I feel like I’ve been really slack with my blog, but in all honesty, I’ve just been adjusting to our new life (so much change!) and haven’t really had much time at all to stop and think about it. But here we are, in the quiet recuperation day after National Bookshop Day which was a busy and brilliant day for bookshops across the country.
The finish line of the #LoveOZYAWalkathon
I feel like I’m settling in to my new role as manager of The Younger Sun. It is such a gorgeous shop with such lovely staff and it’s a delight to work there! Even one of my major concerns has turned out to not be as bad as I expected. After 7 years as a sales rep, driving everywhere and sitting for meetings, I had zero stamina when it came to being on my feet for extended periods. But, thanks to a smart buy of some proper running shoes with cushy soles and support, I got used to standing for 8 hours really quickly. Now when I get home I’m very ready to sit on the couch, but I feel it’s a bit more deserved than when I craved the couch after a day in the car.
But getting to know the stock, the parents and kids, the librarians and teachers that come in is great fun. Searching for the right book for the reader in front of you has a very different satisfaction to just getting good books into bookstores. It’s knowing that someone could fall in love with a book because you were the one to recommend it. “Have you read Jandy Nelson?” I asked a teenager this week while she was browsing. “No,” she said and I replied, “You must,” and left her to browse. A few minutes later she was at the counter handing me The Sky Is Everywhere and I was filled with such joy. “When you’re done, you’ll have to read I’ll Give You The Sun, it’s one of my all-time favourites.”
On top of the new job, I was elected to the committee for the #LoveOzYA campaign. This was delightful to discover because I really wanted to be involved and do what I could to help. We even had a meeting and discussed some exciting things that will come to fruition down the line. Be sure to check out the website and keep up to date with all the #LoveOzYA goings ons.
I also have put together the format for a new YA Bookclub/discussion group: YA’ll For Brunch? This is a no pressure Bookclub for people who love YA books. It’s held in Melbourne on the third Sunday of every month. There’s no book to read, just come along for some brunch and book-talk! Bring something you’ve read to share with someone else if you like or just bask in the glory of book-loving folk. All the details are HERE and there’s a Facebookpage which will create events to help with your scheduling.
We’ve also settled in to our new house and one of my favourite things about it is the ‘Library’ (or just a room that has nothing in it but books and my reading armchair – Slughorn – in its bay window). I love being about to look across from the study and see all those delightful parcels of goodness. See:
So, as you can see, I’ve had a pretty crazy month. My writing as taken a bit of a hit too, but now I’m in more of a routine, things are picking up there again. Although I am currently trying to undertake a major structural edit of my (ever)work-in-progress which is as daunting as it is needed. Wish me luck!
Now to get on with it!