Literary Profiles #1: Get To Know Kate From Thunder Road Books

Kate, general manager of Thunder Road Books shares about her store, the books that sold the best in 2023, her favorite book of all time, & much more

Hi Readers!

I’m so excited to share the first issue of my series Literary Profiles with you! This new series is something I’m super excited about and allows me to lean into my curiosity about people and their reading lives. This will be a curated Q & A with someone (think booksellers/managers, bookstagrammers, librarians, authors, other Substackers, etc) from the book world and will explore how they read, what they read, and much more. Today, I’m honored that Kate, the general manager from Thunder Road Books, has allowed us an in-depth peek into her life as a bookseller and reader. I hope you enjoy getting to know Kate as much as I did. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @thesaltybookworm and @thunderroadbooks. All book titles can be found on the website Thunder Road Books

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Can You tell readers a bit about who you are and how you came to be manager of a bookstore? 

I’m Kate Czyzewski, manager/buyer/events coordinator for Thunder Road Books. I came into the role of manager here in an unconventional way.  I have had my bookstagram account @thesaltybookworm since 2018.  In 2019, NJ author Julie Maloney had reached out to some of the Jersey bookstagrammers about her book A Matter of Chance.  She had befriended a local interior designer in Spring Lake that offered to host her book event since Spring Lake didn’t have a bookstore.  I came to the event and the owner of that store loved the “booksta gals”.  She asked for my number in hopes of maybe hosting a book swap or something during the winter.  A year or so later, she calls me and tells me she has a client who is opening a bookstore and she thought I’d be the perfect fit to help launch.  I had offered to help run social media while the store was in development; however, I was teaching during Covid full-time and didn’t think I could consider the career move.  I did some soul searching and I realized that he and I could help cultivate a great community space- between my teaching experience and love of literacy and his film-making and love for storytelling.  He owns Thunder Road Films as well.

Tell us about Thunder Road Books- where is it located, how long has it been open, what makes it special?

Thunder Road Books is located in Spring Lake, NJ, one block from the beach at the picturesque Jersey Shore! We opened in May 2021.  I think what makes Thunder Road so special is this community.  Spring Lake is a seasonal town, however, it’s all-year-round residents really and truly support small businesses and independent bookstores.  Have you watched Gilmore Girls?  Spring Lake has its own essence, similar to Stars Hollow.  We have a chocolate shop, coffee shop and pizza restaurant all right here in addition to retail stores.  Both Basil (our owner) and I were not previous booksellers so I feel that it makes Thunder Road unique because we asked the community what they wanted from their local bookstore.  It really was a collaborative effort.  

What is a day in your life at the bookstore look like? 

For me, a day at the bookstore begins at my home!  Many customers send us messages on socials with orders and suggestions.  I often grab a coffee from Driftwood and get to the store at least an hour before we open- to receive the day’s deliveries and check in with my daily read of Shelf Awareness.  I have residents that stop by multiple times a week so it’s nice to chat over coffee and books.  I am our events coordinator and buyer as well, so often I can be sneaking laptop time in to send event proposals or seasonal orders in between working the bookstore floor.  When school lets out, some of our kiddos visit too, so we spend some time with them in our kids section and I often share middle grade galleys with them…who better to read ahead for kids books than the kids that are buying them?

What is the most challenging part of running an independent bookstore? The most rewarding part? 

To be honest, the hardest part of running an independent bookstore is Amazon.  When you think about how much reading is “back in” with the general public, Amazon STILL makes up the biggest portion of book sales across the country compared to independent bookstores.  A perfect example is the recent Iron Flame debacle.  Many people received damaged copies, misprints or no book at all from their Amazon preorders.  Ours were almost delayed until I spent 2 hours on the phone with customer service BUT we hustled to get them overnighted and delivered on time to our readers, in perfect condition.  It broke my heart to see so many Instagram stories of all those Amazon preorders.  Amazon is not donating to the local schools, planning author events, hand delivering books to your sick relative or curating picks for you.  

The most rewarding part of bookselling is my now adopted family.  Our book club has almost 40 members give or take and so many of our patrons come out to multiple events a month- regardless of what it is.  With that being said, I spend more time here with them than my own family.   I really LOVE my job and I never thought I’d launch a completely new chapter (ha!).  The authors we’ve hosted are always grateful and gracious - I’ve had many full circle moments of being a reader turned host- it’s something I do not ever take for granted.  Specifically our relationship with James Patterson.  Not only has he kindly given me the holiday bookseller bonus two years in a row, my story is now going to be included in his next book, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians.  My grandmother, who taught for 40+ years and is the one responsible for my love of reading, would be proud.  We always used to share his books together and now, a piece of her story is in his book too.  It doesn’t get better than that.  

What books have you loved hand selling this year? 

I Didn’t Do It- Jaime Lynn Hendricks

Death Valley- Melissa Broder

How Can I Help You? Laura Sims 

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Big Swiss by Jen Begin 

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman 

Is there a book that just flies off the shelf and has sold like crazy this year?

YES! The Wager by David Grann was one of our biggest selling books this past year.  The combination of mystery and maritime intrigue definitely contributed to its success.  Also, Silent Came the Monster by Amy Hill Hearth- all about the shark attacks at the Jersey Shore.  It was a quick handsell and everyone- readers and staff- loved it! 

