in store

There's an opportunity to add optimum function and efficiency to your store

“I bring my experience, knowledge and understanding”

opportunities for your book store

When staff understand the ‘why’ of a function or layout in a book store a team works better together with understanding – confidence grows and skills are mastered. I don’t bring the ‘team-building’ games or the latest motivational mantras, instead, my approach comes from 25 years in the book industry with a fresh set of eyes on business and staff to see where I can add knowledge and upskilling services.

my bookselling story

From my earliest childhood memories books have been central to my life. From bedtime stories or a thoughtful tale from my father, these grew the personal seeds of a love of books. I can testify to childhood games of ‘playing libraries’ by the evidence in some of my treasured books from that era!

What a joy to discover that bookselling could be a career. David Hedley, Hedley’s Books in Masterton saw the potential and that is where I began my craft.

Through the years as a Mum at home, I was able to stay connected to word and verse through writing and research. As a voracious reader, I read wide and vast, in turn nurturing my children with the love of stories and ideas.

In 2009 I returned to retail bookselling at Masterton Paper Plus, owned by (AKA Father Of Paper Plus as he was fondly called) Russell Carthew and later, Warwick Delmonte. As Book Manager I was able to finely hone my skills and be part of a vibrant team. “we worked hard but had fun too” we used to say. Tasks included: selling, buying from publisher reps, stock ordering, receipting, returns, and merchandising, stock management, staff training, book reviews, monthly book club and instore events. A happy existence!

For eight years I penned the weekly Sue’s Reviews Book Review page in the Wairarapa Times Age and these were widely read and utilised in other Paper Plus stores. Customers would bring in the ‘cuttings from the newspaper’ to buy the books and have confidence that my reviews were a great recommendation. I would always encourage a ‘post-read’ thought!

These are the gems in a book store – the trust in a genuine bookseller. Books are not cheap and it matters to match the right book to the right person or need – hence the multitude of questions in the book buying/selling process!

For eleven years I was host of the in store book club at Masterton Paper Plus – loyal, dedicated book buying customers gathered to korero and hear about the newest pearl of a book I had found. We were more of a ‘bookish club’ than a formal book club … from bookish news, book trailers from pubishers shown on our store tv, excitement building for anticipated new or favoured authors, bookish games (with a strong commitment never to embarrass anyone), quizzes and even the odd scavanger hunt in store. Reviews or book readings were at the heart of each gathering and it was a treasured time by all.

From meeting authors, celebrities that had penned memoirs, tales of heartbreak and highs, coaching potential writers or those wishing to start the process of publishing their story – it all mattered and was a privilege to be part of each spoke of the wheel that is bookselling.

My time in retail bookselling has come to an end but I still have a set of skills that can be of benefit to readers, booksellers and publishers alike.

Let the next chapter begin…