goal and wrap up my day. I had lots of observations, about the book crawl and also about myself. At every location, so many people were getting their crawl guide marked, and I was running into the same book lovers at different locations. It felt really special to be a part of this massive community supporting local small businesses. There was camaraderie between strangers talking to each other about their favorite books and making recommendations. The store owners all seemed overwhelmed with gratitude at the large turnouts and were doing their best to interact with each person.
What I learned about myself on that day was that I need more self-care days, I can be extroverted while still enjoying activities I do alone, I am much more intentional with book selections when I am alone and not feeling rushed, and that I can really never have enough books. I stayed within budget but could have bought a million more books and still not satisfied that itch, which is a good thing.
So I am here making this argument for doing the New Jersey Bookstore Crawl alone. Maybe pick one location or a pit stop for lunch to meet up with friends along the way. But also browse through a store alone, giving yourself no time limit. Run your hands along the shelves, crack open a hardcover and take a whiff of that new book smell, and let yourself be overwhelmed by the gorgeous covers and the energy of the people around perusing them. Remember that it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of a community of people who relish in the solitude of a good book, alone together.
Kamelia’s 2026 Crawl
Last year I only hit four bookstores, this year my goal is a very ambitious eight. In an ideal world, I'd hit local cafes/restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in between bookstores. I'd love an unlimited budget but realistically will to limit myself to one book per store (I've been saving up for this!)
Kamelia’s shopping list
I'm hoping to find new authors I've never heard of!
A favorite bookstores outside of NJ: Autumn Leaves Books in Ithaca NY is incredible! Extra shoutout for their entire section on Anarchism.
Fav bookstore merch: My leather engraved magnetic book markers.
A bookstore I’d like to visit: Bart’s Books in Ojai.
I read best: on the couch with a blanket by a big window, with no distractions.