For this year’s Independent Bookshop Week we spoke to Arachne Press authors, editors and friends and asked them to tell us about an independent bookshop that’s close to their hearts. To conclude our blog series, Arachne Publisher and Director, Cherry Potts, takes an opportunity to shout about some of the many bookshops who have supported our publishing over the years:
We started last week with a warning to use your local bookshops, or lose them, and my devotion to Gay’s the Word, but it would be remiss of me to not also mention the bookshops who have got behind our books, held events, put up posters for Solstice Shorts and generally been lovely. Bookshops are full of lovely people. When you can, I recommend going and talking to them.
They are, in roughly alphabetical order:
Bookseller Crow, Crystal Palace (Supported the launch of Stations, and just the best bookshop name – Hello Jonathan & Co!) https://booksellercrow.co.uk/
Brick Lane Bookshop (Stations) https://bricklanebookshop.org/
Beckenham Bookshop (The Dowry Blade) https://www.beckenhambooks.com/
Browser Bookshop, Porthmadog (supporting Mamiaith) https://browsersbook.shop/
Chener Books, East Dulwich (Ditto) https://www.chenerbooks.com/
Clapham Books (several events, always very welcoming! Hi Roy & Co!) https://www.claphambooks.com/
Housmans, Kings Cross (big support for Liberty Tales and An Outbreak of Peace, Hello Cristina & co!) https://housmans.com/
Lighthouse, Edinburgh (launching Let out the Djinn and inviting Jeremy Dixon to take In Retail to Book Fringe – hello Mairi and Co!) https://www.lighthousebookshop.com/
London Review Bookshop (our first ever book launch, London Lies) https://www.londonreviewbookshop.co.uk/
Lost in Books, Lostwithiel (supporting Zed and the Cormorants) https://lost-in-books.co.uk/
Oldfield Park Books, Bath (supporting Solstice Shorts with an event – there wasn’t enough room for everyone who came!) https://www.theoldfieldparkbookshop.co.uk/
Penrallt Gallery Bookshop (supporting Mamiaith) https://www.penralltgallerybookshop.co.uk/
Review Bookshop, Peckham (hosting a liars’ league fuelled evening) http://www.reviewbookshop.co.uk/
Rye Books, East Dulwich (always good for a chat or a poster) https://ryebooks.co.uk/
Toppings, Edinburgh (supporting Let out the Djinn) https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/
Shrew books, Fowey (supporting Zed and the Cormorants) https://www.shrewbooks.co.uk/
Independent Bookshop Week is an annual Books Are My Bag campaign, run by the Booksellers Association. It seeks to celebrate independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland. Look at #IndieBookshopWeek to keep up with the campaign and follow @ArachnePress to see all our content from Independent Bookshop Week 2021.
