By Patrick Hurston
Wardensville’s independent bookstore, WordPlay, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this fall, a milestone made remarkable by its beginnings.
When Marlene and Tom England first dreamed of opening a bookstore in Wardensville, it was a family trip that sparked the idea.
“It was back in 2017 or 2018 after a family graveyard trip to Hampshire County where my dad was born,” recalled Marlene. “We wandered into the Lost River Trading Post.
Tom and I liked the vibe and feel of the area, and we started dreaming about what life might look like if we opened a shop in Wardensville.”
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, that dream became reality. Launching a new business then was no small risk. “Never in a million years did we expect to launch a business in the middle of a global pandemic, that’s for sure! But the building was ready for us, so we decided to go for it,” Marlene said.
The early months weren’t easy, but community support carried them through. “They were happy to see WordPlay open, and we were happy to be there,” she said.
Five years later, WordPlay’s shelves tell the story of Hardy County itself. “The community has really shaped the types of books we carry,” Marlene said. Appalachian history and fiction now sit alongside nature writing and a thriving horror section. “Our customers seem to like scary stories!”
That’s a good thing, because this year, WordPlay’s anniversary coincides with the release of local, New York Times best-selling author Alma Katsu’s new horror novel, Fiend, released just last week. The community event, sponsored by WordPlay, will be marked with a reading and Q&A with Katsu at the Lost River Inn on Sat., Sept. 27 at 5 p.m.
Katsu describes her new book as a departure from her earlier historical horror works.
“This is my first contemporary horror novel,” she said. “The idea just kind of came to me whole, and I just felt like I had to write this story.”
Katsu says it’s a story about a very wealthy, powerful family with successful business enterprises going back for a thousand years. “But they’ve always been sort of followed by these rumors that perhaps there’s a reason for their success, that there might be this sort of ancient, otherworldly power that smooths the way for them, that protects them,” she said.
At its heart, Fiend is about family power struggles and the choices that shape us. “It’s a story about patriarchy,” Katsu explained. “And the effect of family on the children and the adults they become. My short description of it is always Succession, but horror,” she said.
Katsu says she feels lucky to have a resource like WordPlay nearby. “When they opened, there were only six independent bookstores in all of West Virginia. Six, in a whole state! They really are a rare gem, and we’re lucky, so lucky to have them here,” she said.
“They only sell about three percent of the books sold in this country,” she said of independent bookstores. “But they are a part of the heart and soul of any community.
They build community…they host events for the community. And WordPlay is a great example of that.”
In conjunction with the bookstore, the Englands also launched WordPlay Connects, a nonprofit that provides free books to students and brings authors and illustrators into the Potomac Highlands area schools.
The program, fueled by three years of start-up funding, quickly became one of the Englands’ proudest accomplishments. “It’s been incredible, one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done,” Marlene said. “I wish everyone could experience what we see at school visits…kids so excited to meet an author or illustrator, asking such thoughtful questions, talking to their friends about books they can’t wait to read.”
As of Sept. 2025, WordPlay Connects has distributed $194,000 worth of new books, at no cost to area residents. This includes, among other things, 7,600 free books given to students across Hardy, Hampshire, Grant, Mineral, and Pendleton Counties through more than 55 in-school presentations.
Katsu also celebrates the mission of WordPlay Connects. “For some kids, it’s the first time they’ve owned a book of their own,” she said. “The first time they’ve ever even thought of an author being real, right? And get to listen to the stories and learn more about the world,” she added.
Wardensville mayor, Betsy Orndorff-Sayers agrees.
“Wardensville is so lucky to have WordPlay. Starting a business during the pandemic was not for the faint of heart, but Marlene and Tom have been superstars, creating not only a dynamic indie bookstore but a vibrant center for reading and literacy in our tiny town, with their public author talks, Tunes and Tales enrichment programming, and free book program for young people,” she said. “We also love their terrific staff and wish them all the best as they celebrate their anniversary.”
As WordPlay looks toward the future, the Englands say they are grateful above all for the community that welcomed them. “We had a feeling we would love having a shop in Wardensville, and that feeling was 100 percent accurate. This community has welcomed us warmly, and we are very, very grateful,” Marlene said.
Though retirement is somewhere on the horizon, for now the couple is focused on building on five years of momentum. “We hope the community will continue to support us for another five years and beyond.”
