Jacksonville Review – April 2026
“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ~Madeleine L’Engle
IN NOVEMBER 2024, Rebel Heart Books held our first Local Author Book Fair at the Jacksonville Public Library. It’s safe to say that we had no idea how it would go. We arrived 2 hours early so Noelle could Tetris the tables into a workable configuration while Dallas and I tried to figure out the Square register and Jo held down the fort at the store. Before we were quite ready, people started pouring in. Overlapping voices and laughter wafted from the room and people often exited with piles of books and happy faces. Sometimes we had a brief moment to pop our heads into the room to see authors talking to their community, sharing their work. We forgot to take pictures.
This summer will be the 8th anniversary of Rebel Heart Books. In that time, I have had a daily reminder of how much people want to connect, to understand and be understood, to give and receive love. I have been witness to stories that want to be written, in one form or another. Seeing the work of so many come to fruition at the book fair and watching them share it with others is a kind of hope we can all believe in, realized.
This year, right now, write your book that wants to be written. It’s not too late. Whether you know it or not, there are people who need to hear it and need to see that it can be done. Books are flares shot into the sky by those wishing to be found. Come to the book fair at the Jacksonville Public Library this April 18th, from 1-3pm, and find some of them, take their books home with you and be inspired. And never forget that even if you can’t bring yourself to believe that grown-ups can understand what you most need and want to say, children always will.
Eileen Bobek is owner, Rebel Heart Books in Jacksonville, Oregon.