Novel Idea Bookstore

08/02/2026

August 1st is Emancipation Day, which marks the day in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire, ending chattel slavery for millions of people of African descent. Not a bad day to pick up a copy of Wayne Grady’s book, Emancipation Day, which was long listed for the Giller Prize and won the Amazon.ca First Novel Award in 2013.
Wayne Grady will be at KWF2026 with Jess Gibson and Chanel Sutherland, discussing short fiction and his brand new book (not yet released!) called The Cartel and Other Cover Stories. Check out the Short Story Showcase on our website: kingstonwritersfest.ca

08/02/2026

That’s right: here at Novel Idea we’ve got a few remaining copies of cult survivor Beth Granger’s memoir ‘Born and Razed’ in its original edition!

08/02/2026

Happy to have hosted Queen’s University medical students Megan Lowe and Cheryl Xing, promoting their sun-safety kids’ book outside our store during today’s Downtown Kingston Princess Street Promenade!

Reposted with • Princess Promenade 2026! 🎉🥰

Our first community book event in Kingston was such a success! We loved meeting local families, visitors from out of town, and even four-legged friends rocking their sun-safe style🐶☀️

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat about our mission and Stella & the Sun Safety Squad. We can’t wait to see you at our next community event! Stay tuned! 💞📚

07/31/2026

ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL READING.

Published three years ago, John Vaillant’s much-lauded account of the Fort McMurray wildfire—which ravaged that town ten years ago—is unfortunately all the more urgently relevant today. TIME called ‘Fire Weather’“[a] gripping depiction of the blaze’s devastating trajectory. . . . The book’s true protagonist is fire, which Vaillant treats like a living, breathing creature that is destined to grow even more dangerous as the world becomes even more combustible. At a time when wildfires are dominating news cycles, ‘Fire Weather’ is not just a timely and stunning account of recent history—it’s also a frightening preview of what could become our new normal.” Vaillant indeed makes the Fort McMurray disaster a showcase for the escalating effects of climate change.

Vintage Books

07/31/2026

TOMORROW, during Downtown Kingston’s Princess Street Promenade, make sure you visit the Kingston WritersFest table right outside our store. Get filled in on fest events, AND spin the wheel for your chance to win one of these mysterious paper-shrouded oblongs!

Mystery Books! Not that kind of mystery book though. These are many genres, all prizes for this weekend’s wheel spin at this Saturday’s Princess Street Promenade in Downtown Kingston! Come visit us, right outside Novel Idea Bookstore (Novel Idea Bookstore), which is convenient if you plan to pick up a KWF Summer Reading List! See you on Saturday.

07/28/2026

Thanks for the love, Blue Moon Book Coven! Happy to count you folks among our regular customers.

Reposted with • Time for a little local love. has been a Downtown Kingston staple for over 30 years. With an excellent stock of curated titles, there will certainly be something for your TBR here.

Did we mention the incredible staff?! Full of great recommendations and a healthy sense of humour, you’ll feel right at home amongst these fellow book people!

07/23/2026

TONIGHT AT NOVEL IDEA, don’t miss this literary double header!

7pm Thursday July 23rd, we’re hosting the Kingston launch of ‘Baby in a Box,’ the debut short story collection by Maine-based novelist Sarah Braunstein. Also this evening, local surrealist Jason Heroux will read from his upcoming sixth poetry collection ‘Unfinished Wilderness.’

Spend your evening in the company of two special writers! Jason and Sarah will introduce and read from their new books, and Sarah’s will be available for purchase. (And as always, you’ll find Jay’s previous poetry volumes—as well as his fiction titles—on our shelves.) Meet our featured authors and mingle with your fellow readers—AND enjoy complimentary refreshments, right here at Novel Idea in Downtown Kingston!

07/21/2026

THURSDAY NIGHT, don’t miss Novel Idea’s next literary double header!

7pm Thursday July 23rd, we’re hosting the local launch of ‘Baby in a Box,’ the debut short story collection by Maine-based novelist Sarah Braunstein. That same night, indefatigable Kingston surrealist Jason Heroux will read from his upcoming SIXTH poetry collection ‘Unfinished Wilderness.’

Spend your evening in the company of two special writers! Jason and Sarah will introduce and read from their new books, and Sarah’s will be available for purchase. (And as always, you’ll find Jay’s previous poetry volumes—as well as his fiction titles—on our shelves.) Meet our featured authors and mingle with your fellow readers—AND enjoy complimentary refreshments, right here at Novel Idea in Downtown Kingston!

07/21/2026

*TONIGHT!*

Tuesday July 21st at 7pm, please join us here at Novel Idea for the Kingston launch of ‘19th-Century Patterns for the Modern Body,’ an authoritative new book by dress historian and costume designer Elaine MacKay. Let the author herself guide you through her book with an introductory talk and Q & A. Copies will be available for purchase and complimentary refreshments provided.

“Illustrated with clear diagrams of bodice, skirt, and sleeve blocks, this step-by-step guide demonstrates how to alter modern pattern blocks to achieve authentic period designs for various modern body shapes. With techniques that can be easily transferred to any garment, each chapter details the techniques distinctive to each decade—from dramatic changes in the use of panels and bias, through the crinolines and bustles of the 1850s and 1870s, to the gored skirts and swept hems of the elegant 1890s….

“Using tried and tested methods developed over M. Elaine MacKay’s 35-year career drafting and fitting historical patterns for theatre, film, and museums, this guide is essential for anyone interested in creating period silhouettes for historical dress, fantasy costumes, cosplay, or modern fashion design.”

07/20/2026

BOOK LAUNCH—*TOMORROW*!

Tuesday July 21st at 7pm, please join us here at Novel Idea in Downtown Kingston for the local launch of ‘19th-Century Patterns for the Modern Body,’ an authoritative new book by dress historian and costume designer Elaine MacKay. Let the author herself guide you through her book with an introductory talk and Q & A. Copies will be available for purchase and complimentary refreshments provided.

“Illustrated with clear diagrams of bodice, skirt, and sleeve blocks, this step-by-step guide demonstrates how to alter modern pattern blocks to achieve authentic period designs for various modern body shapes. With techniques that can be easily transferred to any garment, each chapter details the techniques distinctive to each decade—from dramatic changes in the use of panels and bias, through the crinolines and bustles of the 1850s and 1870s, to the gored skirts and swept hems of the elegant 1890s….

“Using tried and tested methods developed over M. Elaine MacKay’s 35-year career drafting and fitting historical patterns for theatre, film, and museums, this guide is essential for anyone interested in creating period silhouettes for historical dress, fantasy costumes, cosplay, or modern fashion design.”