Donna Miele, Armand Miele-Herndon, and his son Dylan at The Sparkle Bookstore (photo by Ellyn Hament)
The independent, family-owned Sparkle Bookstore in Sparkill feels like a comfy literary living room, a welcoming place where you want to linger. Alongside its thoughtfully curated selection of books, it offers small pleasures and inventive programs that go beyond the usual bookstore experience.
You can sit and sip single-serve wine while browsing books or attending events, including writing workshops, book clubs, author readings and signings, or a board game night (see selected events at the end of this article). The Sparkle also has a loyalty program that helps to support the business while creating community, as well as a creative approach to funding author events.
Always a Writer, Always a Reader
The bookstore is owned by Donna Miele, her husband Ken Herndon, and their son Armand.
“I was always a reader, always a writer, and I always wanted a bookstore. I thought everyone wanted a bookstore,” Donna laughed.
Born in Brooklyn, Donna manages the store alongside Armand. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing, is a nonpracticing lawyer, and helps manage her father’s commercial properties with Ken. They have five children.
When her children were in school, Donna worked at a toy and bookstore bringing in titles for adults and participating in its writers’ group and book clubs. She was also a production editor for a small publisher and a freelance copy editor, and sold books online.
She’s also been deeply connected to the local writing community for a long time. With Anupama Amaran and David Bell, she formed River River Writers Circle in Nyack, which hosted writing salons, workshops, and open-mic nights, and published a literary journal. River River folded after the pandemic. (Collaborating with Anu, Lily Greenberg later carried its spirit forward and formed the All Ways Writing Collective, which continues to thrive.)
Donna’s life took a difficult turn in 2021 when she was diagnosed with lupus and became seriously ill. It took time for her to shake the brain fog and other symptoms enough to write again, but she succeeded. Her memoir and first published book, “Pain Country: Chasing Joy Through Lupusland,” will come out in fall 2027.
About That Bookstore . . .
In 2024, Donna considered a full-time editing job. At the same time, Armand was looking for a professional change as well.
“I said to Armand, half-jokingly, why don’t we open a bookstore? He jumped on it immediately.”
They quickly found a place in Sparkill and opened the store in 2025. Donna already had contracts and accounts with publishers so they were quickly able to stock the shelves.
Their collection includes literary and genre fiction, general nonfiction, biography, book titles in Spanish, and books that center wellness and marginalized voices.
Wellness and Marginalized Voices
Living with lupus made Donna especially passionate about including books about illness, disability, and recovery in the store’s collection.
“It’s taking us a while to build up that inventory, but there are a lot of really good memoirs that center illness out there,” Donna noted.
Representing marginalized voices — people of different races and experiences, gender identities, and lived experiences — is also central to The Sparkle’s mission, and, as Armand noted, is sometimes most thrillingly expressed through fantasy and science fiction.
“There’s a degree to which people want to find something that they’re living, like a political event or some other trauma, using fantasy as a way to separate themselves, and offering a degree of escapism. I think that’s why people are attracted to that genre, especially now.” As a result, the store has a large fantasy following.
Loyalty and Community
The Sparkle also has loyalty programs that help support the store financially while deepening customers’ connections to the shop and to each other.
The Sparkle Bookstore Loyalty Programs include a free level and paid “Perks” levels of $10, $25, and $50 per month. Members receive discounts and credits, weekly newsletters, occasional promotions, and swag. Perks customers are also invited to monthly customer hangouts that feature refreshments, conversations about book culture, and updates. The Sparkle also offers a Staff Pick of the Month Club, which gives members a carefully chosen book from the store’s shelves.
“The program makes a big difference to our bottom line, and it could make a difference between us being able to survive long term, especially through months like January, which can be miserable,” Donna said.
Creative Funding for Events
When she was associated with River River, Donna discovered that even for-profits are eligible for funds from the New York Council on the Arts through Poets & Writers magazine. She explored a similar idea for The Sparkle.
“We don’t get the money. It goes to the authors who present. We become their sponsor, “ she explained.
This summer, the store sponsored seven grants for writers, including one for Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Mobili, who will do a series of poetry workshops in September, October, and November.
What’s in Store for The Sparkle?
In the near term, The Sparkle plans to continue its monthly Perks customer hangouts and expand its event calendar. It’s also exploring online sales to reach a broader audience.
Other plans include building on its Spanish-language section and partnering with The Angel Nyack and local churches to bring events to larger audiences.
Reading as a Spa Day for the Brain
At a time when some people are predicting the end of reading, Donna feels passionate about why reading is so important.
“I wish people would look at reading books as being a spa day for your brain. We read all day long. We scroll. We email. We text. But there’s nothing like a book to give your brain a chance to stretch out and grasp something that’s deeper and longer and richer than a sound bite. You can think of it as taking your brain to the spa and letting it gain health from the experience,” she said.
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Upcoming Events at The Sparkle
Below is a selected list. You can find the complete list and sign-up information here.
- Meditation and Journaling with Laura Zaino (August 16)
- Prose Writing Circle (August 16 and 23)
- Using Science in Poetry with Bryan Roessel (August 23)
- The Fiction Book Club: “Whistler” by Ann Patchett (August 20)
- ‘”Soul Mission” Reading and Signing with Author Joshua Becker (August 30)
- “How Loud Is Your “I”? Poetry Workshop with Juan Pablo Mobili (September 30 plus October and November)
