INKSPOT & SILVERLEAF BOOKSELLERS

Event Book Signing - Tam Dalyell

2011-12-14T22:28:00.000+01:00

Apologies! It's been a while since this blog was updated, but we're still here, still doing well, and busy, busy, busy in these last few weeks before Christmas! ...And we have exciting news to restart the blog with!

We've just had it confirmed that this Saturday (17th December) we will be hosting a book signing with Tam Dalyell here in the shop! From 11.30am - 12.30pm, Tam will be here signing copies of his autobiography 'The Importance of Being Awkward'. It's proved a popular seller these last few months and as well as being an excellent read in itself, a signed copy would make an very welcome Christmas present! Please join us on Saturday for the signing, and be sure to tell your friends! (If you'd like to reserve your copy to be signed on the day, just get in touch and we'll put one aside for you. If you are not able to make it to the signing please just let us know and we can have a copy signed on your behalf which you can collect later.)

Independents' Day

2011-07-04T09:41:00.002+02:00

Happy Independence Day to our American friends and followers... and Happy Independents’ Day to everyone in the UK! Yes, this year 4th July is Independents’ Day, a day when everyone is encouraged to buy at least one item from a local independent retailer and celebrate diversity on the high street. Supported by trade bodies such as the Booksellers Association, as well as local, national and trade press, we hope it will be a great success!

The day is also set to highlight the skills great independent retailers have and to show the public that their local shopkeeper is not only a vital service, but someone who wears many hats; the accountant, sales assistant, buyer, and everything in-between... but that's something you may already know if you've ever innocently wandered in to the shop looking for a book and found me sweeping the floor, printing out posters, rearranging bookshelves, writing enewsletters, ordering stock, fixing broken fittings or hunched over a computer attempting to do my taxes!

Being independent is important to us here we're already members of the Bookseller's Association's IndieBound scheme, and we stock books by many independent publishers too. We hope that Independents' Day will help raise awareness of the importance of independent retailers from all sectors on the high street.

Did you know that by shopping at independent retailers (not just today, but every other day too), as well as getting some great products for your hard earned cash, you can get a warm fuzzy feeling? Use your local independents and here's what you're really doing:

1. You're keeping money in the local economy (Based on US research, we know that for every £100 spent in a local business, £68 is likely to stay in the community, versus £43 when spent in a national business.)

2.You're embracing what makes us unique (You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in Britain. So why would you want your community to look that way?)

3. You're creating local jobs (Local businesses are better at creating higher-paying jobs for local people.)

4. You're helping the environment (Buying from a local business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation, less packaging, and products that you know are safe and well made, because we stand behind them.)

5. You're nurturing your community (We know you, and you know us. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.)

6. You're helping keep the high street healthy (Supporting local business means more colour and variety on the high street and creates more reason for local authorities to support them.)

7. You're creating more choice (We pick the items we sell based on what we know you like and want. Local businesses carry a wider array of unique products because we buy for our own individual market.)

8.You're taking advantage of our expertise (You are our friends and neighbours, and we have a vested interest in knowing how to serve you. We’re passionate about what we do. Why not take advantage of it?)

9. You're investing in entrepreneurship (Creativity and entrepreneurship are crucial to our economy. Nurturing local business ensures a strong community.)

10.You're making us a destination (The more interesting and unique we are as a community, the more we will attract new neighbours, visitors and guests. This benefits everyone!

...so, once again a great big THANK YOU to all our customers who keep us, the other local stores, and the community alive!

Hopes & Fears by Justine Riccomini

2011-06-01T14:24:00.000+02:00

We're very pleased to let you know we are now stocking 'Hopes & Fears' - a CD by Justine Riccomini in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Bo'nessian Justine has already raised a staggering £6000 in recent years by singing in concerts and organising events (you may have heard her sing at last years Victorian Street Fair, or at the very popular ABBA concert a few years ago!), and her fundraising efforts culminated in a sponsored trek through the Peruvian Andes in 2009. She has now recorded this wonderful CD in order to raise more money for Marie Curie Cancer Care in tribute to her Mum.

In 'Hopes & Fears' she sings 10 much loved classics including 'Londonderry Air' and 'Rusalka's Song to the Moon' (on both of which she sings with Bo'ness and Carriden Brass Band), as well as 'Ave Maria', 'Amazing Grace', and 'O Mio Babbino Caro' to name just a few. Justine hopes to raise a further £10,000 from sales of this CD. 'Hopes & Fears' is priced £9.99 and 100% of sale proceeds go straight to Marie Curie Cancer Care. Please support Justine's amazing fundraising efforts!

Fair Day Cards

2011-05-19T12:55:00.001+02:00

As I'm sure you all know, 'The Best Day of the Year', Bo'ness Children's Fair Day, is on Friday, June 24th this year, and we're pleased to announce that our fair day cards are back in stock now... and this year we've increased the selection!

As before, we have handmade cards for almost all the roles in the fair - if you can't find one for your child's role then just let us know, we can have one made in just a few days at no extra cost. And we're currently working on handmade cards for the schools' presentees too, and these should be available in store early next week. Both these types of handmade cards can be personalised with the child's name and/or a special message inside the card!

AND new for this year, we now have a small selection of printed Fair Day cards. These look fantastic, and are a great way to pass on your good wishes (unfortunately these printed cards cannot be personalised). But hurry, the printed cards are only available in limited quantities for this year's fair - once a design is sold out, we can't guarantee to have more available in time for the fair so make sure you get yours in time!

We're really pleased to have increased our offering of Fair cards, so that now we should have something for everyone! We even have money wallet gift cards available for those giving cash as a gift. So next time you pop into the shop, make sure to have a look at our Fair Day card selection, and get yours organised early!

Neville's Island

2011-04-29T09:30:00.008+02:00

The Barony Players new production of 'Neville's Island' begins its run this week. The Barony always do a fantastic job, and the play, written by Tim Firth, (who also wrote the smash hit comedies Calendar Girls, Kinky Boots, and The Flint Street Nativity) is sure to be a success!

Described as 'a comedy in thick fog', the play centers on team build weekend at Pennine Spring Water Ltd. Our four heroes are determined to win. As they arrive on an island in the middle of Derwentwater they are sure of success - they are out in front and the other teams are nowhere to be seen! But are Neville’s map reading skills as good as he thinks? And over breakfast, did Angus spot the hidden clues in the instructions that everyone else missed?

The Barony production runs from Tuesday May 3rd - Saturday May 7th at the Barony Theatre in Borrowstoun Road, Bo'ness. The play starts at 7.30pm, and if you are quick, you can still get tickets (priced £8, or £6 for concessions) by calling 01506 827011. Make sure you book today and don't miss out!

Winner of our final giveaway...

2011-04-25T12:07:00.000+02:00

It's time to announce the winner of yesterday's blog giveaway! Again I used a random number generator which picked the winner as... comment number 3, Elizabeth! Your book is here waiting for you - get in touch with us to arrange collection.
Thanks so much to everyone who took part in all our birthday celebrations this last weekend! We've had great fun and are looking forward to next years already!

Our final giveaway...

2011-04-23T13:16:00.000+02:00

...for now!

From April 21st - 23rd we're having a whole host of birthday celebrations both online and in the shop. Over on our Facebook page we're giving codes for extra discount and here on the blog we're hosting a giveaway a day! Here is our third and final giveaway, and today it's one for the kids!

Our prize today is a copy of 'Freddie and the Fairy', the latest book by bestselling author of 'The Gruffalo', Julia Donaldson. “Freddie is desperate for a pet, so when he rescues Bessie-Belle and she offers to grant his wishes he knows just what to ask for. The only problem is that Bessie-Belle can't hear very well, and Freddie tends to mumble. Whatever can they do? Luckily the Fairy Queen is on hand to explain”

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a copy (and remember, if you've entered our giveaways yesterday or Thurdsday, you can still enter again today) here's what to do:

1. Make sure you follow us on Facebook (if you don't already then visit our Facebook page here and 'like' us), then
2. Pop back over here and leave a comment at this post! Simple! (Make sure you leave your name so we can verify your entry!)

As it's the weekend we'll be keeping this one rolling a little longer than the others - You have till 10am on Monday morning to enter this one, and I'll then use a random number generator again to chose a winner. Winners will be announced here and on Facebook shortly afterwards so remember to check back to see if you've won! Time to get commenting... Good luck!

Our second giveaway winner!

2011-04-23T11:44:00.000+02:00

It's time to announce the winner of yesterday's blog giveaway! Again I used a random number generator which picked the winner as... comment number 2. Congratulations Alyson! Your book is here waiting for you - get in touch with us to arrange collection. And to everyone else, we've still one last giveaway to do before we pipe down for another year. Our third and final giveaway will be posted later today so remember to check back and enter!

Our second giveaway...

2011-04-22T13:33:00.000+02:00

From April 21st - 23rd we're having a whole host of birthday celebrations both online and in the shop. Over on our Facebook page we're giving codes for extra discount and here on the blog we're hosting a giveaway a day! Time for our second giveaway...

We have up for grabs today, a copy of 'Frontier Scots: The Scots who won the West' by Jenni Calder. “From the bagpipes that were heard on the walls of the Alamo, to the Gaelic speaking cowboys and the ubiquitous Highland fiddlers: there is scarcely an episode in American history in which Scots do not appear. Meet the Scots who tamed the Wild West in this vivid historical account of pioneers in 19th century America.”

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a copy (and remember, if you entered the giveaway yesterday you can still have another try again today!) here's what to do:

1. Make sure you follow us on Facebook (if you don't already then visit our Facebook page here and 'like' us), then
2. Pop back over here and leave a comment at this post! Simple! (Make sure you leave your name so we can verify your entry!)

You have till 10am tomorrow morning (Saturday 23rd April) to enter, and I'll then use a random number generator to choose a winner from the comments received. Winners will be announced here and on Facebook shortly afterwards so remember to check back to see if you've won! Time to get commenting... Good luck!

Our first giveaway winner...

2011-04-22T11:43:00.014+02:00

We had a great start to our birthday celebrations yesterday in the shop, and after a slight glitch with the comments here on the blog (sorry!) we had 3 entries online for our first giveaway. To pick a winner, I numbered each one from 1 to 3 and then used a random number generator to choose. I'm pleased to announce that the lucky winner is... comment number 3! Well done Keith, get in touch with us to arrange collection. And a big thank you to everyone else who entered.

Our second giveaway will be posted later today so remember to check back and enter!

First Blog Giveaway!

2011-04-21T13:00:00.000+02:00

Free book anyone? Today, tomorrow and Saturday we're having a whole host of birthday celebrations both online and in the shop. Over on our Facebook page we're giving codes for extra discount and here on the blog we're hosting a giveaway a day! Here is our first!

We have up for grabs today, a copy of 'Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet' by David Mitchell. “Be transported to a place like no other: a tiny, man-made island in the bay of Nagasaki, for two hundred years the sole gateway between Japan and the West. Here, in the dying days of the 18th-century, a young Dutch clerk arrives to make his fortune. Instead he loses his heart.”

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a copy here's what to do:

1. Make sure you follow us on Facebook (if you don't already then visit our Facebook page and 'like' us), then
2. Leave a comment at this post! Simple!

You have till 10am tomorrow morning (Friday 22nd April) to enter, and I'll then use a random number generator to choose a winner from the comments received. Winners will be announced here and on Facebook shortly afterwards, so remember to check back to see if you've won! Time to get commenting... Good Luck!

Happy 3rd Birthday!

2011-04-19T12:56:00.000+02:00

If you are a follower over at our Facebook page then you'll know that this week is our shop's 3rd birthday! On April 19th 2008 we opened our doors for the first time, and haven't looked back! We've had our ups and downs; from winning awards to minor floods! We've received some lovely compliments, and are proud to still be in business in such a challenging economic climate. The last three years have been an absolute blast, and to say thank you for all your custom and support we've three full days of discounts, competitions and offers planned for later this week, both online and in store! Here on the blog we'll be hosting some book giveaways, so make sure you 'like' our Facebook page to be kept up to date on when everything is happening, and to be in with a chance of winning!

Mother's Day

2011-03-23T13:12:00.014+01:00

We love decorating our themed windows every few weeks - it's really very satisfying to be able to bring together books from all over the shop under one main theme. We get to showcase books you might not otherwise have noticed... and it's also great fun! So last Sunday when we were found out we were joint winners of the Hippodrome's Silent Film Festival window display competition along with Pebbles Jewellery you can imagine we were over the moon!

Flushed with success we've now switched everything over to a new theme - this time it's Mother's Day (which is fast approaching - April 3rd this year!) So whether you want to show your Mum how great she is by making her a card, baking her some sweet treats, or spoiling her with a wonderful fiction book she can lose herself in, we've just the book for you!

We've posted pictures here, but our themed windows are always much better in real life, so stop by and have a look for yourself, and pick up some great gift ideas too!

Shhh...

2011-03-18T13:54:00.007+01:00

This weekend is sees Scotland's first ever Silent Film Festival take place at the Hippodrome in Bo'ness! It's sure to be a great event and we've created a themed window highlighting some particularly fitting books for the occasion! Maybe you'd like a book that gives a thorough introduction to silent film or perhaps you've always wanted to read Charlie Chaplin's autobiography... or maybe you'd like to brush up on your screenwriting techniques, or perhaps learn more about music in the movies? Either way we have the book for you! If you're in town over the weekend for the festival, pop in and have a browse when you're passing. We'd love to see you!

World Book Day 2011!

