The book I'm currently querying features a bookstore owned by my main character's family, and it was great fun imagining how I wanted the shop to look. A wraparound balcony overlooks the ground floor, and a spiral staircase leads up to where the rarer titles are shelved. It's always rather magical to see pictures of quirky bookstores, even if you never get the chance to pop inside them, but I was fortunate enough to visit a charming bookstore recently, following a recommendation by a friend.
Topping & Company Booksellers at The Paragon, Bath set the tone the moment you step through their doors with their floor-to-ceiling wooden bookcases and the ladders reaching the uppermost shelves. I was surprised how far back the shop extended and the range of books on sale. They hold many author events throughout the year and stock signed editions of their books. Rather charmingly, a lot of books with dust jackets were protected by a cover sleeve.
Who knows - maybe one day I'll hold my own author event there and sign copies of my books for fans! 😄
