If you have been in the shop recently you may notice I have moved things around a bit. The counter is now at the back, so Helen and I can be near the heater. We also have a couple of card spinners, making it easier to view our range and find the perfect card.
It was so nice to have Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist in the Liberty Theatre, talking to Barbie Robinson about their new book The Glass House. Their Great Australian Bookshop Tour is quite an undertaking! The disussion about mental health, bookshops and writing was fascinating - thanks to those who braved the cold theatre to attend!
The Last Wednesday Book Club discussed The Convenant of Water last month and we all enjoyed it, it is a long book but we thought very gentle and well written. It is a family saga set in India and we had favourite characters and moments from the book to share. This month we are reading Sanditon by Jane Austen - a quick read!
I sold books at Goulburn Library's Jelena Dokic event in April. It was huge, sold out very quickly and lots of enthusiatic fans in attendence. I have a few signed copies of Fearless in the shop. Local author Rhiân Williams held a story time at Goulburn Library, reading from Emergency! Emergency! and her other children's picture books. Her gorgeous new book is in the shop now - One Little Dung Beetle. Both the illustrations and the story are wonderful!
Events
Now that the book store has been going a couple of years, Yass is being added to the publisher map for book launches and events. Keep an eye out as we have some great author visits planned this year. I look forward to working with Yass, Goulburn, Gunning and Crookwell Libraries on their author events too.
Saturday 1st June - Book Fair at the Yass Soldiers Memorial Hall - if you have books you want to get rid of let us know, we'd love to take them off your hands. As close to the 1st June as possible would be great.
Author talks
Friday 7th June - Gunning and Crookwell Libraries - Victoria Purman - The Radio Hour
Sunday 14th July - Yass Lawn Tennis Club - Sandie Docker - The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir
Awards
Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright is the worthy winner of the 2024 Stella Prize.
The Mile Franklin Longlist has been released.
Praiseworthy and Edenglassie both appear again as well as Hospital which was longlisted for the Stella this year.
The Australian Book Industry Awards winners were announced last week with The Voice to Parliament Handbook winning. Thomas Mayo's new book Always Was, Always Will Be comes out in September.
Kids books
Local boy, Nathan Luff has a new book out - the 3rd in his Family Disasters series.
Anh Do's Hotdog series - number 16 is here!
Dog Man #12 The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey has been selling like hotcakes.
Updates
The shop website now allows me to show a Pre-order section with books being released in the next few months, that I have ordered. It is a good way of checking what is coming out soon. You can ask in the shop if you would like one put aside for you, or pre-order online.
As always if I haven't got something on order or in the shop, I can order it in.
Our opening hours are back to Tue - Sat. No Sundays for a while as the Railway Market has finished until the Spring.
Life in general
I have just finished Patti Smith's book about her and Robert Mapplethorpe. Just Kids. Gentle, interesting and a peep into the Chelsea Hotel set in NY. On to Sanditon now, one of Jane Austen's unfished titles, for book club.
We are hoping kitten season is over in cold Yass, the latest kittens rehomed were stowaways in a car from Bathurst. We still have several older kittens and cats that need homes. We are fostering Banjo who is still getting used to indoor life, you know - regular food, pats, warmth etc!
My cottage, Minnies has sold which is a relief but also a tad sad. It holds many good memories and was a lovely home (and shop).
I am looking forward to our first author event at the Yass Lawn Tennis Club. It is a lovely old building, plenty of parking, warm and quiet. Join me, Sandie Docker
and Barbie Robinson for morning tea, book talk and signing.
Have a great weekend!
Jo
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