Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becka Free. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Becka thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I created the Bookish Bay Brigade just last year, and it is an incredibly meaningful project. It is all about community and supporting readers, writers, bookish events and small bookshops. It is entirely free, because we want it to be accessible to everyone who loves to read and write!

Creating a space where people could find friendships through reading was the primary goal. For several years I worked at San Francisco Suicide Prevention and I what I heard often from callers was that they felt isolated, loneliness was a primary theme. Many shared that even when they tried to join a community group or bookclub, it felt closed off or came with barriers such as a cost to join, or was located in another area of the Bay that was hard to get to.

I myself experienced this when I tried to join a few bookclubs I had found online, but the ones I inquired with were always “at capacity” or I would arrive and feel like an outsider to an already established group, or they would be an hour drive from me.

I wanted to create something accessible, something fun and welcoming. There are so many readers and writers who often find comfort in books and could find community in each other. That’s why I created the Bookish Bay Brigade. It’s a safe, welcoming place built around the love of books, a bridge between people that is open, accepting, and accessible to everyone.

Reading is an incredibly popular pastime, it only made sense that this would be a connection for people. There is a book for everyone!

Events move around the Bay Area, so if there isn’t one near you, there likely will be soon. The event themes and activities also change, so there is something for everyone. Membership is entirely free, as are most of the events as best as we can as volunteers. The Bookish Bay Brigade also offers discounts at bookshops and book festivals, a newsletter of external book events, a bookish map of places to buy books or read books, writing sprints and author features, and bookish games! Everything we do is based on input from Members, we are truly community driven!

www.bookishbaybrigade.com

Becka, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

While today I work in a very different industry, my original life plan was meant to be in a literary space.

After getting a bachelors degree in History and English with minors in Medieval Studies and English History, I followed it up with a Masters Degree in English Literature with a focus on Renaissance Literature. Writing a dissertation on Shakespeare felt incredibly relevant to the world, and in truth, it often still does today!

I taught English Composition for a few years at universities in Chicago, was in PR for a publishing house, and the Marketing Director of the Shakespeare Theater of Chicago.

So much of my life has been around literature! However, today, my bookish experiences are purely volunteer based. I love to post reviews and bookish ramblings on my instagram page, @beckafreewrites and in my spare time, coordinating activities and events with the Bookish Bay Brigade.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember, but like many, I experienced a long reading gap, years where the demands of my profession pulled me away from the joy of books.

I had been going through recurrent miscarriages. It wasn’t until my third miscarriage and I was beginning IVF that someone kindly recommended the book “A Court of Thorns and Roses” as a way to escape real life for a bit. That series became my gateway back into reading after a years long hiatus. I devoured every book by the author, then dove headfirst into more fantasy, and today I am back to reading all genres at over 100 books a year.

For me, books aren’t just entertainment. They have been a form of care and escapism in some of my darkest years.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’m a mood reader through and through and what I love most about books is that no matter what you’re feeling, there’s always a story out there to meet your needs.

I used to read for my studies and later for teaching, but now I read purely for joy. If I’m recommending a book, I always want to know your goals before I assume. What kinds of stories move you? What movies do you love? What do you want to feel while reading (laughter, escape, reflection, adventure)?

Some may dive into tales of 6-foot fae finding their mates in spicy fantasy realms, while others seek out stories that teach, inspire, or connect them to cultures and histories they want to better understand. There’s no wrong book and there’s absolutely no wrong way to read!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bookishbaybrigade.com
• Instagram: @bookishbaybrigade, @beckafreewrites
• Other: Threads: @beckafreewrites

Image Credits

Bookish Bay Brigade