2011-02-28T11:58:00.004+01:00

March 3rd is World Book Day and as part of the celebrations, £1 book tokens are distributed free to thousands of children up and down the country. This year, these tokens are valid from today (February 28th) right through to 27th March 2011. They can be exchanged for one of the specially produced World Book Day flip books, or alternatively can be redeemed for £1 off the purchase of a book or audio book worth £2.99 or more. Of course we've the full range of World Book Day flip books in stock again this year, so once your child gets their voucher, bring them along to make their selection!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-07T11:37:00.009+01:00

Unbelievably, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Are you organised yet? Have you decided on a gift? Bought a card? No? Well, before you decide to part with your pennies it might be worthwhile remembering that books are longer lasting than flowers, cheaper than jewellery, and a little bit better for you than chocolates too! So why not try a volume of love poems, a romantic novel or something a little different this year. We've some lovely pink and red handmade beaded bookmarks that would be perfect for that little 'something extra' last minute present.

Also, from today on our Facebook page we'll be running a Valentine's Day countdown with a new present idea each day. So if you're the type who needs reminders, then this is a pretty perfect solution! Click here to be taken directly to the page.

... and then there's cards - did somebody mention cards? Why yes! We've Valentine's Day cards too! And we're open all day (as usual) from 9.30am to 5pm on Valentine's Day itself for those of you who (lets face it, like me) run a little late for these things sometimes. We hope you have a lovely day!

Paperblanks Notebooks and Address Books

2011-02-04T11:49:00.006+01:00

We mentioned in January that we'd be building up our stationery section more this year, and we've started off with a bang! The section has gone from one little shelf back in the early days to pretty much jam-packing an entire book case now. In the last few weeks we've taken delivery of a whole pile of bookmarks, book plates, book lights, pens, pencils, magnifiers and more. What about notebooks, you ask? Yes! We've everything from basic lined Pukka Pads in A4 and A5 sizes through to travel journals, birthday books, kitchen notes, gift stationery, and handmade notebooks too.

AND due to the incredible popularity of the Paperblank Diaries we sell over Christmas each year, we've decided to stock Paperblanks notebooks and address books all year round too! We took delivery of the first selection this week, and there's more to come in time. So next time you are passing, pop in and see all our new stationery!

Childrens Books & Stationery...

2011-01-25T09:40:00.000+01:00

Everyone loves kids books - from classics like The Hungry Caterpillar and Famous Five to newer stories about Aliens in Underpants, Wimpy Kids, and the adventures of Madame Pamplemousse. It's no surprise then that our children's book section has proved very popular since we opened, and we love hearing kids' excitement when they find a new book, or the next in their favourite series.

In 2010 we thought about expanding the offerings we had for children and decided to test the waters with a few kids stationery items; pencils, pens, bookmarks etc. and were pleased to find they've been just as popular! So in 2011 we're extending this further still and by the end of the year we intend to have a dedicated kids stationery section. We've already brought in a few more fab items and intend to build this up more over the year. And to make sure everyone's happy, we're keeping plenty of stock available at pocket money prices so the kids can afford their own treats!

Burns Night...

2011-01-20T09:58:00.037+01:00

With the closing verses of "Auld Lang Syne" still ringing in our ears from New Year, it's once again time to celebrate the life and work of it's author. Yes, January 25th is Burns Night, and whether you're reciting 'Tam O' Shanter' in a school poetry competition, off to attend a Burns Supper, or just want to know more about the man and his life, we've just the book in stock...

We're now on Facebook!

2011-01-15T09:36:00.017+01:00

Well as you know we're all about books... all kinds of books. So after a few little nudges from here and there, we thought it about time we set our sights on the one book we've not paid much attention to until now - Facebook!

We've taken the plunge and set up a page there where we can keep our followers up to date with new books as they arrive, news about the shop and much more. If you're already on Facebook it's easy to find us - simply click here to go directly to the page, or when you're logged in simply search for Inkspot & Silverleaf Booksellers. Then 'Like' our page to become a follower and you'll be kept right up to date!

It's a new project that we're still tinkering with so please do bear with us whilst we get in to the swing of things, and of course if there's anything you'd like to see us try there, just give us a shout!

Truly Independent (again!)

2011-01-10T09:32:00.021+01:00

Well last year The Independent included us in their 'Britain's 50 Best Bookshops' list, and we were really chuffed! We've now got 2011 off to a flying start as we've been featured in The Independent again, this time with our Top 10 recommendations in their 'Hit List' (we love being featured in the national press!)

Click the picture below for a slightly larger version...

We're having a little sale...

2011-01-08T10:13:00.018+01:00

... we're only a little shop, so it's just a little sale (not one of those massive, garish, chaotic sales you see shouting at you from your telly), but we like to think it's perfectly formed. There are books from all sections in it and we've a variety of offers on:

* We've selected kids books available in '3 for 2' deals
* We've some great paperback fiction in 'buy 1 get one half price' offers, and
* We've up to 20% off many other hardback fiction, and selected non-fiction books too!

Everything involved has a lovely, tasteful little red sticker on it so you know exactly what the deal is, and although we're a busy little shop it's still highly unlikely that someone will elbow you out of the way to get to the books in here... It's altogether much more civilised sales shopping!

So nope, it's not a big sale, but it's not half bad either, and we promise not to shout our offers at you from your telly!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T12:26:00.006+01:00

We'd just like to start 2011 by saying 'Happy New Year!' to all our blog readers and followers. We hope you had a lovely time over the festive period and your transition back to 'normal' life hasn't been too traumatic!

Here we've been busy... we've re-discovered the floor (buried under several tonnes of grit and salt in the last few shopping days before Christmas), rearranged, re-stocked, and re-jigged a few shelves too! We've taken in deliveries, drawn up lists, made a plan or two and are now well and truly ready to take on 2011!

We hope to see you in the shop soon!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T17:09:00.009+01:00

Well, after busy December it's now our turn to enjoy the festive season, so we're closing the shop for a few days! As from tomorrow (Christmas Day) we close up until 9.30am on Monday January 3rd when we'll be back refreshed, recharged and ready for another year. As usual, our opening hours in January will be Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm.

So now all that's left to say for 2010 is that we wish everyone near and far a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! We hope you stay nice and warm in the wintry weather, and that Santa brings you some great new reads!

Wintry Weather

2010-12-06T09:10:00.036+01:00

You might have noticed, we've been experiencing some wintry weather round these parts recently!

On really snowy / icy days, as with other shops in the town we've been forced to open a little later than normal due to the weather. (Sadly, we've even had an enforced snow day or two.) Apologies for all of this!

During this time we've been opening (and will continue to open) as soon as we can possibly get there over the hills and through the snowdrifts each morning. In the meantime, if you have any urgent queries or orders then please either pop back later in the day, or call or email us and leave a message. We will get back to you and deal with your enquiry as soon as we can. We'll be back to normal again as soon as the weather clears.

Once again, apologies, and thanks for your patience!

Christmas is coming...

2010-12-02T09:27:00.000+01:00

And so are the reindeer! Once again Santa and the fabulous Aviemore reindeer make their annual visit to Bo'ness Town Centre this Christmas. Pop into the town on Saturday (4th Dec) to enjoy the event, keep the kids entertained, and do a little Christmas shopping all in one! The reindeer will be in the town from 2pm to 4pm - make sure you don't miss them!

December Opening Hours...

2010-11-29T12:04:00.004+01:00

Did you know? We're extending our opening hours in December to make sure you have plenty of time to get your Christmas shopping organised! We'll now be open...

* Every Sunday in December up to Christmas (5th, 12th and 19th) - from 12 noon to 4pm!
* Even earlier on December Saturdays - from 9am to 5pm!
* AND Late night on Thursday 2nd December ... right up until 8pm!

Of course, we're still open as normal every other day from 9.30am to 5pm.

As usual, this year we'll be open right up to 5pm on Christmas Eve for all those last minute gifts, then we'll be closing to enjoy the festivities, mince pies and mulled wine for a few days! We'll be back open again on Monday January 3rd ready for the start of a whole new year! (My goodness, 2011 already. Where does time go?!)

Late Night Shopping!

2010-11-26T09:44:00.002+01:00

Yes, you heard correctly, we're opening late! If you have trouble making in to the shops in town during the week then why not take advantage of our late night on Thursday 2nd December! We'll be open right up until 8pm so there's plenty of time to pop in and kick start your Christmas shopping.

And, it's not just us - there's a whole host of shops opening late that night with special offers, promotions and a real festive atmosphere. Brilliant!

Hope to see you there!

2010 Christmas Lights Switch On

2010-11-17T11:27:00.000+01:00

Well, if that was our Autumn, we've had it! ... Bring on Christmas!

This Saturday (20th) in Bo'ness the Christmas lights are being switched on. The entertainment starts at 2.15pm so make sure you come along to the town centre to see local school choirs, pantomine fun, festive characters, treasure hunts and the switch on of the Christmas lights at 4pm. You might even be able to pick up a Christmas present or two whilst you're here!

Christmas Catalogues...

2010-11-11T09:28:00.003+01:00

Remember to pick up your Inkspot & Silverleaf Booksellers Christmas catalogue for loads of great present ideas! Catalogues are available in the shop now.

We're Back!

2010-11-06T09:14:00.005+01:00

Well that's it - the holidays are all over, the sunglasses packed away, the winter woolies have been found, and there'll be nothing but snow and sparkliness and Christmas on our minds for the next few months! The shop opens back up again today (6th November), after our little break so why not stop by and say hello... If jet lag hasn't got the better of us then we're sure to be bright and chipper and ready to hunt down all those books on your Christmas list for you!
See you soon!

Britain's 50 Best Bookshops...

2010-10-27T09:43:00.002+02:00

Here's some brilliant shop news to keep you going whilst we're away this week...

We're great - it's official! We're one of the country's 50 Best Bookshops according to a recent feature in The Independent. We're included in a brand new for 2010 '50 Of The Best' list with a host of other fantastic (and award winning) shops such as Jaffe & Neale in Chipping Norton and The Watermill in Aberfeldy as well as our friends at Edinburgh's Children's Bookshop and the Yellow Lighted Bookshop in Tetbury. Our entry reads...

"As with Chris's other Scottish recommendations, he rates this business for having 'created a shop with its own personality, by combining bookselling with wider reading/arts activities to create a focal point for local activities'."

Aw shucks. We try.

Over the two and a half years we're been open we've tried our hardest to bring our customers (that's you!) a li'l bit of everything reading-wise: books you really want. And as well as simply selling books, we've done a whole lot more - we've donated to local charities and fundraisers, worked with schools on events and competitions, linked up with other businesses to show how great the town's indie sector is, supported local arts groups and festivals with ticket sales services, and sold books everywhere from company picnics and playgroups to Christmas Fairs and conferences! On top of that we've taken part in industry wide initiatives such as IndieBound and World Book Day, local initiatives and events such as 'Cheque It Out', and the Victorian Street Fair, and we've even found time to bring our customers our very own unique, exclusive, handmade, personalised greetings and Bo'ness Fair Day cards! Whew! (No wonder we need a holiday this week!)

OK, so we're not be one of the country's bigger shops, we don't have unlimited budgets, and we may be a little off the beaten track, but like many other hardworking indie bookshops we've been quietly busying ourselves behind the scenes trying really hard to bring everything together. We want the shop to be a true community bookshop, and I'm over the moon that all our hard work has been recognised in this way. So thanks to our customers for supporting us over the last few years, and thanks to Chris Conway of www.localbookshops.co.uk for nominating us and the rest of the voting panel for seeing fit to include us with such other great bookshops!

Shop Closed - October 27th to November 5th inclusive...

2010-10-21T09:55:00.001+02:00

Just a little note to say that the shop will be closed for a few days from October 27th whilst we take a well earned holiday! We will re-open on Saturday November 6th so you can collect and order books again then. Apologies for any inconvenience! We hope you have a wonderful Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night whilst we're away!

New Local Book - Matt Steele, Architect

2010-10-18T09:13:00.079+02:00

We're lucky here in Bo'ness to have so much of the town's rich and varied history documented in some wonderful books. ' Local history' has always been one of the most popular sections in the shop, and we've heard stories of books such as 'Old Bo'ness', 'Bo'ness Coal Pits', and 'Bo'ness Speed Hill Climb' winging their way to family, friends and ex-pats in numerous far flung corners of the globe. So with that in mind we're really excited to have another new local book to bring you!

Matt Steele, Architect: A Biography focuses on the life of Matt Steele and his work, particularly in and around Bo'ness. Beautifully laid out, and with pages and pages of wonderful photographs, this book takes in many of the well known sights of the town and explains the architectural history behind them. Personally, I had known of Steele's involvement in the Hippodrome as well as in the building directly opposite the shop here (previously open as 'Wevelings') but I hadn't realised he had undertaken so many comissions around the rest of the town. From shop fronts and offices to churches, sawmills and cinemas, not to mention numerous family homes all around the town, Steele's designs and influence is clearly stamped on the industrial, commercial and residential history of Bo'ness.

If you've always wanted to know a little more about how the town came to look this way, then this book is a must have, and it's a great addition to the selection of local history books available here at the shop.

Past Papers

2010-10-13T09:02:00.003+02:00

Looking forward to the next few months: the falling leaves, the warm fires, and the (dare I say it?) Christmas shopping? Me too! But spare a thought for the nation's teenagers who not only have their exams next May to think of, but also have to study hard for their mock exams later this year before they can switch off and enjoy the change of seasons...

