Diary of a small town sensation: how the Wimpy Kid author built his dream bookshop

Growing up, Jeff Kinney discovered Tolkien, comics and computers at his local bookshop. When it closed he was bereft – would opening his own as an adult help to right that wrong?Author Jacqueline Woodson recently spoke about books being either mirrors or windows. Mirrors for seeing ourselves, and windows for seeing into other worlds. Growing up, I enjoyed both types of books, from the realistic contemporary fiction of Judy Blume to the epic fantasy of JRR Tolkien. I had access to books by these and every author in between courtesy of a bookstore a short drive from my house. I didn’t understand my privilege then, but I’ve come to understand it better over time.In the short time that it was open, I developed interests that would shape my career. I grew up at the advent of personal computing, and the books I read helped me along a path to becoming a programmer. I also developed a deep appreciation for comics, thanks to an expansive humour section at the bookstore. Those comic collections helped to prepare me for my dream career as a cartoonist. Had we not had a bookstore nearby during my formative years, I would have grown up to be a completely different person.We’ve had several romances develop from first dates in the cafe, and one couple is getting married this autumn Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-10-05 09:00:40 UTC ]
News tagged with: #local bookshop #judy blume #epic fantasy #formative years #bookstore

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Spoof kids' book to Canongate

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 13/05/2011 - 10:47 Canongate has bought a foul-mouthed gift book for exhausted parents, which has been the subject of intense hype in the United States. M.d. Jamie Byng and senior editor Francis Bickmore bought UK and Commonwealth rights,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ten make Authors' Club travel longlist

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers should use authors to help fight piracy

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Support your library, CWA tells authors

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Bookshops' creditors to receive less than 10% of money owed

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nurturer of Authors Is Closing the Book

The editor Robert Loomis, who is retiring from Random House after 54 years, is known for nurturing writers including Maya Angelou, William Styron, Shelby Foote and Calvin Trillin. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kids sales fall for third year in a row

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Torbay Bookshop up for sale

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small Publishers and Marketing Services

American Business Media’s annual meeting this year took a single theme approach, focusing on the opportunity for b-to-b publishers to offer marketing services. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Triptych wins Authors Club prize

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Genre authors attack "sneering" World Book Night coverage

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Heavy book buyers avoiding bookshops' says HC chief

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wink Publishing launches for budding authors

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More bookshops close; another 500 jobs lost

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[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2011-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Green Bookshop reaches 96% of its financial target

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Algonquin Launches Author Interview Series

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canongate captures teen author

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More bookshops to close

Administrators have decided to close 12 more Angus & Robertson stores, cutting another 102 permanent and casual positions. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2011-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WH Smith reopens shops under British Bookshops deal

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC boosts bookshop sales by "almost £500,000"

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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