Fairies, dragons and sex: Mobile bookstore offers popular romantasy genre
Dragons, fairies and sex - all hot topics in today's literary market. Fantastical elements and steamy romance come together in the internet's favorite book genre, "romantasy." While local shops have been riding the wave for a few years now, a specialist has hit the scene. 518 Romantasy is a mobile book trailer that offers some of the buzziest contemporary titles, focusing on romance, fantasy and mysteries. Taylor Loccisano opened the truck this May and has been selling books at local markets and festivals since. Every Wednesday, she brings the truck to the North Greenbush town offices, where a bevy of food trucks set up and community members gather. Follow the store's Instagram, @518romantasy shop, to keep up with popup dates. "I am one of those people that kind of likes to escape. So fantasy is up my alley," said Loccisano. "The name kind of came about naturally... I came up with 518 Romantasy because I wanted it to be local and stay local." Loccisano had the trailer up and running in less than two months. She acquired the trailer in March, and with help from her welder husband, was open for business by May 5. When "Fourth Wing," now a fan favorite fantasy romance penned by Rebecca Yarros, was released in 2023, it sparked Loccisano's love of reading once again. Down the rabbit hole she fell, reaching for more trending series such as "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas. The trailer, about ten feet long, about 6 feet wide and hitched to a pickup truck, is cozy yet far-reaching, full of books that take you across this world and beyond. The romantasy genre is particularly popular among young women. 518 Romantasy celebrates being a space that women are drawn to, but everyone is embraced. "I feel like a lot of places aren't centered even a little bit towards women," said Loccisano. "I definitely see some boyfriends and husbands or even just partners in general coming in - most of the time they do wait outside, but it is a space for anyone. Yes, it might be a very lovely pink color and there might be some girly elements to it, but anybody is welcome." For those that don't like "spice," or, sex scenes that are at times graphic, cleaner and young adult options are plentiful too. The trailer walls are adorned with crafts made by local artists. Bookmarks, custom sticky notes to review books and stickers referencing some of Loccisano's favorite titles are all available for purchase. Loccisano, a chef by day, also curates "blind dates" with books. Meaning, she wraps books in paper and leaves just a few hints as to what they're about. The books are then paired with some extra goodies, such as paper and pens, to annotate the text. A mother of two, she offers children's books free of charge. Kids can get one book a week when visiting the trailer at any of its pop-up locations. "My kids' books are always free and will always be free... my main thing is I don't think children should have to pay for an imagination."
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