But it's not all doom and gloom! To ease their stress levels and get them used to the exam formats, we have a selection of Past Papers in stock now! From Standard Grade to Advanced Higher and all points in between we've Bright Red's latest edition of these necessary study aids containing past papers from 2006 to 2010. So if your teen has trouble with trigonometry or bother with biology, we've the past paper to help. And if we don't have the exact level and subject you need then don't fret, we can order it for you to arrive in a few days! And just to make sure everyone is all set for any question the exams might throw your way, we also can order study guides, textbooks, reading notes and more. Lesson 1: If a teacher recommends a particular book, take notes, let us know and we'll get it for you!

Gift Vouchers...

2010-10-08T09:30:00.002+02:00

Did you know that as well as the ever popular National Book Tokens Gift Cards, we also have our own Gift Vouchers? Well we do! Our vouchers can be tailored to suit whatever value you need, and they can be used to purchase anything in the shop - including any books we order in for you too! (They also come with a lovely wee card!)

Our vouchers have been popular with schools as prizes, and make great birthday presents for adults and kids alike! So if you're ever stuck for gift ideas, pop in and pick up some vouchers!

Signed Copies...

2010-10-04T09:19:00.003+02:00

We love surprise author visits! Last year we had the pleasure of a surprise visit from fiction author Lesley Pearse when she was in town, and on Saturday it was the turn of Andy Hamilton, co-author (with his brother Dave) of the brilliant 'Self Sufficient-ish Bible' to pop in whilst passing through. Like Lesley, Andy was lovely enough to sign a few copies of his book for us, so if you've been after a copy, now is the time to pick one up!

The Self Sufficient-ish Bible is the book for you if you don't have the space or time to be totally self-reliant, but crave creative ideas for recycling, growing organic vegetables and establishing an environmentally friendly home office. It's full of small suggestions to get you started, and bigger ones for when your confidence grows, as well as recipes, herbal remedies, eco-friendly travel solutions and much much more. If you are one of those organised types who've started their Christmas lists already then this is definitely one to make a note of!

Hops and Glory!

2010-09-28T09:06:00.016+02:00

The days are colder, the nights are drawing in... it's that time of year again. And what better way to spend your evenings than with a good drink and a good book!

October 1st and 2nd this year are the dates for the ever popular Bo'ness Real Ale festival at the Town Hall. And this year, the festival is celebrating its 10th birthday! The beers have been chosen, and the comemmorative polo shirts are ordered. It's sure to be a brilliant festival yet again. And if real ale is your thing, well of course, we've just the book for you...

In 'Hops and Glory', author Pete Brown goes back to the original India Pale Ale - pure gold in a glass; a semi-mythical beer specially invented, in the 19th century, to travel halfway around the world, through storms and tropical sunshine, and arrive in perfect condition for a long, cold drink on an Indian verandah.

For the first time in 140 years, a keg of Burton IPA has been brewed with the original recipe for a voyage to India by canal and tall ship, around the Cape of Good Hope; carried by Pete. Brazilian pirates and Iranian customs officials lie ahead, but will he even make it that far, having fallen in the canal just a few miles out of Burton? And if Pete does make it to the other side of the world with 'Barry' the barrel, one question remains: what will the real IPA taste like? Weaving first-class travel writing with assured comedy, "Hops and Glory" is both a rollicking, raucous history of the Raj and a wonderfully entertaining, groundbreaking experiment to recreate the finest beer ever produced.

It's the perfect accompaniment to the Real Ale Festival! Have a wonderful weekend!

2011 Paperblank Diaries are here!

2010-09-23T09:27:00.045+02:00

Paperblank 2011 diaries are now available in the shop!

I love these diaries. They've room for everything and are always absolutely stunning. Every year since the shop opened we've had the diaries in stock, and every year we've completely sold out. (Which is no wonder really, they're fantastic).

This year we've a new design or two on the shelves, and we have a whole range of sizes and formats available too. They make great gifts for that one friend or relative who already has everything, and a few have already found their way to good homes this year. So if you're planning on giving one as a gift for Christmas then you'd better make sure you pop in and pick one up before they're all gone!

Right, now I'm off to decide which one I want!

I read a book...

2010-09-17T09:09:00.001+02:00

(...it happens sometimes), and I loved it. It's just published this month and we now have a copy or two in the shop... but I had a sneaky wee read a few weeks ago - I was given an advance copy you see, from a publishing friend (oh the privileges!) 'You'll pure love this one', she said. And I did.

The book is 'The Method Actor's Guide to Jekyll and Hyde' by Kevin MacNeil. Great title. Set in Edinburgh it centres around Robert - actor, lovelorn egotist, and bike crash victim. After being unceremoniously knocked off his bike by an Edinburgh bus he returns to his life, his love, and his starring role in an upcoming version of Jekyll and Hyde - only to find everything has changed. Things aren't quite how he left them and life seems to be playing tricks. A '...dark comic thriller with a supernatural edge...' right enough!! Read it yourself to find out all... more specifically, buy it here!

Big Roman Week 2010

2010-09-13T09:28:00.000+02:00

This week is the Big Roman Week across Falkirk District! It takes place to mark the birthday of Emperor Antoninus Pius who built his Roman frontier across Falkirk district. And as usual Bo'ness is getting in to the spirit of things!

A full programme of events has been planned around the town, and from appearances by the Antonine Guard to themed activities for the kids; a screening of 'Asterix' at the Hippodrome to a consultation on the Bridgeness Roman Slab project there's definitely something for everyone. See what happened last year...

At Bo'ness Library on September 15th, Geoff Bailey, Keeper of Archaeology and Local History will be giving a talk on the town's Roman history entitled "Life on the Frontier: Kinneil Fortlet and Carriden Fort". The talk starts at 2.15pm and tickets priced £1 are available from the library.

We've leaflets detailing the full week's programme in the shop for you to pick up, and don't forget to read up on the town's Roman history before you go! We have a selection of local history books in stock including 'The Antonine Wall' by David J. Breeze.

Bo'ness Hill Climb Revival

2010-09-06T09:22:00.028+02:00

This weekend, September 11th and 12th is the 2010 Bo'ness Hill Climb Revival meeting in the grounds of Kinneil House. This event has been running for a few years now and seems to get bigger and better each time. For 2010 as well as the amazing array of classic cars, for the first time in 50 years motorbikes will be competing too! It's definitely worth a visit.

In the shop, we have Kenny Baird's wonderful book 'Bo'ness Hill Climb' £8.99 (paperback) as well as many other local interest, and motorsports books. So if you're in town for the event remember to pop in for a browse.

Half Day Closing - Saturday 4th September

2010-09-02T09:25:00.004+02:00

Just a note to let you know that for one day only, the shop will close at 11.45am on Saturday 4th September as we're off selling books elsewhere for the afternoon! We'll be back open as normal on Monday morning though and hope to see you then!
Apologies for any inconvenience!

Independent Booksellers' Book Prize

2010-08-25T09:15:00.004+02:00

The deadline for voting for the Independent Bookseller's Book Prize (and for being entered into the draw to win all 22 shortlisted books!) is 30th August. That's pretty soon! Make sure you return your completed forms in time! If you don't know anything about this yet then here's some info...

Once again this year we took part in Independent Bookseller's Week in June. As part of that, our lovely customers (that's you!) are able to vote for your favourite book from a shortlist of 22 brilliant titles, compiled by independent booksellers across the country. All you have to do is complete the entry form and pop it back in our stylish competition entry box, and not only will your vote be counted in the ballot for the nation's favourite books, but you could also be in with a chance of winning the full set of 22 shortlisted titles!

Entry forms have been going out in bags since June, but we have more in the shop if you'd like to pick one up next time you're passing. Just make sure to bring it back to us by the deadline of August 30th 2010 to have your vote counted and be in with a winning chance! Best of luck!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

2010-08-16T09:14:00.019+02:00

Well, it's that time of year again! Yes, it's August and so just a few short miles along the road Edinburgh's festivals are in full swing! This year the Edinburgh International Book Festival takes place from 14th to 30th of August and has again attracted some stellar authors. If you'd like a jaunt along then remember to pop into the shop first to pick up your copy of the Book Festival Programme and find out more about who's appearing and when. You can also pick up books from some of the authors who'll be there too of course! (We've highlighted a few of them in our theme window this week...)

And if you've not booked your tickets yet then don't panic! There are still some available for a number of events but it's probably best to be quick! More information on tickets and events can be found on the Book Festival website here. Have fun at the festival!

Back to School...

2010-08-11T09:25:00.014+02:00

Already! It might seem like the kids have just broken up for summer (or perhaps it seems like a lifetime ago...) but either way it's almost time for them to go back.

If your little darling is starting school or nursery, or your not-so-little one is off to college or university soon then we have a great selection of books, gifts and stationery for them in the shop. We've notebooks and pens, dictionaries, 'First Numbers' and 'First Words' books, bookmarks, homework helpers and a whole lot more. If you're passing the shop you'll see lots of them highlighted in our 'Back to School' window.

Of course, we can order in textbooks too, and will do our best to make sure you have everything on your university reading lists in time for the start of term - if it's available, we'll get it for you!

...And new for this year, National Book Tokens have recently launched the Student Book Card. It's a simple two part gift card that allows parents to add value on one card and students to buy textbooks with the other! We have the gift cards available to buy here, and we can also top up any existing cards (whether Student Cards or ordinary Gift Cards), and of course you can use any of the paper National Book Tokens or the newer Gift Cards to pay for your purchases here too.

Back to school made simple!

Enewsletters are back!

2010-08-07T13:35:00.000+02:00

Hurrah! Our enewsletters are back up and running again!

It's certainly been a while since we last emailed everyone. When the shop opened at first, we sent enewsletters steadily each month, but it wasn't long before we realised that our creaky old systems weren't coping very well with the formats, so we took a break to work out a better way of doing things. A few months later and we're now (hopefully!) back on track! We still have a great mix of news, competitions, great books and more, and in the first enewsletter in a long time (sent out yesterday), we had a lot to say! We talked about some great new books, the brilliant new IndieBound initiative, some of the things we've been up to in the shop recently, the Independent Booksellers' Book Prize (and competition!), useful 'Back to School' info and a whole lot more!

If you missed out on the first enewsletter then click here to sign up for it on our website. We'll send you a copy asap and add you to the mailing list for future enewsletters!

They're Funny in Falkirk...

2010-07-24T11:59:00.000+02:00

...and we're a barrel of laughs in Bo'ness! Please excuse the bad pun, but in case you haven't noticed, there's a brand new comedy festival on our doorstep.

Featuring two weeks worth of the best Scottish and International talent, the new 'Funny in Falkirk' festival takes place from 23rd July to 3rd August this year across a whole variety of great venues in the district. Tickets are available online and via the ticket telephone hotline, but if you'd rather pick up yours when you're out doing your weekly shop then pop in to visit us - we're selling tickets for the two fantastic Bo'ness stand up events right here! So all you need to do is decide which event you fancy and get ready to laugh your socks off. Easy peasy!

First up, on Saturday 31st July is an evening with some of the best comics on the Scottish circuit today. The 'Best of Scottish Comedy' event, features compere Jojo Sutherland along with Bruce Fummey, Billy Kirkwood and Bruce Morton. Tickets for this show are priced at £8 (£7 concs).

Then, once you've recovered from that, on Sunday 1st August is the 'Sunday Night Stand Up' event featuring compere Bruce Devlin joined by Raymond Mearns, Anthony Murray and Lucy Oldham. Tickets for this show are priced at £7 (£6 concs). Both events are being held in Bo'ness Town Hall, and both start at 8pm.

Throughout the two weeks of the festival there are events being held in Grangemouth, Denny, and Stenhousemuir, as well as those in Bo'ness and Falkirk. There are even kids comedy films showing at the Hippodrome during the festival, so there's sure to be something for everyone! Pop in and get your tickets today!

Fair Day...

2010-06-22T16:14:00.000+02:00

Well, the town is fully resplendent in it's Fair finery; our hand made, personalised Fair Day cards have been selling like hotcakes, and we've our Fair Day bunting in the window catching the eye of all who pass on South Street. That can only mean one thing... Yes, Friday 25th June is the Bo'ness Children's Fair Festival. Hurrah!

As usual we'll be closed on Friday 25th to enjoy the festivities of 'the best day of the year' but we'll be back open as normal on Saturday 26th!

Happy Fair Day Bo'ness!

Already have plans for Sunday?

2010-05-28T21:36:00.000+02:00

This Sunday (30th May) the town is once again holding the Amazing Bo'ness Victorian Street Fair from 12 noon till 4pm... and it's set to be bigger and better than ever this year. There will be stalls with craft goods, face-painting, toys, food and more, as well as entertainment from local bands, fairground rides, jugglers, birds of prey, vintage car displays and perhaps even a visit from Queen Victoria herself!

And of course we'll be open too! As well as our Victorian themed window we have our usual great selection of local books on display, as well as books on crafts, cookery, gardening, fiction and those ever popular children's books. We'll even have our very own handmade Fair Day cards available for you to browse, buy or have personalised too (but more on that in another post).

The weather looks set to be beautiful, so why not visit us on Sunday and soak up the atmosphere of a very Victorian Bo'ness! We'll see you there!

Kinneil Band: 150 Years of Music

2010-04-18T21:02:00.000+02:00

We have a new local book in stock! Kinneil Band: 150 Years of Music 1858 - 2008 by Ruth Kelly has just been published this weekend and on Saturday morning we took our first delivery of them! The books were launched at the Band's annual concert on Friday 16th April and have been selling well so far so be sure to get your copies before they all go! These brilliant books, written to commemorate the 150 year history of the band are priced at £10 each (and as they are light paperbacks they'd make a convenient gift to post!)

