kelsey wardthe highland bookshop, fort williamIn this week’s Bookshop Spotlight, writer and manager of The Highland Bookshop in Fort William, Kelsey Ward, shares her journey from part-time bookseller to managing this Scottish literary gateway and tourist epicentre of the Highlands.
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JR: Kelsey, first of all, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it, especially at this time of the year.
KW: No trouble, and apologies—I’m not actually Scottish. It throws people off sometimes when they call here.
JR: What brought you to Fort William?
KW: Well, it was meant to be a three-day holiday—10 years ago! On my journey, I ended up staying in the area, met my partner, and then a bookshop opened. I had worked with books in Canada for seven years before that, in second-hand bookshops. I started working here one day a week, and now I’m the manager.
JR: So now you’re there every day, or do you get some time off?
KW: Oh, I definitely get time off. I schedule that in to make sure everyone gets rest—because even in books, retail is always busy.
JR: Especially this time of year, right?
KW: My gosh, yes. And our summers are almost as busy as the last week of Christmas for us.
JR: Have you felt that Christmas build-up over the last couple of weeks?
KW: The last couple of weeks have been slower, but this weekend, it’s really ramped up. The last two days especially, it’s been the busiest so far.
JR: And I take it that’s mostly locals and regulars making the rush? Or do you still get tourists at this time of year?
KW: Oh, definitely. It’s a different clientele—usually young couples or students getting a weekend away from university, that sort of thing. Fort William gets about 400,000 visitors passing through each year. Most come in the summer, but we still get people looking around and visiting from further afield.
JR: You’re kind of the gateway to the Highlands, I suppose. You must be used as a base for a lot of people.
KW: Totally. We get people doing Ben Nevis, the Harry Potter train, and Glenfinnan viaduct. The West Highland Way ends here, and the Great Glen Way and the Cape Wrath Trail start here. Most people doing the North Coast 500 pass through here too, and even those going to Orkney.
JR: Wow, that’s amazing! So you’re kept busy with the footfall.
KW: Yes, definitely. It keeps the shop going, that’s for sure.
JR: Let’s start by talking about the shop itself. Were you there from the beginning? Can you tell us a little about The Highland Bookshop—its history and what makes it stand out for you?
KW: The idea came from Angus [MacDonald], who owns the shop. He wanted a bookshop in the area he’s from, and he worked with Kevin and Jane Ramage, who used to run The Watermill in Aberfeldy. They piloted the shop for the first two years, and it was under different management until about two years ago. I was assistant manager from the beginning, so I’ve followed its progress.
The shop opened in July 2017, and we had Alexander McCall Smith in for the opening. It’s grown since then and found its space. It’s a three-storey shop, but we opened it floor by floor as we built up revenue. The ground floor is mostly fiction, non-fiction, history, politics, cookery, and children’s books. We keep a lot of Scottish history and interest titles there too, along with maps—we have an enormous map collection. Upstairs, we have graphic novels, LGBTQ+ titles, and a great outdoors section with hiking, adventure, and mountaineering books.
We’ve also introduced a witchcraft section, which has been really popular over the last year. We sell stationery, art prints, and a little bit of local art as well—Scottish-themed pieces.
The top floor is all second-hand books, which is where I started before passing that role to a colleague. It’s a mix of novels and unique treasures, like Arctic collections and climbing or history books—things you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
JR: Yeah, I remember on my last visit, I think I saw maybe three or four shelves' worth of old National Geographics and things like that.
KW: Yes, yes, yes. We love to keep the National Geographics in as well. They're really fantastic.
JR: You know, I'm from a kind of new-only background, so managing new and secondhand books—they're vastly different, aren't they? How do you find the balance between the two?
KW: No trouble, and apologies—I’m not actually Scottish. It throws people off sometimes when they call here.
JR: What brought you to Fort William?
KW: Well, it was meant to be a three-day holiday—10 years ago! On my journey, I ended up staying in the area, met my partner, and then a bookshop opened. I had worked with books in Canada for seven years before that, in second-hand bookshops. I started working here one day a week, and now I’m the manager.
JR: So now you’re there every day, or do you get some time off?
KW: Oh, I definitely get time off. I schedule that in to make sure everyone gets rest—because even in books, retail is always busy.
JR: Especially this time of year, right?
KW: My gosh, yes. And our summers are almost as busy as the last week of Christmas for us.
JR: Have you felt that Christmas build-up over the last couple of weeks?
KW: The last couple of weeks have been slower, but this weekend, it’s really ramped up. The last two days especially, it’s been the busiest so far.
