TOMC cooperative is a nod to pre-internet authors who drove from city to city and posted up in front of grocery stores and shopping centers and sold books from the trunks of their cars. Choosing an alternative to big publishing houses, these independent authors kept the bulk of what they earned in their communities and more often than not, relied on these communities to edit, create covers, print and market their work. There’s no doubt that the internet has changed how we both buy and publish books, especially self-published works. Several platforms owned by behemoth corporations exist to bring all of the car trunks filled with books written by independent authors directly to you, wherever you are; which we admit, is a much better situation for the planet. And because of those platforms, self-publishing has been a $1.25 billion dollar industry since 2021. But authors have received less than half of that, many employees of these behemoth corporations are paid less than living wages and are being replaced by AI, and readers, well readers really have no say in any of it, despite being a necessary component of the industry.

We exist to change that.

Combining spiritual wisdom, natural law and business know-how, we are transforming the soul of self-publishing, turning self-publishing into community-publishing; by redistributing resources from those who take to those who actually create – both the books and the industry. We offer ownership to the authors and the creators who make the art, to the workers who keep the machine running, and to the readers who make the game what it is – all of us. We are confident that collective action and shared ownership is how we retrieve power from a rigged system created to take more than it gives.

We are the ones we’ve been writing for.

Why a Cooperative?

The cooperative business model is one that is rooted in community. It’s where we, the people, come together for a common cause and work together to be a solution. Cooperatives exist in every industry. Retail stores, utilities, even restaurants and other services are applying this model that gives the people who use or operate it a say in how they do what they do. We believe that cooperatives are a step away from a capitalistic system that exploits and oppresses individuals, communities, and ultimately, the planet. Want to learn more about cooperatives? Check out this page the good folks at NCBA put together that breaks this business model down.

What's In It for We?

Shared ownership. Democratic decision making. Collective support. When we move cooperatively, we exchange ‘me’ for ‘we.’ Trunk of My Car Cooperative is a Hawai`i registered multi-stakeholder platform cooperative owned by creators, consumers, and workers. We are not just a marketplace to sell books. We are building sustainable community. We are working together to share knowledge, tools, craft, and space to make all of us better writers, readers, and humans. We will share workshops, craft talks, knowledge based offerings, book clubs, and book swaps - whatever you, our member-owners want to share in community.

Sounds like something you want to be a part of? Join us!

Our Team

Zia M Dione

Founder. Operations Lead.

Trunk of My Car Cooperative is inspired by a conversation Zia had with a famous author who shared how he started selling books from the trunk of his car. An emerging writer, she is focused on healing intergenerational trauma & building/supporting solidarity & sustainable economies. Zia is certified in permaculture design, has a law degree from the University of Baltimore & is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Nonfiction at Pacific University. Yes, she changed her name.

Joanna Cregan

Founding Member. Developer.

Joanna is a reader, writer, and web developer from Northeast Ohio who believes cooperative ownership can help bring about a healthier world.

In solidarity with our Palestinian family, we’ve applied Boycott Divestment & Sanctions principles in the building of our platform, meaning: we’ve done our best to ensure that we are not using technology or other services owned and/or operated by individuals and/or organizations that are located in or that publicly support the apartheid state of Israel.

Additionally, TOMC Cooperative honors and values the natural rights of all living creatures, including the planet Earth. We incorporate sustainable business practices that align with these values, such as encouraging the use of used and refurbished e-readers and other electronics instead of buying new, and recycling those that cannot be refurbished or resold. We believe that planetary resources are sacred and should be honored as such; actions such as recycling and reusing can help to reduce exploitative mining, the source of which has contributed to centuries of unspeakable horrors and conflicts across the African continent. We also encourage bartering and trade of all items between members to reduce waste and will operate an ongoing Offers & Needs Market here on our platform. We invite you to join us where you are with what you are able.