Ruth's book will be a great addition to our small but perfectly formed collection of available local books... Don't forget that as well as this new 'Kinneil Band' book, and the Bo'ness and Carriden Band book 'Sons 'o' Brass' (launched here in 2008) we also have a range of other local books in stock from top selling recent publications like 'Old Bo'ness', Place Names of Falkirk and East Stirlingshire', 'Briggers', 'Bo'ness Coal Pits', and 'Hard as Nails', to established favourites such as 'Bo'ness: A Glimpse of the Past', 'The Forth at War', 'Bo'ness Speed Hill Climb', and 'Wha's Like Us'.

See you soon!

We're Open on Easter Monday!

2010-04-03T11:43:00.000+02:00

Just a little note to say

we're open as usual on Easter Monday!

Easter!

2010-03-23T09:39:00.004+01:00

In the last few weeks there's been a bit of a thaw around here. The daffodils are starting to find their way through the previously frozen ground, and spring is trying hard to put in an appearance... which can only mean one thing. It's almost Easter!

We've a great selection of Easter books, cards and stationery in the shop now, and should you need the odd colouring book, story book, or project resource for kids at home over the school holidays then we've a few of those too. Pop in for a browse!

School Bookmark Competition!

2010-03-18T22:02:00.000+01:00

Over the last few weeks the kids from Bo'ness Public Primary School have been hard at work designing and drawing bookmarks for a competition we ran as part of their 'Storytelling Week'. This coincided with this year's World Book Day and the re-opening of their school library. All the entries we had for the competition were simply fantastic and it was so hard to chose just a few winners so we ended up giving some special mentions too! I went to the school on Monday morning for a special assembly where we heard all about the pupils' activities over the week, and I had the honour of presenting the winners with their prizes - it was a fun morning!

I'd like to thank everyone from the school for their hard work in taking part and I'm pleased to say that all the entries received are displayed in our shop windows for all to see (see pictures below!), and the bookmarks designed by the winners and special mentions are now available in our shop for our customers, and in the school library for the pupils.

I just read this...

2010-03-15T09:41:00.002+01:00

It's not a big book, but it's good. If you're a writer (or a reader) it's definitely worth a look, and if you know someone who is, it'd make a great present.

New in the shop this week.

Mother's Day

2010-03-10T09:40:00.002+01:00

Well Mother's Day is almost upon us again - it's Sunday 14th March for those of you who've forgotten! So how are you going to thank your Mum or Gran for being so wonderful all year round? We've a selection of brilliant books, gifts and stationery you can chose from, and if it's a last minute card you're looking for, we're open till 5pm on Saturday 13th too!

A Fine Four Fendered Friend...

2010-03-08T09:52:00.004+01:00

Hot on the heels of the brilliantly succesful 5 star variety performance back in January, Goodnight Productions' next event will be "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" - a screening of the 1968 film, then an exclusive audience participation discussion plus photograph and signing opportunity with Heather Ripley who played "Jemima Potts" in the film. The show will take place on March 14th at the Barony Theatre in Bo'ness, and tickets are available from us here in the shop priced at just £8.50 ... and if you are stuck for a Mother's Day gift this could be just the thing!

Catch up...

2010-03-05T09:10:00.003+01:00

Well January and February have just flown by!

We've had a little bit of this...

(Yes, that really is a giant JCB parked outside the window)

And a little bit of this...

(Hurrah! Valentine's Day!)

Plus a huge big pile of this...

(Snow, snow, snow!)

And we're now eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring and some warmer weather!

Happy World Book Day 2010!

2010-03-04T11:13:00.000+01:00

We stock all the specially published £1 World Book Day books, but if none of those take your fancy then we also have a great selection of kids books for all ages - chose one worth £2.99 or over and use your World Book Day token to get £1 off and get reading! See you soon!

A bit of a change...

2010-01-19T15:59:00.008+01:00

If you've been into the shop since the start of the year, you might have noticed a change or two. Over the Christmas break we decided to have a bit of a long overdue reorganisation of some of the shelves. I always felt the 'Scottish and Local' section was a little stuck out on it's own beside the counter, and we had wrapping paper and envelopes in three, yes three(!) separate locations. A reorganisation was definitely needed. So we hope you like the new look - it's not massively different, just a little better organised. Here's a run down of the main changes...

* The Scottish books section has moved over beside the rest of the non-fiction - just near the door and a lot easier to find!

* All our stationery, cards, wrapping paper, envelopes and gifts / accessories are now in one section next to the main counter where the Scottish books used to be. (A lot more cohesive and a great little one stop shop for last minute presents!)
* Our children's section now has a new extra shelf / display stand for highlighting some of our new / favourite / interesting / beautifully designed books.
* A few other shelves in the non-fiction section have moved around a little to allow for these other changes... oh, and we also now have an umbrella stand just inside the door for those occasional rainy Bo'ness mornings!

So if you've not been in for a while, pop in for a nosey... and of course we'll help you find your favourite section again too if it's been moved in the shuffle!

Looking for a little variety?

2010-01-14T10:03:00.005+01:00

After all variety is the spice of life!

Goodnight Productions are staging a 5* Variety Spectacular at the Barony Theatre in Bo'ness on January 29th, and we've tickets available here for just £10! Featuring acts such as Laura McGhie (X-Factor Boot Camp Sensation), Jenny Douglas (fresh from Keith Jack's UK Tour), Matty Smith (finalist from Edinburgh's Got Talent) and Tracey Quinn as 'Anastacia' (as seen on Stars in Your Eyes) it's sure to be a brilliant night's entertainment! Hurry along to get your tickets before they're all gone!

Resolute...

2010-01-10T15:34:00.002+01:00

If you're anything like me you'll already have made and broken more New Year's resolutions in your time than you care to think about, but also, there will be one big one that keeps reappearing in your list year after year. What's yours? Well whether it's to learn a language, be healthier, trace your ancestors, stop biting your nails, pass your driving test, learn to paint, or finally get round to applying for Mastermind (we've all thought about it!) there's surely a book to help you on your way. Why not make 2010 the year you finally get round to crossing that one big thing off your list!

Our window display this week highlights a few of the books that could help you on your way, but if you don't see what you need to get working on your resolution then just come in and ask and we'll set about finding the right book for you!

Hello 2010!

2010-01-06T15:26:00.007+01:00

Happy New Year folks! We hope you had a good one!

Well the decorations have been packed away and we've hit the ground running in this new year. We've a few things to tell you about in the next few weeks but first thing's first... we're having a little sale! (Yes, it's just a little one but we're only a little shop!) We've given over a few shelves to sale items for now, but this will only last till Saturday 9th January then from next week it's back to normal again, so if you have some book tokens or Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket then pop along quick-sharp and see what you can pick up with your pennies!

Like our noticeboard proclaims... 'Treat Yourself!'

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T20:53:00.000+01:00

Well even after a bustling December and some beautiful (but havoc-causing) snow in these last few days it's hard to believe that Christmas and New Year are actually almost upon us! Despite the best efforts of the wintry weather all our customer orders did make it here in time, and apart from a slight blip mid December when a delivery of book tokens went AWOL for a few days, the Christmas shopping season went pretty well overall! Hurrah!

And now it's our turn to get out and about and enjoy the festive season, so we're closing the shop for a few days whilst we catch up with family and friends, scoff some mince pies and of course, curl up with a few good books! As from tomorrow (Christmas Day) we close up until 9.30am on Monday January 4th when we'll be back refreshed and recharged and ready for another year. As usual, our opening hours in January will be Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm.

So now all that's left to say for 2009 is that we wish all our customers, friends, neighbours, blog readers and lurkers near and far a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! We hope you stay nice and warm in the chilly weather, and that Santa brings you some great new reads!

'Homecoming' to Christmas...

2009-12-08T19:40:00.002+01:00

Well it's been a busy few weeks here at Inkspot & Silverleaf! The end of November saw the Christmas lights switched on in town and we had a great Saturday afternoon with loads of kids in the shop looking for a picture of Scrooge for the Treasure Hunt. Even the miserable rain towards the end of the day did nothing to dampen our spirits and the twinkly lights certainly brighten up these dark winter evenings.

Also a few weekends ago we set up stall at a local school's Christmas Fair and had a blast meeting loads of new folks, getting festive (and trying in vain to avoid the yummy looking chocolate fountain!) And on top of all that the book 'Old Bo'ness' is flying out the door at the moment thanks in part to a wee mention in the Bo'ness Journal. We've had to reorder several times but don't panic, there are still plenty left for those of you looking for great Christmas present ideas. Whew!

But there's more. We'd also created a lovely 'local' themed window in celebration of the Homecoming Fireworks that took place at the foreshore on 29th November. We'd gathered together a whole heap of Bo'ness and Scottish books to highlight - old favourites as well as some great new books such as Neil Oliver's History of Scotland, and Bannockburn 1314 by Chris Brown, new out in paperback.

...And then this week we've changed the theme window again because Christmas has finally arrived at Inkspot & Silverleaf! And just in time for last weekends' visit from the Aviemore reindeer and another brilliant treasure hunt! Shh... If you listen closely you can almost hear the jingle bells!

The Slab Boys...

2009-11-26T13:05:00.003+01:00

If you're looking for a break from all the Christmas hoopla, why not get your tickets for the Barony Players' production of The Slab Boys by John Byrne. The play runs from December 1st - 5th at the Barony Theatre in Borrowstoun Road and tickets (priced at £8 regular / £6 concessions) can be purchased by calling 01506 829197. The play is set in Glasgow in the winter of 1957... and if that gets you in the mood to reminisce about Glasgow gone by, why not pop in to the shop to find out a bit more with books such as Our Glasgow, The Real Gorbals Story, or No Mean Glasgow... they'd make excellent Christmas presents!

Old Bo'ness...

2009-11-20T13:21:00.022+01:00

Oh how we love a good local history book! It's great to look back and remember what life was like in years gone by, and in Bo'ness we're lucky we've been able to do that with quite a few books on the town, it's people and it's history. Unfortunately over the years, many of those great books have gone out of print, so it's with great pleasure that we're able to let you know that hot on the heels of 'Wha's Like Us' (available again for Christmas this year), a new Bo'ness local history book has just been published! 'Old Bo'ness' by Alex F. Young has just hit the shelves this week and provides a fascinating insight into the history of the town. Jam-packed with photographs, the book touches on everything from the boats in the harbour to the buildings in town, from schools and shops to football teams and Fair Queens. If you are a local history buff or a Bo'nessian at home or abroad it's definitely one for your shelves!

Wha's Like Us?

2009-11-18T11:18:00.000+01:00

Hurrah! We now have copies of Peter Aitken's book 'Wha's Like Us' in stock at Inkspot & Silverleaf - you might have seen a note of it in the Bo'ness Journal a few weeks back! We're so pleased we've had the chance to get these final copies of the book into the shop (we've been asking around about it from opening day). The book was originally published in 2002 and features a whole host of Bo'ness' weel-kent faces, and tells of their achievements throughout Scotland and the world. There are only a limited number of copies still available and once they're gone, they're gone (we've already sold quite a few!) so make sure you pop in to get yours before we run out! The book is priced at £10.00 and every penny goes to the Bo'ness Children's Fair fund... sales from the book over the years have so far accounted for a staggering amount! So help make next year's Fair go with a swing and get your copy of the book today... 'Here's tae us!'

Past Papers...

2009-11-11T13:00:00.000+01:00

Eek! Exam time rolls around once more and the frantic revision begins. To help keep households that little bit calmer in times of exam stress, we're stocking past papers again this year. We have a selection at all levels on various subjects, and if you don't see the one you're looking for then just ask us and we'll order it for you (with most orders arriving in just a day or two). Don't leave it till the last minute!

New stuff...

2009-11-06T13:05:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago I told you about some of the great new products we had in stock... well, the good news doesn't stop there! We've brought in even more now, so here's a run down of the great new things you can pick up on your next visit!

Bookmarks from Jane Bristow

First, we have some wonderful handcrafted beaded bookmarks now in stock from local artist and crafter Jane Bristow. These bookmarks are all individually made by Jane and would make beautiful Christmas stocking fillers (even just as a wee treat for yourself!) What's more, each one comes in a little presentation bag ready for giving! Lovely!

Poetry books and cards from Walter Simms

We now have in stock a small collection of poetry booklets from local poet Walter Simms. His series of 4 illustrated booklets are available now, with a select few poetry cards arriving in the next few weeks. Walter's first and fourth booklets 'Innocence and Suspicion', and 'Merry-Go-Round' collect his poetry 'born from the hopes, fears, heartaches, joys and trials of life', whilst the second and third booklets, 'Interrupted Flights' and 'Fences' are single poems, beautifully illustrated with images taken by the poet himself.

Cath Kidston Stationery

Iconic designer Cath Kidston produces some wonderful fabrics, clothes and accessories and we are now happy to be able to bring you a selection of her stationery products! From notebooks to sticker sets, we've something we're sure you'll love. And if you'd like to make a Cath Kidston bag yourself (perhaps it can be your autumn project!), then don't forget we also have available Cath's brand new book 'Sew' which includes a length of a unique fabric specially printed for the book, together with handles, a label and button and instructions so you can do just that!