JR: And I take it that’s mostly locals and regulars making the rush? Or do you still get tourists at this time of year?
KW: Oh, definitely. It’s a different clientele—usually young couples or students getting a weekend away from university, that sort of thing. Fort William gets about 400,000 visitors passing through each year. Most come in the summer, but we still get people looking around and visiting from further afield.
JR: You’re kind of the gateway to the Highlands, I suppose. You must be used as a base for a lot of people.
KW: Totally. We get people doing Ben Nevis, the Harry Potter train, and Glenfinnan viaduct. The West Highland Way ends here, and the Great Glen Way and the Cape Wrath Trail start here. Most people doing the North Coast 500 pass through here too, and even those going to Orkney.
JR: Wow, that’s amazing! So you’re kept busy with the footfall.
KW: Yes, definitely. It keeps the shop going, that’s for sure.
JR: Let’s start by talking about the shop itself. Were you there from the beginning? Can you tell us a little about The Highland Bookshop—its history and what makes it stand out for you?
KW: The idea came from Angus [MacDonald], who owns the shop. He wanted a bookshop in the area he’s from, and he worked with Kevin and Jane Ramage, who used to run The Watermill in Aberfeldy. They piloted the shop for the first two years, and it was under different management until about two years ago. I was assistant manager from the beginning, so I’ve followed its progress.
The shop opened in July 2017, and we had Alexander McCall Smith in for the opening. It’s grown since then and found its space. It’s a three-storey shop, but we opened it floor by floor as we built up revenue. The ground floor is mostly fiction, non-fiction, history, politics, cookery, and children’s books. We keep a lot of Scottish history and interest titles there too, along with maps—we have an enormous map collection. Upstairs, we have graphic novels, LGBTQ+ titles, and a great outdoors section with hiking, adventure, and mountaineering books.
We’ve also introduced a witchcraft section, which has been really popular over the last year. We sell stationery, art prints, and a little bit of local art as well—Scottish-themed pieces.
The top floor is all second-hand books, which is where I started before passing that role to a colleague. It’s a mix of novels and unique treasures, like Arctic collections and climbing or history books—things you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
JR: Yeah, I remember on my last visit, I think I saw maybe three or four shelves' worth of old National Geographics and things like that.
KW: Yes, yes, yes. We love to keep the National Geographics in as well. They're really fantastic.
JR: You know, I'm from a kind of new-only background, so managing new and secondhand books—they're vastly different, aren't they? How do you find the balance between the two?
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KW: So I have a colleague who mostly manages all of that. In terms of pricing and organising, you need one person for it—maybe even two—but for the space it is, one person is more than enough. Our system has a pretty good way of keeping it separate, though it did take us some time to develop. Now it's in a proper rhythm.
We do buy in books, but we obviously have to keep limits on how much we can take because secondhand books can be quite overwhelming if you don’t have those parameters in place. JR: Obviously, I've been into the shop, but I’ve also been following you online for a while now. What I love is your weekly staff picks and recommendations. Over a few months, you get a pretty good sense of the team, but could you tell us how many people you have as part of your team and what roles they take on within the business? KW: Yeah, definitely. Over the summer, we had nine staff members, but in the winter, we've come down to five. The summer staff have all been and gone, but the five that remain are our core team. Some of us have specific roles, but at heart, we’re all booksellers. I’m the manager. Then we have Alice, who’s the assistant manager and also handles the accounts. She’s a bright, shining light amongst us all. Sally is our secondhand books expert. She used to be a librarian, so she’s an authority on so many things and has been instrumental in helping us network more with the local library, which has been fundamental. Sandra manages our stationery—journals, notebooks, cards—all that fun stuff, and she gets a real kick out of it. |
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Then there’s Gemma. She’s been mastering the computer systems behind the scenes, figuring everything out, and has been a great asset.
Of course, you spoke to Rosie. She handles our social media. She joined us in June and has been an absolute treat. She’s so good at it.
JR: Yeah, it’s funny you say that because I can almost see a shift in the way your social media has been handled over the summer.
KW: Well, yeah, we were struggling to find the right fit for that role, and then Rosie joined. She’s brought so much to it. I told her, "Just take it and have fun with it." Social media used to be my responsibility on top of a whole bunch of other things, but it was always the first thing to get dropped when things got busy.
JR: Yeah, it can all be quite overwhelming anyway, can’t it?
KW: Exactly, the pressure. I told Rosie, "Pick everyone’s brains—no pressure." I try to make sure the bookshop is a no-pressure environment. It’s a bookshop; we’re selling books, not catering.
