Self Published Authors – before you send me your book bear this in mind…
Ask any bookseller about self-published books and they will groan. Depending on how many self-published books they are asked to stock they will groan and bang their heads on the table. If they are...
View ArticlePost at The Fidra Blog – Patti Smith
A week or so ago, we went to Oran Mor in Glasgow to handle the booksales and signing at Patti Smith’s gig to promote her new autobiography, Just Kids. It was a brilliant night in lots of ways and we...
View ArticleOur trip to the London Book Fair
The LBF is huge and mostly about selling rights – UK and foreign – in books; agents are there to talk to overseas publishers, publishers want to talk to the big buyers in the UK such as book clubs and...
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Sometimes the personal is the political
A common refrain I’ve heard during the current election campaign is that none of the main parties really inspire voters – we haven’t had a “Yes We Can” moment from any of the leaders in their TV...
View ArticleWorld Book Night – misguided and misjudged?
As you know (or may not – it’s amazing the number of people who haven’t heard of this most trumpeted event), 5th March has been declared World Book Night, emanating from an idea put forward by Jamie...
View ArticleWorld Book Night – Am I alone? Not so much…
In the last few weeks, I’ve been told quite often that I’m wrong to be worried about World Book Night and the giving away of £9 million of stock. I’ve been told that it doesn’t further devalue the...
View ArticleWorld Book Night 2012 – suggestions
Imagine a project to promote reading which provided entertainment for readers; tempted non-readers to dip their toes into literary waters; emphasised the importance and joy of libraries; encouraged...
View ArticleWorld Book Night 2011 – really a bit rubbish.
Way back when, several weeks before World Book Night (remember that?) I, along with many other booksellers and interested parties such as authors and publishers, raised concerns that, in the midst of...
View ArticleOvercoming Authors’ Reticence. Or, How to Make Bookshops Love You and Your Book
A couple of weeks ago I was deeply honoured to be asked to join a panel at the Society of Authors in Scotland to discuss ways in which authors could promote themselves and how it was nothing to be...
View ArticleCrikey – I’d better get writing….
Good morning, especially if you’re a new visitor to this blog. Do have a mooch around and do leave a comment as it’s lovely to hear from new people I haven’t written here for a while as you can see,...
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