Penguin Accessories

Continuing with the iconic brands, in the book world, there's none more so than Penguin! As well as a selection of Penguin books in store, we also now have available mugs, tea towels, pencils and postcards all featuring the instantly recognizable Penguin covers. If you're stuck for present ideas then why not get the 'Hotel Splendide' tea towel or the 'My Man Jeeves' mug... And if that's not enough Penguin also make bags and even deckchairs in their covers design which we'd be more than happy to order for you for delivery in a few days. Fantastic!

Bo'ness Calendars

If you're finding it's getting to that time of year when you start making notes and stapling bits of paper to the end of your 2009 calendar, perhaps its time to look into getting hold of one for next year? There's nothing like being organised! As well as our lovely Paperblanks diaries we also stock the local Bo'ness calendar. Packed full of great images of the town and the events that take place here throughout the year, this is a great way to keep track of your schedule! (And it even comes with a mailing envelope should you want to send it off to friends or family!)

Lecardo

OK, so you've made your Cath Kidston bag, drunk tea from your Penguin mug, marked your place in the poetry booklet with your beaded bookmark and organised your schedule for next year... what's left to do? Why not play a game! We now also have in stock the educational card game 'Lecardo'! As well as helping with vocabulary, word recognition and understanding of the written word, it's just great fun (and as it's suitable for ages 8-adult, everyone can play!)

So there you have it! That's a run down of the new lines we have in stock for now, but in the weeks up to Christmas you can bet there'll be more! So keep an eye out for more updates and we'll see you in the shop soon!

Autumn Projects...

2009-11-04T19:00:00.001+01:00

Isn't it getting blustery out!

Well, the clocks have changed, the nights are drawing in and Autumn is truly upon us... can Winter be far behind? It's certainly the perfect time to get busy with all those Autumnal craft, cookery and gardening projects you've been thinking about. Whilst we're sure you've a few projects of your own in mind (tidying up leaves? planning your Christmas baking? knitting a few scarves for the coming winter months?), if you need inspired, here's our latest theme window with a few ideas to get you going!

As you can see, we've a few new products in stock now... some of which are exclusive to us here! But there'll be lots more photos and info on those in the next blog posting in a few days. So keep your eyes peeled... or else pop into the shop for a proper browse around!

Books, gifts and more...

2009-09-25T14:27:00.012+02:00

As promised, here's part two of the mammoth update - this time looking at a few highlights from all the great new books and stock we have in store!

First, after the success they proved to be last year we now have our Paperblanks 2010 diaries in stock. They were so popular the first time out that we've made sure to get them in early this year. We completely sold out in the run up to last Christmas so if you're thinking of buying one as a pressie (or treating yourself!) make sure you pop in to get yours before they're gone for another year!

Next, in recent months we've been lucky to be able to bring you lots of local history books from the very popular Bo'ness Coal Pits to the much loved Sons O' Brass, and of course the fantastic Hard as Nails and many more. Now we are able to highlight a few more local titles to add to your bookshelves. First, we have in stock the most recent issue of Calatria (Issue 25), the journal of the Falkirk Local History Society. This issue includes articles on the First Parish Church at Muiravonside, and The Employment of Women in the Collieries amongst others, and it contains a great article on The Ordnance Survey Name Book: Bo'ness and Carriden. Well worth a read for anyone with an interest in the history of the area.

The second book with a local flavour that must have a mention is The Briggers: The Story of the Men Who Built the Forth Bridge by Elspeth Wills. This fantastic book, crammed with photographs and stories delves right back into the lives of the forgotten heroes who made the Forth Railway Bridge, one of the finest examples of Victorian engineering, a reality. It includes appendices of the men who died during it's construction and brings to light some absolutely fascinating facts and statistics.

Moving all the way to the West Coast next, if you're tired of Jamie, Gordon and Nigella teaching you how to stuff a mushroom or spatchcock a chicken, why not try going back to where it all started - the Glasgow Cookery Book is finally available again, revised and updated for 2010, the centenary year of it's first publication. Originally this was the textbook of The Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science - fondly dubbed the Do (or Dough) School - and was put together by the school's staff to document the recipes they taught in class. Its practical approach to cooking on a budget is as relevant now as it ever was. In this newest edition there's a fascinating preface by Glasgow crime writer Alex Gray - Alex's Aunt Ella was a student at the college in 1909! And it all fits in perfectly with the shop as we're going with a cookery theme in the window this week!

Finally for now, steaming into the shop this month (and a great one to keep in mind for Christmas) the Thomas the Tank Engine Owners Workshop Manual from Haynes! A fantastic idea for a book, this will be a brilliant gift for any kid (or big kid!) this Christmas.

Away from the new books side of things, did you know we now stock luxury wrapping paper, gift tags and bows? All this of course as well as a great little selection of cards and lots of non-book stationery, from booklights and magnifiers to book chairs, bookmarks and more. We even have Edinburgh 2010 calendars and Bo'ness postcards!

So as you can see, we've been busy, and we hope to see you back in the shop again for some of these great new things soon!

Events, happenings and goings-on...

2009-09-25T12:34:00.017+02:00

Yet again, far too long has passed since the last blog update but fear not, it's certainly not due to lack of activity! There's a lot to shout about both in the shop and around the town, so rather than a long rambling round-up of it all this post will be in two parts! Firstly all the events, happenings and goings-on of the past wee while, and in a few days, the next post will carry on with all the new books, stock and more!

First thing's first, if you were in town last weekend you might have noticed these guys marching around...

Yep, it was Roman Week in Bo'ness, and we were paid a visit from the Antonine Guard. As they marched around the town on Saturday rounding off Roman Week with a bit of Antonine flare, photo opportunities abounded (thanks to Adrian Mahoney for this great picture!)

Throughout the week there was a programme of events that included talks at the Hippodrome, events at Kinneil House and an Italian market in the town centre! The week was a great success and looks set to be repeated in future (but bigger and better of course).

Bigger and better is something the Bo'ness Hill Climb revival meeting took to heart earlier in the month. This is the second year the meeting has been staged and this time, as well as an extended track, the date of the meeting coincided with events at the SRPS. One of the highlights of the weekend was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight fly past. It's certainly been a busy few weeks in Bo'ness.

Not to be outdone, we in the shop have been getting in on the act too. Over the last few months we've been selling books to schools, at company picnics, to book groups and more. And now we've teamed up with the Bo'ness Hippodrome to offer an exclusive discount! Over the next few months the Hippodrome is showing several films based on books (including Time Traveller's Wife, My Sister's Keeper, and The 39 Steps). Now, if you go to see the film, you can bring your ticket along to the shop to get a 10% discount off the book of the film! (Click here to see the programme and plan your visit) And if you've seen the film and read the book then you'll want to have a chat about it, so why not pop along to the Bo'ness Library for their new Book of the Film book group - the Time Traveller's Wife will be discussed next Tuesday 29th September and tickets can be collected from the Library or the Hippodrome.

If you're in the mood for chatting about books then why not reserve your ticket to the Homecoming event with author Robert Low - it will be hosted in Bo'ness Library on Thursday October 8th at 7pm. The author will be there to speak and answer questions about his published work and his future plans (including a trilogy based on the Scottish Wars of Independence and featuring the Battle of Falkirk!) Tickets costing £1 are available from the Library, and it's another event in town that's not to be missed!

Last, but certainly not least, there's one final event in town that simply can't be forgotten - BRAAS will be holding this year's Bo'ness Real Ale Festival on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October at Bo'ness Town Hall. A weekend to remember... Cheers!

Whew! But there's more - new stock, new books, much more... but you'll have to wait a few days for the next post for all of that!

Fair Day!

2009-06-24T11:20:00.003+02:00

Well that time of year has come around again already! It's Bo'ness Fair Day on Friday as evidenced by the amazing arches being built all over town. As last year, the shop will be closed on Friday (along with most of the other shops in town) so we can all enjoy the day, but we'll be back as usual on Saturday!

And speaking of the fair, we're pleased to say we've sold out of our initial batch of Fair Day DVDs... but another batch will be along on Saturday though so don't despair, just make sure you reserve your copy before this lot is gone too!

Have a wonderful Fair day!

Busy, busy, busy!

2009-06-11T17:13:00.009+02:00

As I'm sure you can tell by the distinct lack of activity on all things online and electronic-y recently the shop has been a liiiiittle bit busy. We've had the popular annual Victorian Street Fair in town, lots of ticket sales for the Barony Theatre's hilarious production of The Holy Terror, and the brilliant charity Abba night, and of course our new-for-2009 selection of Bo'ness Fair Day cards arriving in the shop, as well as a whole raft of new books to love! Whew!

First, to the books...

New in this month we're loving the new book from local publishers, Pocket Mountains: Stirling, 40 Town and Country Walks. The latest in the series, this book includes walks round Bo'ness and Kinneil, the Antonine Wall and Muiravonside, as well as some lovely routes out as far afield as Bridge of Allan, Loch Katrine, Callander, Dunblane and all points in between. A great little pocket reference if you feel like a wander on a lovely sunny afternoon. (PS. We also have the Edinburgh book in stock too if you fancy a potter around the East coast's finest walks.)

Another couple of recent arrivals are the first two in a great new detective series for kids from Tanya Landman: Monday's are Murder, and Dead Funny. Both feature eleven-year-old detective Poppy Fields and are billed as '"Miss Marple" for the younger reader'. Having quickly finished the first book where Poppy solves a series of murders at an activity centre on a remote Scottish island, I'm interested to see how she gets on in Dead Funny when she tries to solve the mysterious death of ageing starlet Baby Sugarcandy whilst on holiday in the US. (Though by all accounts, Poppy is a very capable pre-teen, so I'm sure she'll manage to wrap it all up nicely!)

Finally on the books front, I'm currently racing through the Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke which arrived in paperback a few weeks ago. A proper(ish) review will follow once I've finished, but from what I've read so far (up to page 106...) I can recommend it to anyone as a great read - wry observant humour, a well developed main character, and a carefully plotted story that unfolds new turns at just the right moments... all pulled together with a brilliant balance of wit and weirdness... my personal favourites. Thumbs up so far, and I've high hopes for the ending.

And next to the Fair...

This year we're stocking Fair Day cards which can either be bought plain, or can be personalised with your child's name / role. The cards we currently stock are Queen, Flower Girl, Fairy, Lady in Waiting, Queen's Herald, and a few general Thank You and Happy Fair Day cards. Our full range can be seen in the window, and judging on the success we've had already we'll definitely bring these back next year, albeit with an expanded selection to include more named roles as well as themed cards for each school's presentees.

Continuing with the Fair theme, copies of the much anticipated Fair Day DVD (as mentioned in the Bo'ness Journal last week) are due to arrive in the shop this weekend. If you've already let me know of your interest in it then I'll be phoning you as soon as the delivery arrives in the shop, and if not, what are you waiting for? They should be here this weekend so stop by and get your copy and have a wander down memory lane.

And finally (as if all that weren't enough!)...
To top off a busy few weeks, the programmes for the Edinburgh International Book Festival have just arrived in the shop. If you want to find out who's appearing this year then check out the website here or pop into the shop to pick up a copy of the programme for yourself. (You can book tickets from June 22nd onwards).

I've found a wonderful book...

2009-04-15T16:31:00.004+02:00

OK, being a bookseller I find great books all the time but I've realised that hardly any of these amazing books ever get any blog time here - a fact I'd pledged to rectify in the shop's resolutions list this year. So here's the first of many wonderful books I've found (more to follow soon!) ...

This first book is called Black's Sketchbooks 'Edinburgh' 1912 by Gordon Home, and it's a wonderful little hardback containing 15 beautiful pencil sketches of Edinburgh. The sketches show the city as it was in 1912 and feature various locations such as Princes Street, the Castle, John Knox's House etc. as well as the Forth Bridges at South Queensferry, and (have I said this before?) they are just beautiful. They show Edinburgh in all its majesty and contain a level of detail that makes you just want to pack up and go!

The book (available at the bargain price of just £6.99) is part of a series which includes books on London, Cambridge, Stratford Upon Avon, Bath and Wells, and Canterbury, and if any of those places are special to you or someone you know, this would make a wonderful purchase. (Now if only there was one on Bo'ness!)

Movie Magic in Bo'ness...

2009-04-06T13:40:00.011+02:00

Look at the lovely movie window!

Isn't it pretty? It's all in aid of the opening of the Bo'ness Hippodrome this week. It's a beautifully restored old cinema, just down the road from the shop that's lain unused for far too long. But now it's been all spruced up and is ready to open it's doors. It will be a wonderful new addition to the visitor attractions in the town and I'm looking forward to seeing my first film in there! It will be open for the first screenings for the public at the end of the week, and the programme of what's going to be on there can be seen here. It even made the news here... and here! (Of course, if you pop along to the cinema, don't forget to visit us here afterwards!)

Yep, the movie window is pretty cool... as is the Easter window over the other side... OK, so my drawings of chicks and lambs aren't going to win me any prizes, but you get the picture and it helps make the place look a little more spring like! Lovely!

In brief...

2009-03-14T10:48:00.004+01:00

In an attempt to get back to blogging slightly more regularly, here's a bit of a brief housekeeping post to keep you updated on a couple of things really quickly...

* March's enewsletter has finally been sent out (yeay!) if you didn't get one and would like one, you can sign up for it here and I'll email it out to you asap.
* I've updated the website again to include this month's new books, and whilst I was there I tweaked it a bit and added the odd extra page here and there. If you want a nosey round it you can get there by clicking here.
* We now have more copies of Hard as Nails back in the shop (it completely sold out last week!) so pop in and pick up yours before it goes again!
* We still have copies of the children's World Book Day books available. Just bring in your yellow voucher to get yours, or purchase them with actual cash-money for the princely sum of ...£1 each.