JR: Exactly, yeah. Am I right in thinking you're a writer as well? How does working in a bookshop inspire or influence your writing? Do you think it offers you a unique perspective as a bookseller?
KW: I’ve probably seen this said elsewhere, but I definitely think all writers should work in a bookshop at some point in their life. It offers a lot of perspective on the industry that isn’t always visible from the outside. I’m very lucky—I’ve been in the trade a long time, so I’m not shocked by much anymore.
As a writer, I find it really hopeful, especially in an independent bookshop. You can help get people off the ground through the power of word of mouth or tools like shelf talkers—the little cards in front of books. Those have had such an impact, whether it’s reviving authors who’ve fallen by the wayside or supporting those just getting started and needing their voices heard.
I think about which authors deserve shelf space—some books are just there to keep the lights on, but others tell stories that absolutely need to be shared.
I’ve written a few short stories and pamphlets that we’ve stocked in the shop, but I love selling books as much as I do writing them.
JR: We’ve just talked about how much of a handful bookselling alone can be. I can’t imagine finding spare time to write as well. Do you manage to strike a balance, especially now as manager?
KW: Definitely. When you’re learning something new, other things can go on the back burner, but we have a thriving writers’ group in the shop that meets once a month. We’ve even published short story collections from it, which keeps me motivated.
If you love writing, you’ll find time for it no matter what. It has a way of coming out of you, whether you want it to or not. So yes, I definitely make time for writing.
JR: That leads nicely into my next question about community engagement. You’ve mentioned the writers’ group, but I know you host events and collaborations as well. Earlier this year, you were involved in the Mountain Festival, right? Could you tell us about how your events work and what else you’ve got going on?
KW: Yes, because we’re so far north, we don’t get to attend many of the big festivals down south, but we’re lucky to have two local ones we participate in.
One is the Mallaig Book Festival, which I highly recommend. It’s a lovely event with a focus on Scottish culture and environmental books. The other is the Fort William Mountain Festival. They’ve been running for years, but in the last two, we’ve really got involved with book-based events. We’re a sponsor of the festival and support the Scottish Mountaineering Press writers’ competition.
Within the community, we’re always happy to donate to local raffles, and we run a food bank donation box at the desk. Last year, it raised nearly £2,000 from donations. We also have a Pride box for donations, and we’re big on giving back in general.
For events, we’ve started hosting writing workshops. It’s such a long way to other workshops, and many are out of people’s budgets or require overnight stays. Providing something local has been really positive so far.
Of course, you spoke to Rosie. She handles our social media. She joined us in June and has been an absolute treat. She’s so good at it.
JR: Yeah, it’s funny you say that because I can almost see a shift in the way your social media has been handled over the summer.
KW: Well, yeah, we were struggling to find the right fit for that role, and then Rosie joined. She’s brought so much to it. I told her, "Just take it and have fun with it." Social media used to be my responsibility on top of a whole bunch of other things, but it was always the first thing to get dropped when things got busy.
JR: Yeah, it can all be quite overwhelming anyway, can’t it?
KW: Exactly, the pressure. I told Rosie, "Pick everyone’s brains—no pressure." I try to make sure the bookshop is a no-pressure environment. It’s a bookshop; we’re selling books, not catering.
JR: Exactly, yeah. Am I right in thinking you're a writer as well? How does working in a bookshop inspire or influence your writing? Do you think it offers you a unique perspective as a bookseller?
KW: I’ve probably seen this said elsewhere, but I definitely think all writers should work in a bookshop at some point in their life. It offers a lot of perspective on the industry that isn’t always visible from the outside. I’m very lucky—I’ve been in the trade a long time, so I’m not shocked by much anymore.
As a writer, I find it really hopeful, especially in an independent bookshop. You can help get people off the ground through the power of word of mouth or tools like shelf talkers—the little cards in front of books. Those have had such an impact, whether it’s reviving authors who’ve fallen by the wayside or supporting those just getting started and needing their voices heard.
I think about which authors deserve shelf space—some books are just there to keep the lights on, but others tell stories that absolutely need to be shared.
I’ve written a few short stories and pamphlets that we’ve stocked in the shop, but I love selling books as much as I do writing them.
JR: We’ve just talked about how much of a handful bookselling alone can be. I can’t imagine finding spare time to write as well. Do you manage to strike a balance, especially now as manager?
