Hello, and welcome to Hailing Frequencies.
We’re Craig and Allyson, the people behind Parallel Universe Books. We opened this store because we believe books do more than fill shelves. They stretch imaginations, introduce new ideas, create connections, and take us somewhere beyond the ordinary.
We have always loved stories that open doors to other worlds.
👽 Science fiction asks us to imagine what comes next.
🏰 Fantasy reminds us that impossible things are worth considering.
⚔️ Romantasy makes room for adventure and desire.
🧟 Horror helps us confront what frightens us.
🐉 Role-playing games invite us to build worlds together.
These are our specialties—but curiosity is the larger idea behind everything we do.
We want Parallel Universe Books to be a place for devoted readers, occasional readers, young readers, returning readers, and people who simply have not found the right book yet. You do not need to know the difference between space opera and cyberpunk. You do not need to arrive with a reading list or understand every rule of a game. You only need to be willing to explore.
Because reading is not about proving how much you know. It is about remaining open to what you might discover.
That belief shaped the store we wanted to create: an independent Cleveland bookstore where people can browse without rushing, ask questions without feeling intimidated, and encounter books they may not have found on their own. We wanted shelves filled with beloved stories, new voices, local and independent authors, strange ideas, distant planets, dark corridors, complicated histories, and unexpected discoveries.
We also wanted to create a place where stories bring people together. That happens through author conversations, book clubs, Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, learn-to-play sessions, community events, and the simple exchange that begins when one reader says to another, “You have to read this.”
Here on our blog, Hailing Frequencies, we’ll share books we think are worth entering, authors and creators you should know, ideas that invite a closer look, upcoming events, discoveries from around the shop, and recommendations to help you decide what to read or play next.
Some conversations will begin with dragons, aliens, monsters, magic, science, or history. Others will begin with a question. All of them will begin with curiosity.
We hope you’ll visit us in Cleveland, explore the store online, join a conversation, try something unfamiliar, and find a world you did not know you were looking for.
Stay curious.
Craig & Allyson
Parallel Universe Books
Enter New Worlds.