That's about all for now... a slightly more rambling post to follow soon!

Whoops!

2009-03-03T12:38:00.006+01:00

After logging on to check a few other blogs (see the small but perfectly formed list on the right), and reading Vanessa's spot on remarks about leaving blogs hanging, I suddenly realised how long it's been since this one was updated! So for this I apologise profusely, and now offer a bit of a swiftish run down of what's happened this year so far in an attempt to catch up...

January: The first month into 2009 went pretty well... quite a few people came to the shop and spent, spent, spent on books they wanted but didn't get for Christmas. Excellent! More new books arrived and quite a few books were sold; the remaining shop plants clung on throught the freezing cold with barely a grumle; we took books out on the road, and even managed to squeeze in a blog post!

February: Though February was quieter in the shop, with slightly less people coming in, the ones who did bought books none the less. Great! Along with Pebbles and The Bo'ness Toyshop we embarked on a bit of a marketing drive ('hello' to all the new folks!), and I visited a fab new independent bookshop in Glasgow (more on that below). The massive yellow dumpbin for World Book Day arrived in the shop and I stupidly built it up in the cupboard straight away rather than leaving it till the time it could be put out in the shop. This of course meant that I ended up spending the last few weeks twisting and turning to get past it whenever I wanted to make a cup of tea.

March: well, since we're only on day 3, there's not a lot to report yet, but I'm happy to say that the yellow dumpbin is now on the shop floor, leaving me room to get to the kettle (yeay!) and all the World Book Day books are now available for the princely sum of £1 (or one of those lovely yellow World Book Day book tokens!). And I'll be getting back writing up the old enewsletter too (which also had a bit of a break these last few months) - March issue to be sent sometime in the next few days.

Now for a bit more on my visit to another indy bookshop: Lost in Fiction. If you're in Glasgow's West End at any point, do make the trip and pop in to see it. Eileen has a beautiful little shop, well stocked and with a wonderful feel to it. She's been doing brilliant things with book groups (shhh... I might nick a few of her ideas in the next few months!) and it was just lovely to talk to someone else who's still fairly new to the whole bookshop lark. Her shop is definitely worth a visit, and I hope to return the favour soon and have her pop through to Bo'ness to see my little shop!

Right, enough bloging, time to get back to shop work - those window displays won't change themselves, and since I've just sold the last of the Katy Morag books, there's a spot of ordering to be done too!

My First Bookselling Christmas... (Part 2: A look back at 2008)

2009-01-18T12:03:00.001+01:00

Well, we made it through the first Christmas with only minor scrapes and bruises! Yeay! All of our worries about orders not arriving etc. proved unfounded, and everyone seemed to leave happy with their purchases which is the whole object of the business! Now to analyze the year as a whole...

Books: By a mile, our bestsellers proved to be the local books. Bo'ness folk have oodles of pride in the town and so books such as Bo'ness: A Glimpse of the Past; Bo'ness Speed Hill Climb; Forth at War, and the newly launched Sons O' Brass pretty much flew off the shelves. Truth be told, over Christmas we struggled to keep some of them in stock, but thankfully we were able to get copies to everyone who wanted them at the end of the day. In contrast, the big celebrity biographies are now languishing on the sale shelves...

Busy-ness: As for how busy we were, over the year we've had our busy days and quiet days, and we've definitely spotted a few seasonal trends to work with for next year. Certainly we noticed people began to mutter about Christmas presents right from the start of November, and from then on the shop got steadily busier week after week, with Christmas Eve being our busiest day since opening! (Yep, there still are some last minute buyers out there... thankfully I'm not the only one!)

Opening Hours: Sunday opening proved much more popular in December than in the rest of the year so we've decided to take advantage of this to have a few months without Sunday opening in order to get other things done around the place - organise some better storage in the office, put up some blinds, move a few things around, do a few leaflet drops etc. etc. etc. but Sunday opening will return later in the year (and of course we're happy to open the shop by appointment on a Sunday if that's the only time someone is able to make it... just give us a shout).

What we did well: Not to blow our own trumpet or anything but essentially, we've established a new bookshop in a town that's not had one for decades in the middle of the worst economic recession in living memory. Even if we gave it all up now that's still quite a feat! But looking back there's been a few milestones along the way that are worth recognising:

We've had our first ever day trading... and subsequently our first run-in with tax, VAT and account-y type spreadsheets
We've built up a fantastic customer base of wonderful book browsers and buyers in the shop, and a brilliant list of enewsletter readers
We've established and maintained book supply accounts with local schools, community groups and businesses
We've got a pretty nifty website up and running (...with absolutely no website experience!)
We've successfully processed hundreds of customer orders
We've been shortlisted for an award
We've held our first book launch
We've visited book groups, community groups, churches and schools
We've started a fledgling ticket sales project
We've survived our first Christmas season
We've been a part of local events such as the Victorian Street Fair, Children's Fair Festival, Christmas lights switch on
We've trialled Sunday opening & Late Night opening
We've forged relationships with other businesses and groups in the community
We've kept the blog going (...even if it's been a little sporadic)
We've successfully killed one laptop and three Boston Ferns... erm
We've learned a lot about: people, business, politics, supply & demand, accounts, economics, window dressing, the merits of blu-tac & post-it notes, and generally about how to get things done
and much, much more...

Improvements for 2009: We hope to start building up a bigger stock of complementary products in the shop over the coming year. We already have some journals, address books, reading glasses etc. as well as a small selection of greetings cards, but we think this all can be expanded to include more pocket money picks for the kids, a greater selection of stationery, gift wrap, book related gifts and a lot more besides. But don't panic... we're still fundamentally a bookshop through and through, and we don't intend to sacrifice our the books for unrelated cheap tat - everything we bring in will be book related.

To Do: So thinking ahead, I've prepared a Top 10 to-do list for this year in the shop (in truth, most of this is not new, but rather stuff we've always planned but which we've not had a chance to get started on till now!):

To expand on the non-book stock we have available, adding new lines as the year progresses
To better organise our own system of shop gift vouchers to go alongside the National Book Tokens we offer
To let more people know about the shop (through more, and better targeted marketing)
To further build up our established enewsletter list, and to expand our existing website - and update it more often!
To find time to set up more of the services we planned to offer right from the start
To organise behind the counter better so things can be found more quickly
To sort out the paper and computerised filing systems so paperwork takes half the time it currently does (... this one might just be a dream!)
To do more book reviews, in the shop, on the blog, the enewsletter and the website
To establish regular offers in the shop
To keep doing everything we've already been doing... but better!

It's by no means an exhaustive list but those are the main points for now (though they could change at any minute!) so this time next year I can look back and see if everything has been achieved! Well, you've got to have a plan right?

So all in all, I think we've had a successful first year - there's been highs and lows, and a ridiculous learning curve to climb (which I've really only just started) but it's been an enjoyable, scary, happy, worrying, brilliant, silly, amazing, stressful, fantastic journey... So here's to the next part - bring on 2009!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-07T11:30:00.003+01:00

Part 2 of the Christmas / festive post will follow in a few days, but I just wanted to write a quick post to say a great big Happy New Year to all our friends, customers, suppliers and blog readers who stop by the website (and the shop) every now and then! I hope everyone had a lovely time over the festive period and that everyone is refreshed and ready to tackle the challenges that may lie in the year ahead! Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009 for us all!

Book Launch...

2008-12-11T13:50:00.005+01:00

Two posts in just a few days... I'll need a sit down at this rate! But this is just a quick post to let you know of the launch of a great new local book. Tomorrow (Friday 12th December) at 3pm Val McKay's book on the history of the Bo'ness & Carriden Brass Band will be launched in the shop. The book will then be on sale priced at £10 for the paperback, and the hardback (a limited edition priced at £15) will also be available soon.

The book has been written to commemorate the 150 year history of the band, the first to win the Scottish Championships in 1895, and subsequent winners on several occasions, including in their centenary year too! Val's book will be a great addition to our small but perfectly formed (if occasionally a little higgledy-piggledy) collection of available local books... and on that note, might I just mention that Bo'ness: A Glimpse of the Past is now back in stock too. Yeay!

My First Bookselling Christmas... (Part 1)

2008-12-09T12:54:00.018+01:00

Apologies for the blog silence. With all the news reports of economic downturns, poor retail sales figures on the high street, and Woolies, MFI and the like going bust you'd be forgiven for thinking we'd packed up and run away screaming. But no, we're made of much sterner stuff, we're still here, still selling, still loving it, and (finally!) finding the time to start blogging again.

Thanks to the joys of the festive season however, (both inside the shop and out) the blog and enewsletter had been pushed to the side to be replaced by tinsel and fairy lights for a while (and of course in choosing which books to give as gifts this year)! But now I'm pleased (and more than a little smug) to say I'm completely sorted on the gift books front (the earliest I've ever been organised... but then as a bookshop owner I damn well should be!) and I'm back to blogging.

But enough about me and my Christmas shopping, here's a little run down on what's happened in Bo'ness in the last few weeks - lights were switched on, decorations were hung, reindeer visited the town, roadworks were started and (thankfully) completed, and tickets for the Ghost Train (which was quite brilliant) as well as quite a few books were sold. At the moment we're waiting for more of 'Bo'ness: A Glimpse of the Past' to arrive (hopefully very, very soon!), and we now have a small non-book section which includes magnifiers, book lights, bookmarks, book chairs etc. We're fast running out of Paperblanks diaries too so if anyone's still looking to nab one for someone's Christmas then I'd make it sharpish before the last of them go (we've already completely run out of the largest size), and we've now created a few shelves worth of a 'Stocking Filler / Secret Santa' section where everything is £5.99 or less to help you choose those last minute little bits and bobs!

Aside from that, we're busy ordering, unpacking, shelving, displaying, selling, smiling and humming carols merrily... well, tunelessly... and counting down to Christmas!

As a still fairly new bookseller in the the throes of a first Christmas season though, I've been finding out that it's not all Dickens and Glühwein (frustratingly). There've been a few stressy moments and for those of you interested in the mechanics of running a bookshop (when you're having to work most of it out as you go along) I thought I'd share some of my mild panics at the start/middle of Christmas season here, and will post a bit of a 'part 2' type update on how the whole thing went at the end of the month.

OK, let's start with the basics... 1. When do you hang up the Christmas decorations? If you follow the big high street stores, you barely take them down from one year to the next, but following my own personal yearly Christmas timetable (i.e. about 8 days behind the rest of the world) that would mean hastily throwing them up around the 20th which even I can see is too late. In the shop I eventually decided to compromise by having the Christmas catalogues out towards the end of October (*sigh*), and putting the decorations up in earnest over the last weekend in November. Seems to have been a fairly sensible timetable so I'll probably stick to it next year (with a few minor tweaks), although I might try to get everything organised a week or two beforehand to avoid running around at the last minute hunting for sufficient quantities of gold and red tartan ribbon!

2. How many books with words like 'Christmas', 'Santa' or Snowflake' in the title should you order? They sell well at this time of year and people expect to be able to get them but come January, they're harder to move than my rusty little car on a cold and frosty winter morning (e.g. every morning for the last two weeks!). I opted for getting quite a few in early but I think I'll stop re-ordering them around now so the last of them can be cleared by 24th. Is this a naive move? Probably.

3. What do you do about all those great big hardback 'celebrity' biographies? Loads of people want them, but at the crazy prices the supermarkets and other high street giants are selling them, I simply can't afford to compete. But to have absolutely none of them seems a little scary. So again, a bit of a compromise here for this year. I eventually plumped for getting in just a few single copies of the bigger name ones which I can then send back to the suppliers if, come January, no-one has decided that £18-£20 is a good price for the life story of a national institution like Parky or Humph (...or Alan Carr). I'll wait and see how well they sell before deciding on next year, but I've a pretty good idea how it's going to go already...

4. The biggie. How do you figure out what on earth people are going to want for Christmas and have it here in time for them? The figuring out part is the hard bit for a newbie. Yes, you get to know your customers, the topics or authors they're interested in and they types of books they buy regularly, but at this time of year they're buying for others... who like completely different things... whom you've never met... and who even they might only see once a year. And then there are the customers who may only ever pop in at Christmas with requests for books on topics as far apart as the wildlife of Australia, heraldry, flower fairies or Valentino Rossi. It's a minefield, wrapped up in a lot of guesswork. Come next year, at least I'll have this years sales figures to look at to try to predict a few titles that might be popular but at the moment it's a case of trial and error, and there's nothing for it but to crash on through and hope I get a few things right! As for the getting it here on time, I'm pretty much relying on my suppliers for that. Mostly it's been good so far with the odd blip here and there, but with the all important Christmas deadline looming, I've a feeling that the nail-biting, finger-crossing, floor-pacing and herbal-tea-drinking is about to begin in earnest.

Of course, that's not all. There's a ton of other stuff to think about, like festive opening hours, the JK Rowling factor, and how to keep the floor reasonably clean when outside the door are the remnants of sand, dirt and other roadworks associated mud-types. But I'll not bore you with all that, and will end this somewhat mammoth post on a much happier, less freaked-out note...

...look at the pretty window with it's twinkly Christmas lights... aaaw. Lovely.

Awards, authors and pressies...

2008-11-09T18:00:00.008+01:00

Here's a question... What do ourselves, Metallica and Miley Cyrus have in common? It's certainly not our musical talent I think we can all agree! Actually, the link is that we were all up for an award last Thursday but sadly none of us won! I can't speak for Metallica or Miley at the MTV EMA awards in Liverpool, but thanks to some good company, good one-liners from host Kay Adams, and good wine(!) we at the Falkirk Herald Business Awards had good night despite our understandable disappointment.

