We love to work with and support all types of creatives.
Events
What we do.
We host a variety of events at A Novel Idea, from author readings and signings to workshops to book clubs and story times. Some highlights include an original play, live music nights, and even a fully catered wedding. In our first five years, we held an astonishing 850+ events! 75% of which were free or suggested donation. We have numerous events that run monthly, such as our open mic and two book clubs. Our goal is to offer regular events to the community that are interesting and innovative. To stay up to date on A Novel Idea events, click on our calendar button below. If you’re interested in hosting an event, please reach out to us at events@anovelideaphilly.com.
Our books are currently closed to event requests. We will reopen sometime this fall for Winter 2024 events.
Upcoming Special Events
Tarot Readings with Christina (In-Person)
Our very own Christina Rosso-Schneider is reading tarot at the shop! Tarot is a vehicle for self-care, divination, and creative expression. Christina offers queer, sex, and death-positive readings.
Wednesdays, November 8th and 29th 5-7pm at A Novel Idea
$30 for 30 minutes
Christina Rosso-Schneider (she/they) is the author of Creole Conjure and She is a Beast. She co-owns A Novel Idea on Passyunk and teaches a variety of writing and occult-based classes through the bookstore. They have been exploring the witch path for nearly a decade and their witchy offerings focus on the intersection of magic and creativity.
5th Anniversary Celebration (In-Person)
Join us in celebrating our fifth anniversary!
A Novel Idea on Passyunk opened its doors on December 1st, 2018. After nearly closing our doors this past July, we are still here. This year in particular has been very hard for us, and we’re unsure of our future or longevity. But, at this moment, we are grateful to be your neighborhood bookstore, witch shop, and event space, and we’re going to celebrate!
We’re having a party! Join us on the evening of Friday, December 1st for community, cocktails, books, and tarot.
This is a one-night ticketed event, with two available 90-minute time slots starting at 5pm and 6:30pm.
We are offering two ticket options!
$30 includes 1 paperback and 1 cocktail
$45 includes 1 paperback, 1 cocktail, and a 10-minute flash tarot reading with Marguerite
This event is in partnership with our friends at Independent Spirits Distilling. They’ll be serving up the following: apple pie moonshine, hot mulled cider, and cranberry vodka. Mocktails will also be available!
Additional items will be available to purchase during the event.
Registration is required to attend. Grab your tickets while they last
Call You When I Land: An Evening with Nikki Vargas and Iesha Vincent (In-Person)
Join us for an evening with Nikki Vargas, author of Call You When I Land. Nikki will be in conversation with Iesha Vincent.
Tuesday, December 5th 6pm at A Novel Idea
*Suggested $5 Donation
About the Book
In Vargas’ compelling new memoir CALL YOU WHEN I LAND, the NYC-based travel writer, Colombian immigrant, and Fodor’s Travel senior editor takes readers around the world on this inspiring journey of love, loss, self-discovery, career evolution, and growth.
Calling off her wedding, quitting her job, and chasing her passion around the globe, CALL YOU WHEN I LAND follows Nikki’s coming-of-age story and the ups and downs that define a young woman navigating her twenties. Readers are transported to far-flung places like the wilds of Borneo, the river boats of India, and the plains of Africa—all in vivid detail. Between wanderlust and self-revelation, Nikki confronts unexpected twists and turns, from launching the first feminist travel publication, Unearth Women, to investigating a mysterious family murder in Colombia, to navigating new love and sordid affairs.
This beautifully crafted and bold memoir will inspire and uplift anyone who dares to dream and step beyond their comfort zone. Nikki Vargas shows us the power of trusting our inner voice and shaping our lives to resemble ourselves.
About the Speakers
Iesha Vincent (aka “Lesh”) is an African-American Philadelphia-based travel and lifestyle content creator & influencer who is very passionate in inspiring others to truly redefine what luxury means to the everyday modern woman. Within her content, she works to empower others to pursue their luxurious life & achieve what they value.
Originally from Colombia, Nikki is a Senior Editor at Fodor’s Travel, the Founder of Unearth Women, and a publisher author represented by the literary division of the Paradigm Talent Agency. Her first book, Wanderess, was published by Penguin Random House. and is a women’s travel guide brimming with expert-curated tips. Nikki’s next book, Call You When I Land, is a highly-anticipated travel memoir that will be published in November 2023 by HarperCollins. Nikki and her work have appeared in The New York Times, Good Morning America, CNN, Vogue Spain, and The Washington Post, while her bylines have been published in Cosmopolitan, Zagat, VICE, Food & Wine, Roads & Kingdoms, and more. As a public speaker, Nikki has spoken at the Women’s Travel Fest, Women in Travel Summit, Latino Travel Fest, and the Travel + Adventure Show.
Tarot Readings with Marguerite (In-Person)
Tarot is a window into the soul. Feeling Blocked?
Seeking Guidance? Tarot can help you find the way.
Book a reading with Marguerite Recupero in-person or via video chat.
$35 for 30 minutes.
Sunday, December 10th 12-3pm + Sunday, December 31st 11am-2pm at A Novel Idea on Passyunk
Marguerite is a Death Doula, Tarot Reader, and Writer. As an extension of her work with the Tarot, in 2021, she became a certified Death Doula through the Conscious Dying Institute. Her work with Death and Tarot is largely based in the Mundane as she seeks to destigmatize what is often seen as the mystical. She hosts a podcast, called Death Becomes Tarot, where she discusses each tarot card through this Mundane lens to help people deal with the Changes of Life. 2023 marks her ten-year anniversary of her Tarot Journey. For more information about her work, visit her website: wickedwitchywriter.com