‘I’m giddy to be here’: the risk-takers who opened bookshops during Covid

More than 60 bookshops launched in the UK and Ireland in the past 18 months – but who would open one in a pandemic? We asked five to share their stories, while bestselling author Val McDermid remembers the bookshops of her youthWhen I was growing up in a small Scottish town, we had a bookshop that was utterly terrifying. The books were housed on high shelves behind counters staffed by intimidating assistants. If you didn’t go in knowing what you wanted, tough. There was no possibility of browsing. If I got a book token for my birthday or a school prize, I’d always pick a title I hadn’t read yet from a favourite author so I knew what to ask for. Chances were, they didn’t have it and it would have to be ordered. Cue pursed lips and a frown.Honestly, it’s a miracle that I ever managed to amass a book collection at all.Val McDermid’s new novel, 1979 (Little, Brown, £20), is published on 19 August Related: Shakespeare and Company: a 'socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore' – in pictures Related: 10 independent bookshops you should visit worldwide: our readers recommend Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-08-15 11:00:06 UTC ]
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WI15: Bookshop Hopes to Change Bookish E-commerce

The new online bookstore intended to benefit indies is nearly ready to go, and will launch January 28. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-01-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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BA hails increase in indie bookshops for third consecutive year

The number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland has grown for the third consecutive year, according to new data from the Booksellers Association.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-09 17:00:46 UTC ]
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English language bookshop Coven reaches crowdfunder goal

Coven, an English language bookshop and café in Paris, has fulfilled its crowdfunding goal of around £21,000 to open a store dedicated to "intersectional feminism, engaged literature and ethical hospitality". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-08 16:28:22 UTC ]
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Wakefield indie to shut bricks and mortar bookshop and move focus online

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-07 01:28:46 UTC ]
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Galway's Kennys Bookshop marks 80 years of trade

The independent family-run Kennys Bookshop & Art Gallery in Galway, Ireland, is celebrating 80 years in business this year after attributing its success to "innovation and experience". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-06 04:40:44 UTC ]
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English language bookshop crowdfunder has week to raise £7,000

A crowdfunding campaign to create a “feminist safe haven” bookshop in Paris has only a week left to raise the remaining £7,000 needed to secure premises, after securing two-thirds of its financial target. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-02 16:26:28 UTC ]
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New Fronts Will Open in the Media Union Wars in 2020

In 2019, the organizing wave that began rising in 2018 crested, with employees at digital publishers including Quartz, BuzzFeed News, Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-01-02 15:55:48 UTC ]
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New fronts will open in the media union wars in 2020

In 2019, the organizing wave that began rising in 2018 crested, with employees at digital publishers including Quartz, BuzzFeed News, Wirecutter and The Ringer and legacy media companies such as Hearst and NBC News all organizing. Over the past five years, the ranks of the Writers Guild of... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2020-01-02 05:01:11 UTC ]
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'Feminist safe haven' English language bookshop to launch in Paris

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-20 11:14:17 UTC ]
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STM and AAP raise alarm over US policy change on Open Access

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-18 20:30:17 UTC ]
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2020 Pulitzer Prize Contest Open to Journalism Entries

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2019-12-18 15:50:38 UTC ]
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George R.R. Martin opens bookstore next to his movie theater in Santa Fe.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2019-12-16 16:24:28 UTC ]
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TLS launches online bookshop with Monwell

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-16 03:59:25 UTC ]
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Entries open for British Book Awards 2020

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-12 04:47:19 UTC ]
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Bookshop Heroes to be crowned in new Bookseller feature backed by BA and HarperCollins

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-11 22:52:50 UTC ]
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New Waterstones Victoria branch opens

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-05 20:16:44 UTC ]
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Costa Short Story Award voting opens

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-05 17:05:07 UTC ]
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Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries open to literature organisations for first time

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-05 00:51:46 UTC ]
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OPEN CALL: Arabic-English Translation Workshop, Sharjah

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[ British Council global | 2019-12-02 14:33:00 UTC ]
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