But on to other happier news, and if you're quick you still have time to get tickets for author Chris Hannan's visit to Bo'ness Library. The author of 'Missy' will be there on Tuesday night (11th Nov) and tickets are just £2 available from the library.

And in shopping news, we've finally got our hands on a digital version of this year's Christmas catalogue. Isn't modern technology great? Click on the picture opposite and you'll be whisked off to a fancy-schmancy virtual viewer and be able to browse through the books featured... give it a go - you might get some great ideas for Christmas, or even find a few books you fancy yourself... after all, it's the perfect time of year to drop hints to your friends and family!

The Ghost Train - Get your tickets here!

2008-11-03T13:22:00.009+01:00

Exciting news - as well as books we're now selling tickets! (OK, so we may not be snapping at he heels of Ticketmaster just yet but give us time!)

The tickets we're selling are for the Barony Players' upcoming production of The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley. Written and set in the 1920s, the play is a spooky tale of a diverse group of train passengers, stranded and forced to spend the night in the cold unwelcoming waiting room of a Cornish railway station. Playwrite Ridley (who gained fame as mild-mannered Private Godfrey in Dad's Army) was inspired to pen this play after becoming stranded overnight at a railway station himself!

Upon it's original West End opening the play was a phenomenal success, and played to packed audiences for two years. The Barony Players' production only runs for 5 performances and with their reputation it's bound to be just as successful so you'd better make sure you get your tickets sharpish!

The play runs from December 2nd - 6th 2008 at the Barony Theatre here in Bo'ness, and tickets are priced at just £7 (£5 concessions)... not much for a great night's entertainment these days I think you'll agree!

Tickets are on sale in the shop now so pop in next time you're passing and get yours fast before they all go!

Autumn treats!

2008-10-19T13:11:00.010+02:00

Well, Autumn has hit Bo'ness and the leaves have well and truly started to turn - looking out the shop window now there's a fair few lining the street already. I love Autumn, it's my favourite season - there's Hallowe'en, bonfire night, the trees bursting out into golds and oranges and reds. Brilliant! OK, enough of my personal opinions... I'm just saying.

So anyway, it's been brought to my attention from a few different sources this week that I've not updated the blog in a while so I thought I'd take a little time out today to mention a few of the new things we've been working on in the past few weeks...

First, thanks to everyone who voted in the Independent Booksellers Book of the Year awards. Voting postcards were to be back here by 15th and they've now been sent off to be counted with those from other independent shops all over the country. We look forward to getting the results at the end of the month and will be sure to let you know who won!

In the shop itself, we now have a spookily fabulous Hallowe'en window with lots of wicca, ghost and scary children's books on display ... wooooo!

...and our Christmas catalogues are available too - pick up a copy and get shopping!

On the products side of things we now have cards available from Museums and Galleries (featuring literary favourites like Paddington, Winnie the Pooh and more), and Wedgewood, and we also now have individual letterpress Christmas cards available from Blush too. BUT remember to keep checking back as well because in the next few weeks we'll also have some of our very own Christmas cards available (individually or in packs) with a few exciting personalisation options too ... shhhh...

We also have Lunar Calendars available now too for anyone who needs to organise their life, garden, go fishing or cast spells in specific phases of the moon (or perhaps just find out when everyone around you is going to go a little loopy during the full moon)!

Finally, we've recently taken delivery of some simply fabulous diaries for 2009 from Paperblanks. They come in a variety of styles and sizes in either week-to-view or day-to-view formats and they have some really useful extras like reference pages, two ribbon markers and a brilliant little memento pouch for keepsakes (...or expense receipts)! Some even have a little removable address book! Brilliant! They are absolutely gorgeous and I've got my eye on a few already... how many diaries can a girl legitimately have??? (P.S. They'd make great Christmas presents too...)

So you see there's been a few things happening here recently - stop by and see the window, pick up your catalogue, organise your cards and check out the diaries... and on the way why not just pause for a second to marvel at the wonder of Autumn! I love it!

Champagne High...

2008-10-01T15:39:00.010+02:00

I've been meaning to post more book reviews on this blog and never quite gotten round to it till now, but I read a classic book the other day that I'd heard lots about from various sources over the years and feel compelled to tell you all about it. It was a book I'd only ever heard and read good things about, but I hadn't really thought it was 'my cup of tea' in particular. However, last week I decided to give it a go - read outside my comfort zone and all that, and I have to say, I'm very glad I did!

The book was The Ascent of Rum Doodle by WE Bowman - it's a story of an expedition to climb the wonderfully named 40,000 (and a half) foot mountain peak in the Himalayas by a mountaineering party consisting of Binder, Burley, Wish, Shute, Jungle, Constant, Prone and a team of (at one point) 30,000 porters. What follows is an adventure of epic proportions in which paths are lost, parties are split (some are kidnapped by bandits) and, spurred on by the gut-churning yet relentless cooking of Pong their chef, an almost unfathomable quantity of champagne is consumed... all on the side of a mountain.

I must admit it was the introduction by Bill Bryson in the most recent 2001 edition which finally tipped the scales and persuaded me to give it a go, as I'm not a mountaineer by any stretch of the imagination (though I have, like Prone the doctor, been high enough). Narrated by Binder, the book wanders from the sublime to the ridiculous by way of the surreal and the hilariously funny. The writing is easy, the story moves along apace, and a finer collection of comedic characters I haven't found in anything else I've read in a while... they certainly kept me chuckling through a wet and miserable day in Bo'ness last week.

The book itself has actually been around since 1956 and has attained almost a cult like status in mountaineering circles, and reading round the book, I found out that there is now even a Rumdoodle Peak in Antarctica, a Rumdoodle Ridge in Colorado, and a restaurant named Rum Doodle in Kathmandu which is an unofficial starting point for the ascent of Mt Everest, and who's walls are graced with signatures of successful Everest-ers including that of Sir Edmund Hillary.

So to 'summit' up ('scuse the pun), if you haven't had the good fortune to stumble upon this luckless band of mountaineers yet, please do give them a read - of course we have a couple of copies in the shop for anyone as wants and if we run out (as I'm sure you know by now!) we can always order more!

Shortlisted...

2008-09-14T13:20:00.005+02:00

We've been shortlisted for an award! Woo hoo! Li'l ole us! It's in the category of 'Best company website / ecommerce company' in the local Falkirk Herald Business Awards - how grand! The winner isn't announced till November though and there's a few things to be done for it before hand, but we'll keep you updated as we go and of course we'll let you know how we get on in the end - whether we win or whether we ...don't win quite so much as the actual winner! Either way!

And in other news, thanks to everyone who popped in for the sale a few weekends ago - it went well and we now have some room for new things and a bit of a change about - yep that's right, over the next few weeks we'll be moving some of the shelves around and re-organising a bit. We've already expanded the travel writing section into another shelf and moved the pets section around the corner beside natural history (under gardening), but there's a lot more to come over the next wee while so keep an eye out! Change is afoot!

Sale Sale Sale!

2008-09-04T11:19:00.003+02:00

We're having a sale!
But it's only on from today (Thursday) till Sunday 7th Sept...
...so be sure to stop by the shop before then and don't miss out!

This week we have mostly been ...

2008-08-31T13:23:00.012+02:00

..doing a little bit of this...

getting fed up at quite a bit of this...

occasionally managing a sprinkling of this...

and consuming absolute tons of this stuff...

Yes, this week it's continued to pour down outside but inside we've been busy ordering and packing! For the beginning of the new school year we've started up a schools supply service (which to be fair, has been at the top of the priority list for some time!) and a few schools have now opened accounts with us. The shop itself has been quieter this week so that's allowed us time to get everything up and running on this new venture, and we've been busily quoting, ordering, packing and delivering (and setting up the paperwork side of things... oh how I love paperwork!) and I'm pleased to say we've now completed and invoiced for our first few orders without any of those major disasters I've grown to expect at every turn! Yeay! Here's hoping it lasts!

On top of all that, I've been busily trying to get the shop website updated a bit more - the eagle eyed amongst you might have notice we now have a search page, I've fixed a few bugs and mis-directing links, and info for September has been updated too. I'm now working on September's enewsletter which should be out towards the end of the week (if anyone else still wants to sign up then just click here and submit your details).

With so much newness and updating (a scary mix of paperwork and technology) you can see why such large quantities of tea and ginger snaps have been required!

A slightly unseasonal post...

2008-08-24T22:02:00.012+02:00

Aside from the unseasonally (?!) wet weather we've been having recently, it's a little unseasonal in my head too - in fact, in here it's Christmas. I know, it's really too early to mention, but I'm finding out that in the world of bookselling, orders have to be made and plans put into place waaaaaay before sleigh bells begin to ring and wine is mulled. Normally I'm the most last minute of planners - I usually don't even think about Christmas till December (and I've see the Coca Cola adverts where 'the big trucks come over the hill...'), my cards almost always arrive late and my shopping is invariably done in the last week. In short, I'm rubbish at Christmas (though I do love it)!

However this week I've been thinking ahead and at least trying to plan... well, to plan how to plan. In truth, I've not got too far into it (knowing me I'll probably leave it to the last minute), but having looked through a few catalogues and started thinking along these lines, the one thing I have realised is that one of the biggest books for this Christmas will probably be Maw Broon's But An' Ben Cookbook. The follow up to Maw Broon's Cookbook which was a huge bestseller last year, the But An' Ben Cookbook is published later in September and promises to be just as fantastic as the original. As you may have seen from the posters in the shop, we're now taking pre-orders for it so if you're one of the more organised Christmassy types then pop into the shop and pre-order your copy! (And if you're not, pre-order one next time you're in anyway... it'll be one thing less to worry about on December 24th!)

Scotland in August...

2008-08-17T13:28:00.014+02:00

... which means two things are practically guaranteed - monsoon type rain, and the Edinburgh Festivals. Regarding the first, I'm really getting fed up with looking out the windows and seeing umbrellas and puddles (grumble grumble), but regarding the second I've had a lovely few days dodging up and down to catch some events at the book festival in the 'Burgh.

I've attended three events so far with another still to go this week and I feel so far I've had the quintessential festival experience... I've queued, I've nabbed a free bag, I've gotten lost in the unfathomable, ever-changing Edinburgh tram roadworks, I've heard some brilliant and funny authors, and I've had fish and chips on the way home. Brilliant!

First I took part in a workshop on book binding and book making. You see, when I say I love books, I mean the whole book, not just the written word within (though that's pretty good too). No, I'm also interested in how they are put together, the paper used, the stitching, and the general mechanics of producing the finished article. I love the idea of hand-bound books as opposed to machine-produced ones. The care, time and attention that has to go into each really makes them something special. So as you can tell I was very excited to attend this workshop. On the whole, it wasn't quite as in depth as I'd hoped it might be, but in hindsight, I'm not sure why I expected to produce a thousand page work of art in an hour and a half from a standing start! However, I still thoroughly enjoyed making the small pamphlet we all made, and I got a few hints and tips for my own fledgling bookbinding hobby.

...Lookee what I made! (Don't ask about the brown stamped circles in the corner, it seemed suitably arty at the time so I ran with it).

Next I attended the Times event with Ian Rankin (...I don't mean I went with him, I mean he was the one being interviewed). As well as professing a love for buying vinyl records on eBay, he had some interesting things to say about Rebus in the books, on screen and in future; his projects since then which included a serial in the NY Times which has been expanded and will be published as his first non-Rebus book in hardback next month and titled Doors Open; the lyrics (and backing vocals along with Jack Vettriano) for the band Saint Jude's Infirmary; and the libretto for a 15 minute opera performed by Scottish Opera, as well as his plans for the future which include a brand new 'Quick Read' novella for which he's currently awaiting feedback from his editors, and what currently runs to a 1010 panel graphic novel of John Constantine (Hellblazer) titled Dark Entries, and due out sometime around or after next spring.

Then it was the turn of Alexander McCall Smith, who talked about Mma Ramotswe, Bertie and the rest of the gang. After reading a few pieces from his latest 44 Scotland Street work The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, he chatted about his plans for the future, revealed that his next Mma Ramotswe novel will be called Tea Time for the Traditionally Built which my fancy-pants computer declares will be available in March next year but which he concedes hasn't been written yet... so watch this space. He also mentioned that the Botswana books are currently being made into a serial for HBO in the US, BBC in the UK and other networks around the world with the same actors as were in the first film (which incidentally was the last work by director Anthony Minghella) shown on BBC earlier this year. He also spoke about the Really Terrible Orchestra he founded in 1995 and their upcoming concerts, and the Number One Ladies Opera House he's recently established in Botswana.

So that's my festival so far, and I've another event to attend this week too so I'm not done yet! I hope everyone else who has attended has enjoyed it so far - stop by, email or comment and let us know which events you attended, who you've seen, and what you thought of it all!

Hot Hot Hill Climb...

2008-08-04T12:17:00.011+02:00

Hello. Just a short post this week as I'm supposed to be shelving books and switching around the ones currently in the main windows. However, I've already organised the new theme window this morning (it's 'Motorsports', in honour of this weekend's Bo'ness Hill Climb Revival) and frankly it's just too hot for any more work that involves climbing step ladders, wrestling with uncooperative book stands and general moving around of any kind. So I'm resorting to computer work and spreadsheets stuff instead. (Note to self: in August, even in chilly Bo'ness, it's probably OK to stop dressing as if you're going to sit in an ice cave all day.)

