January 2020

The beginning of a new year and a new decade; a month of winter sniffles, best intentions and dark day blues; a month aptly named for the Roman God of transition, whose two faces reflect on the past but look forward to the future; January.

With the build up to December an excitable blur and the post Christmas gloom of January weighing on my shoulders, it’s been unfortunately easy to take my foot off the peddle and neglect a few things...this blog being one of them.

So, with all the best intentions of 2020, I aim to (forced, if necessary) flex a little more writing muscle and make this a regular expression of bookselling life; a ‘Diary of a Children’s Bookseller’ if you like. Granted, it may end up being the nonsensical ramblings of someone just needing to get things off their chest – a rant here, a plea for help there – but hopefully it will give you a little more insight into exactly how it feels to be on the front line of children’s bookselling and our wonderful but declining high street. All sounds very dramatic doesn’t it?!

So there it is. Call it an appropriately timed resolution or a wishful thinking promise, who knows. If you find yourself with ‘naught much else to do than tag along for the ride, then thank you, and please indulge me with your comments, requests and any further interactions you think worth throwing into the pot. I have no real idea what I’m doing when it comes to this blogging malarkey (just in case you hadn’t noticed) but I’m up for a challenge. And who knows, maybe it’ll turn into the next best seller…

(it won’t)

...or maybe you’ll just feel a little closer to me.

(awww)

It’s been a mixed bag for the world of bookselling this month. I was shocked and incredibly saddened to see news of indie bookshops that have been at the heart of the high street for decades close their doors, or be forthcoming about their sudden decline in customers. There are so many things to blame for this – things I couldn’t /probably shouldn’t even begin to list – but, thanks to the likes of the spectacular Neil Gaiman, it was incredibly reassuring and heart-warming to see support flood in for these shops from around the world. The power of social media and the exposure it has the potential to offer is mind bottling (yes I said “bottling” - you know, when your thoughts get all bottled up…??? haha, if you know, you know). It made me think just how lucky I am to have the opportunity to do what I’m doing, and to have people around to encourage me, prop me up when I’m feeling a little deflated and continue to shout about us to whoever will listen. I am so so grateful to each and every one of you and you will never know how much difference a like on Instagram, a share on Facebook or a recommendation to a friend can make to my day! Honestly, I smile and everything!

I’m sure I could go on about this subject for hours, but instead of boring you to the point that reading a cereal box seems infinity more entertaining, I'll hang up my moaning shoes now and just say...ta. Ta very much for reading, ta very much for choosing to spend your hard earned cash with us (instead of the faceless, all consuming corporation that shall not be named) and ta for being ace.
See you next month, Leanne x