Given that every employee at Bookmans Speedway works in a bookstore, it might seem obvious that we would have literary tattoos. For those of us who have tattoos (not all of us do) it is true that literary tattoos are prominently featured, but never as true as with Bethanny. Bethanny has worked for Bookmans for over 3 years in our Book Department specializing in children’s literature. Her love for and knowledge about books runs deep. Bethanny received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in English Literature.

To Kill a Mocking Bird Tattoo

Bethanny’s tattoos were done by Tucson’s James Peterson and Sammy Solis at Grape Ape and run the range of styles, yet all are either characters from literature or references to novels. She got her first piece, of a dead mockingbird, in her early 20s. This of course is a reference to Harper Lee’s classic work To Kill a Mockingbird. Says Bethanny, “This is one of literature’s most important books, and was so to me as a young person.” She adds, “Atticus Finch for President!”

Fault In Our Stars Tattoo

Her next work is a quote from John Green’s The Fault in our Stars and reads, “Love is keeping the promise anyway.” Bethanny feels this is the definition of love. So important is this work to her, that she used it as a book selection for our Young Adult Book Club. (Keep an eye on our event calendar to join her next gathering.)

Kazul Tattoo

Kazul is King of the Dragons and is taken from Patricia C. Wrede’s work Dealing with Dragons. This novel about girl power features a female Dragon named Kazul as the main character. She bests her competition by winning a magical test. When asked why she wouldn’t be Queen she responds, “No, that’s a totally different job.”

Ferdinand Tattoo

Her Ferdinand tattoo is from the picture book Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, the ultimate pacifist book focusing not only on animal welfare but on nonviolence. “Literature is one of my greatest passions,” Bethanny explains. “Books influence how I experience and relate to the rest of the world and events in my life.” A life long champion of the relevance of the written word, Bethanny puts her passion into pictures and continues to promote literacy with every tattoo she has.

Take a look at Tattos of Bookmans Speedway: Part 1, a Survey.