Last November, I set up a little table at the Philly Zine Fest for the very first time with Book Worms Horror Zine. It was my debut event as a vendor—and honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. What I found was an incredible community of people who still love real, physical things in a digital-first world.
The room was packed with DIY artists and independent creators, each hustling their handmade work. It felt raw, vibrant, and alive—exactly the kind of space Book Worms was meant for. What surprised me most was what people connected with. Yes, we had big names inside the zine—our issue at the time even featured an article by Grady Hendrix, a giant in modern horror fiction. But what really drew people in wasn’t the star power—it was the fact that Book Worms is limited, print-only, and deeply analog. People lit up when they realized this wasn’t something you could just scroll past online. They loved the charm of the worm, the vibe, and the fact that holding it in their hands made them part of something rare.
That day changed how I thought about Book Worms. After the Philly Zine Fest, I knew I wanted to participate in more events. Since then, I’ve lugged my zines to the Horror Sideshow Market in Allentown, the Bucks County Book Festival, and Blobfest—each one confirming that face-to-face beats “like and follow” any day: real conversations, real connections, real weirdos (the best kind).
So now, I’m coming back. On November 1st at Mitten Hall on Temple University’s campus, I’ll once again be part of Philly Zine Fest. This year, I’ll even have some free zines to give away—something I couldn’t do last time. Don’t worry, Book Worms itself is still limited, collectible, and not something I can just hand out—but there will be little treats for anyone who stops by.
Last year, I also donated copies of Book Worms to Temple University’s Zine Library. So if you’re ever on campus, you can actually check it out like you would a regular book. That’s one of the coolest things about zines—they live on in unexpected places.
If you love horror, print culture, or just want to meet people keeping DIY alive, come out to Philly Zine Fest and say hi. I’ll be there, worm in hand, ready to talk horror, zines, and all things weird.
See you in November,
James