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What genre seems to sell the most at your store? Who are the most  popular authors within that genre that your customers seem to ask for repeatedly?  

It’s interesting as people ask us this question a lot.  All genres are represented and sell well here.  I think this is because we get a lot of visitors as much as we have our local customers.  We have a very busy kids section as well.  We get lots of requests for Emily Henry, Taylor Jenkins Reid and a lot of the trendy Tik-Tok authors from our young crowd.  But what I love from our customers is that they know we’ll hunt down titles for them.  Many of our regulars find authors through small presses and other platforms and the good news is that we order weekly for them.  

What do you want readers to know about Independent bookstores? Why is it so important to support them? 

We care deeply about you and what you read.  Over the years in both careers, teaching and bookselling, I’ve been criticized for being emotional.  But honestly, what others see as my greatest flaw I see as my greatest strength.  I think, because I’m so emotionally invested in everything I do, it makes me a better bookseller.  When patrons come here, they know this is a safe space.  Experiences have been shared with us in regards to needing certain books and with that, I take what people have shared with us privately to the grave.  Know that behind bookselling, that booksellers give with their whole heart.  And it’s that heart that wants to continue to share experiences with you.  Books bring us together.  It’s important to support them because most indie bookstores are so much more than a storefront.  They’re in the schools giving presentations to kids, they’re sponsoring town events and ongoings, they’re a safe space for those that need it.  

Get To Know Kate the Reader

If you could have coffee, dinner and drinks with 3 authors, who would it be? 

Coffee - Jason Reynolds 

Dinner - James McBride

Drinks - Steven Rowley 

How do you choose what to read next?

I’m a mood reader through and through; however, as a bookseller, I’m trying to be better about reading ahead, especially when I’m working on seasonal orders.  If a friend or customer recommends something, I’ll totally grab it next too! 

Fill in the blank….

A book that changed my life or perspective was…

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult because Jodi Picoult’s storylines always have a way of making you uncomfortable, making you think, and pushing you to self-reflect and ask questions.  I grew up with friends from all different backgrounds and never really thought about race the way Jodi makes you think about it.  I have had the honor of listening to Jodi speak multiple times and I know that she spends countless hours researching, interviewing and spending time with people who share similar struggles to that of her characters.  She tries to give a voice and power to characters/people who haven’t had the opportunity before. 

The last book that made me cry was ….

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

The last book that made me laugh was…

Unleashed Holiday  by Victoria Schade 

A book I wish more people would read is…  

We Are the Light by Matthew Quick  because in a world where compassion seems to be lacking, this book should be required reading. Matthew's writing shows readers that so many of us come from "broken" experiences, but how we choose to heal through them defines who we are.

My favorite book (or books)  of all time would be….

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and anything James Patterson. To Kill a Mockingbird is an all time favorite because, as a teenager, it was a book that just “stuck” with me.  The spitfire that is Jean Louise is a character that resonated with me.  Additionally, we named our bulldog Mr. Arthur “Boo Radley” and “Hey, Boo” is tattooed on my arm.

A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats- Probably one of the most simplistic books ever written, it reminds me to enjoy the small moments. Enjoy that cup of coffee, that snow day.  Each time I read this book (which is usually on a snow day), I am reminded of my kid self, anxiously anticipating a day outside in the snow.  Ezra Jack Keats created Peter, a child of color, because he felt, at the time in which this was written, children of color were missing from children’s books. He was adamant that all children deserve books about them and characters that look like them.  And you thought the book was just about a snow day…… 

Books by James Patterson- My grandmother and I often shared books.  As a child, she gave me A Snowy Day, Little Bear and Danny the Dinosaur. As I got older, we swapped copies of books by James Patterson.  I often talk about full circle moments at Thunder Road Books and anytime he comes up in conversation or we have hosted him, I think of my grandmother.  

The book that I recommend to everyone, no matter their taste is….

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal. When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota.  We all have different memories that we associate with family and friends, meals shared, etc.  This is one of those go-to, feel-good books! 

The last book that kept me up all night was The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman because it was pure magic.  Sara Glikman knows her gift: she is a maker of matches and a seeker of soulmate.  In a calling that is usually reserved for the men, she holds true to the traditions that made her who she is.  This was a fantastic read!

If someone asks for a recommendation in the mystery/thriller genre, I always suggest Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson. It isn’t a traditional and mainstream pick, per say, but this novella packs a punch!  Throughout the whole novel, the subtle suspense continues to build and build. This is one I recommend going into blindly- just dive in!!!

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Isn’t it the best getting to hear directly from someone like Kate who’s so passionate about books, community, and her bookstore?!! A huge thank you to Kate who took time out of her day to thoughtfully answer these questions! All of the books mentioned are linked to Thunder Road Books, if possible consider ordering directly from them, I can attest to their fast shipping! You can also support Kate, Thunder Road Books, and me by sharing this post on your social media and/or with your friends. Don’t forget to follow Kate on Instagram for more great book recommendations. Thank you for reading!

This featured post is made possible by Itsbooktalk & More’s paid subscribers. For those who are paid subscribers, keep an eye out for the next issue of Shelf Talkers, I’ll be sharing Kate’s actual screenshots of Shelf Talkers direct from the shelves of Thunder Road Books. If you enjoyed this edition of Literary Profiles and want to support future editions and you’d like to get these shelf talkers, now’s a great time to upgrade to a paid subscription! Thank you for reading!

-Renee