And so, just like that, it is days before Christmas – is everyone feeling ready? It felt like a strange day in the shop yesterday, for one, the sky was blue, the sun shining and the weather mild, it does not feel like three shopping days (two and a half by the time you read this) until Christmas.
I have also not been overrun with customers which is interesting considering that it is said that booksellers make twenty five per cent of their annual trade in December. Where is everyone? It may be that they are all in town, perhaps – in my capacity as retailer – that’s where I should be? That’s what I’ve been thinking…
I was offered a unit in town recently, I think I told you that I went to see it. I took pictures, spoke to my builder, it all seemed possible, but I think I told you also that it is the business rates that choke you out of town centres. I remember seeing a clip of a select committee meeting about why high streets are dead:
‘How do we resurrect them?’ one MP asked.
‘They’re dead',’ the expert said, ‘there is no bringing something back to life once it is dead.’
Which is a strange thing to say at this time of year, but then it’s Christmas and not Easter, so I’ll get away with it.
But anyway, with councils making it virtually impossible for small independent businesses, I have a better idea now of why the high street is dead.
But actually, in a real time update on my thoughts, I think that I would prefer to be that community bookshop that I set out to be. Yes, I might miss trade in footfall, but what my experiment has taught me is that people will seek you out. Last weekend, I had a visit from two customers who live in Berkshire (I’m going to write more about my customers later this week when I send out my thank yous).
What I am thinking is this, I am a writer first and a retailer second, and so my bookshop does need to work for me to aid my career as a writer and not hinder it. I guess that some people will come to my bookshop because of my authority as a writer, because of the other writers that have put together curations, and so writing does need to come first.
Whereas if I were a town centre trader, I think retail must come first. I would need to be open six or even seven days a week, that would also probably mean I’d need to take on staff, and I’m not sure that a bookshop can sustain that, and I am in awe of the independent bookshops that do support several members of staff, pay rents and rates and electricity bills.
Lots of customers have been coming in this week, knowing that I am vacating The Bloom Foundry on Christmas Eve and asking where I am going to be next, and the honest answer is, I don’t know, but I feel strangely relaxed about that. I know more now than I did six weeks ago, about what I want to create, about what it would look like, about what I could offer, about where I’d want it to be.
I know more about how I would fit it all into my own life, into my writing, into my schedule of mother/pet owner/housework duties. I am a firm believer in applying your own oxygen mask before helping others, and my idea and my vision will only work if it compliments my life and I don’t feel constantly torn.
The next year will be a busy one for me and so firstly, I’m looking forward to a rest over Christmas and catching up with some reading that I am desperate to do. I have been staring at my stock over the last couple of days and willing it down so I have less to pack away on Saturday but there are also some books that I’ve got my eye on for myself that it wouldn’t be so bad if I don’t sell out of because I’m longing to read them myself — including all the cookbooks. Another indie bookseller told me that the worst thing about running a bookshop is you don’t have time to read, so I’m planning on fixing that over the Christmas. Here are a few of them that I have my eye on:
In the first part of next year I have the paperback version of my second book with Wendy Mitchell coming out, What I Wish People Knew About Dementia. So that will be a busy time what with publicity etc.
Wendy and I also have a third book, One Last Thing, coming out with our publisher Bloomsbury in June, and I know this is going to be a huge think book that has the capacity to create big political change and so I will be throwing everything into that.
I also have to write another book before Spring for Transworld (part of Penguin Random House) with another activist – I’ll tell you more about that once the deal is announced in the new year.
I also must get round to the surgery that I need to do on my second novel, it is my very favourite thing that I have every written and I know exactly what I need to do with it – thanks to my brilliant agent, Robert – and being surrounded by all this inspiration the last few weeks means my fingertips are tingling with a desire to put pen to paper/fingers to keyboard.
And, of course I will continue asking writers to put together their curations for you because when I do find the location for my next pop up, I want everything to look fresh and new.
In between times I will of course be selling via my website The Book Room so please support that if you can, and remember I am able to order any book. Don’t forget there are lots of great resources on there for you to browse and over Christmas I will be republishing my Twelve Days of Christmas Writing Advice where you will hear from twelve brilliant writers over the festive period.
Pre-orders are also open for Prince Harry’s Spare which will be published January 10th for those who have enjoyed the Netflix series. You can pre-order that here
I will be here in my little pop-up for the rest of the week, so do pop in if you can. I will be working 10-5 today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday), but Friday I’m taking my daughter to panto at the Palladium – oh yes I am! – though Lucie should be here in case you want to buy any last minute books. I will also be here on Christmas Eve morning and there are still hamper boxes available if anyone is having a last minute panic and I have plenty of ideas what you can fill them with!
You will find me inside The Bloom Foundry, 55 St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9TP.
Hope to see you before Christmas!