Welcome to the world where the love of books meets the beauty of American Sign Language (ASL)! At Signs & Stories, we celebrate the rich culture of the Deaf community through unique, bookish items featuring ASL hand shapes and designs.
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Explore our collection of clothing, bags, journals, and more! Each piece is thoughtfully designed to honor both storytelling and sign language.
Whether you’re a book lover, an ASL enthusiast, or looking for the perfect gift, you’ll find something special here!
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Q&A
What is ASL?
ASL, or American Sign Language, is a visual language used for communication within the Deaf community. It incorporates hand shapes, facial expressions, and body movements to convey meaning.
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What is the DEAFinitely Readers Book Club?
The DEAFinitely Readers Book Club is dedicated to exploring books that feature Deaf and ASL representation. Our selections include works that are either written by Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing authors or contain characters who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, or Deaf-Blind.
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Hosted by K.T. James and Desiree, the book club is free to join on Fable. Each month, a book is voted on, and live discussions are held on Tiktok or Instagram, where we dissect the book in both ASL and spoken English. These discussions are then uploaded to YouTube with captions for wider accessibility. If a book meets our criteria, it’s added to our ongoing list of Deaf representation in literature.
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What does the name Signs & Stories mean?
The name "Signs & Stories" reflects K.T. James' passions: "Signs" represents sign language and the Deaf community, while "Stories" celebrates the joy of reading and books.
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Who will have designs in the shop?
Our shop will feature designs inspired by K.T. James' Deaf Tales, which are fractured fairy tales that include Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing characters. We also plan to offer phrases and illustrations from K.T James' other works in the future, with the goal of making her books available for purchase here.
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Another significant collaborator is Desiree from A DEAFinitely Novel Life. All collaborators are required to fill out a design form, and any designs used will credit and link back to their websites.
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Are the designs limited edition?
Some designs will be permanent fixtures in the shop, while others will be limited edition, particularly for holidays (think spooky designs for Halloween or festive art for Christmas!). If a product isn’t selling, it may be removed to make space for new items.
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Join us in celebrating the intersection of literature and Deaf culture. Shop now at Signs & Stories, where every item tells a story!
*All current designs originate from K.T. James' drawings or phrases inspired by her works, along with additional contributions from the DEAFinitely Readers Book Club and Desiree's artwork.
Interested in Collaborating?
We’d love to work with you! If you're ready to get started, simply fill out the contact form below. Once I receive your message, I'll send you a design form to fill out so we can begin the creative process together.
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Let’s make something amazing!