[pt.13] The Bookshop: What James Daunt Knows That I Can't Afford
Nine pieces of advice from the man who saved Waterstones, and the one I'm not taking.
In Good Company
I'm trying to open a not-for-profit bookshop and documenting the whole journey. There are book reviews, new releases and the occasional personal essay. If any of that sounds like your kind of thing, you're in good company.
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15 September releases to add to your TBR
From Booker longlistees to the first Gruffalo story in twenty years, here's what's landing on shelves this September.
How I went from 0-Substack Bestseller in 75-days
Turns out the thing that worked was the thing I wasn't trying to do.
[pt.12] The Bookshop: The Week I Became a Bestseller
I woke up to a bestseller badge and 103 paid subscribers, seventy-five days after I announced I was going to open a bookshop. Here's the three-phase plan from newsletter to bricks and mortar.
The top ten indie bookshop bestsellers in 2026 (so far)
Which books have UK independent bookshops actually been selling in 2026 – not what critics picked, but what people bought? Here's what the data showed, and what's read next.
I don't need a day to tell me to love books
National Book Lovers Day – Sunday 9th August 2026.
[pt.11] The Bookshop: I Help People Be Brave. Now I Have To Be.
A spreadsheet exercise that told me exactly what I didn't want to know.
The books I use to avoid talking about my feelings
Why a lifelong thriller reader switched to romance, and eleven "fluffy" books to try if your brain needs a rest too.
[pt.10] The Bookshop: What I Learned From Someone Else's Comment Section
A bank account, finally. And 900 comments on someone else's Instagram post that taught me more about my own community than I expected.
12 fiction releases in August to add to your TBR
From a Big Little Lies sequel to a bookshop cat, here's what's landing on shelves this August.