Anyway, enough rambling. The point of this post is to say that:

a) this month's enewsletters will be sent out in the next few days so if you want sign up there's still time!

b) we have just a few copies left of Kenny Baird's Bo'ness Speed Hill Climb book in stock (Paperback, £8.99) so make sure you pop along early to get yours in time for this weekend's event! (Here's hoping the lovely weather holds out for it!)

Hope everyone's enjoying the summer!

Post Fair...

2008-07-07T13:01:00.004+02:00

Another late post I'm afraid (must do better) however here's a bit of a catch up of the last week...

This week in Bo'ness things have been a little quieter than we're used to - school holidays, post Fair Day blues, typical Scottish summer weather (note to self, must remember to get an umbrella stand) and of course a bit of a marathon sporting weekend to attend / watch on the TV to round it all off. But that's not to say we've been twiddling our thumbs, drinking coffee and reading our way through the stock (chance would be a fine thing!) No, this last week we managed to get our regular monthly enewsletter sent out, updated the featured books on the website, had an advert in the local paper and taken part in Independent Booksellers Week 2008... (for that is indeed what we are!) ...OK so we haven't had the Strictly Come Bookselling events, girls nights in, and quiz nights (I've no extra chairs yet!) as other bookshops have been doing but perhaps next year! Even so though, we've had competitions and prize draws and special offers too, and as the 'week' doesn't finish till tomorrow (Tuesday 8th) you still have time to pop down and pick up a national competition form or bring your coupon from the paper to enter the prize draw.

Also this week we've managed to get in another copy of Bo'ness: A Glimpse of the Past - a book that always goes flying off the shelf as soon as it comes in. So if you're looking to find out what Bo'ness used to look like I'd make your way down here tout de suite as I'm sure it won't be here for much longer and I'm not sure when I'll get the next copies!

Bo'ness Children's Fair Festival 2008

2008-06-27T15:33:00.009+02:00

In a blatant case of 'no rest for the wicked ... or the self employed (or both)!' here I am on the one day "off" I've had in the last 70... and I'm back at the computer! Still, I most certainly wouldn't trade it for a normal 9-5 (been there, done that) so on I'll carry with spreadsheets, orders and blah blah blah. But first, a bit of fun!

The reason I'm off today is that the shop is closed (for one day only!) for the Bo'ness Children's Fair Festival 2008. For those of you who've never experienced it (as I never had till today) I'm hoping my poor attempts at photography will give you a bit of an idea of the brilliant atmosphere that surrounds the Fair all over town. For those of you who've been in the town for years, well you know what I'm on about!

First, last night we literally went all round the houses on a quest to find some of the amazing arches the kids in the Fair have had built. Below are the very impressive arches of Callum, the Queen's Champion (a full scale steam train!)...

...and below, Queen Eilidh's arch - a giant cake with the names of the past 100 Queens and complete with confetti cannons!

Bo'nessians certainly don't do things by half! As well as these two, there were some amazing Sweet Home Alabama antibellum plantation style arches, some fantastic High School Musical and Robbie and Kylie style ones and some lovely page, fairy, flower girl, character, and presentee arches and much, much, much more! The imagination, time and attention to detail put into these arches is unbelievable.

So today is Fair Day, and this morning was the crowning ceremony of Queen Eilidh, this afternoon is the Royal Command Performance, and over lunch was the parade through the town (which I managed to get away from the computer for) and again, I loved it! I took some more piccies (below) of everyone coming from this morning's ceremony into town to watch the parade, as well as some of the bands, floats and the Queen and her retinue...

With no less than 11 pipe, silver, brass and samba(!) bands in the parade, children from all the local schools resplendant in their Fair finery cheering their schools, and some fantastic floats including the Hogwarts Express, Thomas the Tank Engine and Dr Who, the parade was amazing to see and I'd like to say well done to everyone who took part. Absolutely brilliant! And despite some heavy looking clouds and a few drops of rain mid-morning even the weather held out!

So yet again, the town of Bo'ness pulls together and puts on an amazing event and I'm looking forward to next year's already!

Back to bookselling news next week - this week it's all about the Fair!

We're baaaaaaaack!

2008-06-20T14:47:00.008+02:00

Well, first, apologies for the long break between posts! After the nightmare that was the aftermath of dropping the computer, we've now (just about!) got things back on an even keel... more or less. Computer glitches, motherboard hassles and lots of broken little plastic-y bits aside, we've had a busy few weeks, so here's a bit of a catch up!

First there was the Victorian Street Fair... about a month ago now! We changed the window and display table to show all our Victorian and Victorian related books, and the Fair itself on the Sunday had a fantastic turnout and thankfully the weather stayed sunny all day! I had planned to get out and about for a while and take some pictures but in reality I only managed a quick spin around the main few streets and back to the shop to help with orders etc. so the taking of pictures went out the window.

Over the next few weeks post-fair we pottered along quite happily tackling complicated, brain-mushing governmenty type paperwork and dropping laptops as well as selling the odd book, organising enewsletters and setting up a few accounts. We also appeared in an article in Lothian Life, a local online magazine, and at the start of June our 'Bookseller Diary' feature appeared in 'Bookseller & Publisher" Magazine in Australia! (A big Scottish 'Hiya!' to any Aussies reading this for the first time!)... then it was Father's Day. We had a great Father's Day weekend in the shop and hope all the Dads in the crowd enjoy their books / tokens / cards etc.!

And next we're preparing for the Bo'ness Children's Fair Festival which is next Friday 27th. To coincide with this, our theme highlights local and Scottish books - we've some fantastic ones in including old favourites...

For those of you who don't know, Fair Day is one of the biggest days of the year in the town! With most other businesses closing and the majority of the town with their minds on things that day, we've decided to close the shop for that one day too so we can all go and enjoy the kirking, the procession, see the arches and generally take part in all the fun of the Fair! Of course, normal business will resume the day after for all your book related needs!

So that's a brief catch up for now. Hopefully there will be no more computer related disasters and I can get back to blogging normally again from now on! Fingers crossed! And hope to see you all in the shop or at the Fair!

Laptops and great heights do not mix

2008-06-02T21:24:00.004+02:00

Apologies for the break in posts these last few weeks. I promise I will post updates on the street fair, new books and all the fun of the shop soon, however thanks to the fact that I cleverly dropped my laptop on its poor little microchipped noggin, I'm now having trouble accessing computers with the correct software for all the different things I need to be getting on with at the moment. So I'm afraid this is just a brief "oopsy! I'm a clumsy oaf post" - coupled with a promise that normal service will resume asap, and a gentle, kindly, unstressed warning to everyone to BACK EVERYTHING UP RIGHT NOW!!! Seriously, right now. Do it. You never know when your computer will decide to take its final leap off the desktop.

Victorian Street Fair

2008-05-21T16:27:00.005+02:00

Just a quick mid-week update... If you are at a loose end this Sunday (25th May) then pop along to Bo'ness and witness the spectacle of the newly resurrected 'Amazing Borrowstounness Victorian Street Fair'. The posters promise everything from a craft market and face painters to live music and a chance to meet Queen Victoria herself! Should be an interesting day - fingers crossed for nice weather! The fair is on from 12noon - 4pm (which by a happy coincidence is the same as our regular Sunday opening times!) so do pop along and say hello, and we'll see you there!

This, That and The Other...

2008-05-19T10:53:00.008+02:00

For those who are interested, the ferns are still going strong (thanks for all the tips!) so perhaps my gardening prowess is improving... just in time for the Chelsea Flower Show! Anyway, onto matters non fern-related.

First of all, a big hearty 'Congratulations!!!' to all at Mostly Books in Abingdon who won a Nibbie a last week's British Book Industry Awards. Fantastic news for a fantastic shop, and very well deserved! (For anyone in the Oxfordshire area, do pop in there and say hello!)

Back to the ups and downs of my shop, and last week I ended up finishing off a few loose ends that have been hanging around since opening and which have really been getting on my nerves recently. Namely the store cupboard and the fact that it's too messy to even be considered for use as an actual store cupboard. It was awful. However, yesterday was rather quiet in the shop so I decided to take the time and get it all completely sorted and I'm pleased to say - I can actually get the door properly open in there now! I chucked out two bags of rubbish which included empty paint tins and (still!) a few things from the previous incarnation of the shop - 'the gift shop that wouldn't die'.) I even properly rewired the light in there without major incident. Hooray for me! (It's the small things that keep me happy.) So this week I have an uncluttered shop and an uncluttered mind (well, sort of, there're still a few other niggles to clear up) but all in all I'm much better placed to tackle the horrible, horrible pile of paperwork I've been pushing to one side recently. By the end of this week, I'm determined to have worked my way through it! So there.

In other news this week I've also been taking a look at the kinds of books that have actually been selling in the shop in a vain attempt to get a better grip on future ordering and streamline the chaos a little. Though I know that realistically it's way too early to even start thinking about this, I like to analyze. It's what I do. So having poured over the reports for a substantial amount of time I figured out that actually I've sold books pretty evenly from the biggest few sections, and in total I've sold at least a few books from each and every single section bar one... Anyone guess which? I'll give you three choices - Graphic Novels, Wicca & Witchcraft, or Fashion and Beauty. Answers next week - perhaps I'll even have sold something from that section by then!

Involuntary Fernslaughter...

2008-05-11T14:29:00.013+02:00

So that was week 3 in the shop (still can't believe how fast time is flying by at the moment!) and it looks like things are starting to settle down into some sort of routine after the initial first few weeks of trading - I'm almost able to start predicting when the quiet and busy times are now too which is letting me start planning the rest of my 'behind the scenes' type workload a bit better (yes, there are still a million things to do!).

This week I finally managed to get the internet connection working and sent out the first round of enewsletters so they are now available for anyone else who wants to sign up - just go to http://www.inkspotandsilverleaf.co.uk/ and click on the 'enewsletter' tab and one will be emailed out to you asap). I have the subject specific ones to work on this week now and hope to get them sent soon too. The rest of the work for this week includes the June ordering (there's nothing like leaving things to the last minute!), getting started on a few more marketing projects and organising a couple of bigger things that I've just not had time to get round to till now (more on those as the weeks go on!) Oh, and of course endless paperwork. ugh.

So overall, on the positive side we're still having a few people wander in who didn't realise there was a bookshop in town yet, but who've all given fantastically positive reactions... and bought books! We still appear to be getting great word of mouth recommendations too as a few people are mentioning that their sister/cousin/neighbour/friend told them to come in which is brilliant, and there have been some lovely comments sent through via the website form from people who've stopped by over the last few weeks too, so thanks to everyone who's chipped in - it's wonderful to know that people do value the shop, the books, and what we're trying to provide here. Also, the customer ordering side of the business is picking up now as people start to realise we can usually get things delivered to the shop for collection quicker (and without charging any postage!) than certain large online alleged 'book' shops can supply.

However on the negative side, no matter how hard I try, it seems I just don't have the magic green-fingered touch. Two of the plants I attempted to revive last week haven't made it through the week - RIP Catherine 'Kathy' Cookson-Reichs (Boston Fern) and Jonathan-Faye Kellerman (Boston Fern) - both dearly missed.

...We still have a few more though - JGRR Ballard-Tolkien (Boston Fern), and William 'Bill' Bryson-Shakespeare (Boston Fern)...

... and Agatha Raisin-Christie (Dragon Tree), Ian M. Banks-Rankin (Dragon Tree), Jack Frost-Kerouac (Dragon Tree)...

...And of course... Lynda La Plante.

I really should go and do some work now.

INKSPOT & SILVERLEAF BOOKSELLERS

** Event ** Book Signing - Tam Dalyell

Independents' Day

Hopes & Fears by Justine Riccomini

Fair Day Cards

Neville's Island

Winner of our final giveaway...

Our final giveaway...

Our second giveaway winner!

Our second giveaway...

Our first giveaway winner...

First Blog Giveaway!

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Mother's Day

Shhh...

World Book Day 2011!

Valentine's Day

Paperblanks Notebooks and Address Books

Childrens Books & Stationery...

Burns Night...

We're now on Facebook!

Truly Independent (again!)

We're having a little sale...

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Wintry Weather

Christmas is coming...

December Opening Hours...

Late Night Shopping!

2010 Christmas Lights Switch On

Christmas Catalogues...

We're Back!

Britain's 50 Best Bookshops...

Shop Closed - October 27th to November 5th inclusive...

New Local Book - Matt Steele, Architect

Past Papers

Gift Vouchers...

Signed Copies...

Hops and Glory!

2011 Paperblank Diaries are here!

I read a book...

Big Roman Week 2010

Bo'ness Hill Climb Revival

Half Day Closing - Saturday 4th September

Independent Booksellers' Book Prize

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Back to School...

Enewsletters are back!

They're Funny in Falkirk...

Fair Day...

Already have plans for Sunday?

Kinneil Band: 150 Years of Music

We're Open on Easter Monday!

Easter!

School Bookmark Competition!

I just read this...

Mother's Day

A Fine Four Fendered Friend...

Catch up...

Happy World Book Day 2010!

A bit of a change...

Looking for a little variety?

Resolute...

Hello 2010!

Merry Christmas!

'Homecoming' to Christmas...

The Slab Boys...

Old Bo'ness...

Wha's Like Us?

Past Papers...

New stuff...

Autumn Projects...

Books, gifts and more...

Events, happenings and goings-on...

Fair Day!

Busy, busy, busy!

I've found a wonderful book...

Movie Magic in Bo'ness...

In brief...

Whoops!

Event Book Signing - Tam Dalyell