Two weeks ago, GalleyCat wrote a post about Alikewise.com, a free dating site intended to connect people based on their literary compatibility. We’ve also uncovered some offline literary matchmaking.
Brooklyn’s Word Bookstore features a literary matchmaking board for literary couples to meet, greet, and potentially connect. Word calls it “Between the Covers: A Matchmaking Service for Book Lovers.” We caught up with Sherry Wasserman, senior editorial assistant at John Wiley & Sons, to find out about her experience with the matchmaking service.
Wasserman’s story began when she saw two titles she liked on hold for a customer (A Fraction of the Hole by Steve Toltz and Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman). She asked a store clerk, “Who is holding those?” and “Is he single?” Unfortunately, the gentlemen behind the books was a married man.
Luckily Stephanie Anderson, Word’s manager, became inspired to set up a cork board for literary matchmaking. People fill out slips of paper with literary likes and dislikes along with contact information. The slips are then tacked onto the cork board.
Word also held a literary Prom for matchmaking. Wasserman attended with a friend all dolled up with a corsage on her wrist. It was there she found Greg, the night’s soon-to-be-crowned Prom King. Wasserman commented, “He was chosen literally because he wore a tie.” This new couple has been together ever since the June event.
Wasserman thought books could spark romance. “Sharing this meaningful interest can really open people’s minds to one another. [Greg] loves Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. I love Neil Gaiman, and American Gods is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s all good. We read each other’s recommendations. Sharing things we love creates a great form of intimacy.”
Kelly Amabile, Word’s events coordinator agreed in a Time Out New York article: “A lot of young, single professionals shop at our store, so it made sense to give people an opportunity to mingle in a literary environment.”