KW: Definitely. When you’re learning something new, other things can go on the back burner, but we have a thriving writers’ group in the shop that meets once a month. We’ve even published short story collections from it, which keeps me motivated.
If you love writing, you’ll find time for it no matter what. It has a way of coming out of you, whether you want it to or not. So yes, I definitely make time for writing.
JR: That leads nicely into my next question about community engagement. You’ve mentioned the writers’ group, but I know you host events and collaborations as well. Earlier this year, you were involved in the Mountain Festival, right? Could you tell us about how your events work and what else you’ve got going on?
KW: Yes, because we’re so far north, we don’t get to attend many of the big festivals down south, but we’re lucky to have two local ones we participate in.
One is the Mallaig Book Festival, which I highly recommend. It’s a lovely event with a focus on Scottish culture and environmental books. The other is the Fort William Mountain Festival. They’ve been running for years, but in the last two, we’ve really got involved with book-based events. We’re a sponsor of the festival and support the Scottish Mountaineering Press writers’ competition.
Within the community, we’re always happy to donate to local raffles, and we run a food bank donation box at the desk. Last year, it raised nearly £2,000 from donations. We also have a Pride box for donations, and we’re big on giving back in general.
For events, we’ve started hosting writing workshops. It’s such a long way to other workshops, and many are out of people’s budgets or require overnight stays. Providing something local has been really positive so far.
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JR: And are you getting good numbers at your events and workshops?
KW: Yes, though summer can be a challenge. The high street gets very busy, and some people avoid the area. But overall, our turnouts are good. With enough time invested in advertising, we usually see 10 to 30 attendees, depending on the event and local interest. You can’t always predict the public, though. That’s my main takeaway from running events! We also use giveaways and other incentives to bring people in, and by and large, they’ve been successful. JR: And the events that you are able to do, is there space in-store to do those, or do you use external venues as well? KW: Now, we've started another way recently, where we're in partnership with the local cinema. We can do events there, and they've hosted book events as well. They have wheelchair accessibility, which unfortunately we don’t have in our shop due to the building’s age and the lack of funding for something like that. In any case, we have a space on the first floor—everything’s on wheels—so we can slide tables out of the way. We have a projector, and we can fit up to 60 to 66 people. Last year, we booked it out twice for the same local fella who had an event. It was fully booked both times with 60 people, which was lovely. The locals especially love to support their own, which is wonderful to see. |
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JR: Those audiences also feed back into the choices you make, right? How do you feel your local community helps influence the kind of books you have on the shelves?
KW: Oh, definitely, they have a lot of influence, especially in areas like our mountaineering section. We have very avid climbers, cyclists, and runners locally. There’s an outdoor college nearby where students come to study mountain guiding and outdoor tourism, so we get a lot of traffic from that.
We also try to stock titles that you don’t see heavily advertised by our competitors—places like W.H. Smith, Waterstones, or Amazon. We have some of those, of course, but we aim to offer books that align with our customers’ tastes but aren’t likely to pop up on their phones or be displayed everywhere else.
It’s not always easy because it’s just us picking the stock. If I had a helmet that could read minds, it would be incredibly handy! But we do our best to choose titles, and we’re always open to customer suggestions. Sometimes we’ll order something based on a recommendation, see how it does, and find out it’s a bestseller for us.
JR: Yeah, it’s nice to see it work like that. It feels slightly more organic that way as well.
KW: Yes, organic is a good way to describe it.
JR: Do you have any other immediate competition on the high street? Are there other booksellers? I can’t remember seeing any when I was there.
KW: No, not really. There are places that sell books here and there. I’ve noticed small bookshelves popping up in some of the other shops, which is great. The more books in people’s hands, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
We don’t have a Waterstones, though we do have a W.H. Smith. Honestly, they’re good for items we might not stock. We often send customers there if we know they’ll have something we don’t. They keep people employed too, so we can’t complain.
JR: No, exactly. And actually, by the sounds of it, and certainly from my experience visiting, it does feel like your shop almost funnels people in. Being at the end of the street, there’s a kind of magnetism drawing people into the bookshop. It feels like Fort William is laid out in a way that really encourages people to shop and browse.
KW: Yes, and we’ve seen a lot of growth along the High Street since opening. Before we were here, the street already had the fabulous Granite House and a few other local businesses. But since we opened, there’s been a British Wool Shop and several great cafés that have popped up.
I hope we’re a good pillar along the High Street, encouraging people to come in and look around—not just at our shop but at others as well.
JR: You’ve seen the bookshop on both sides of Covid. For a location so reliant on tourism and footfall, do you think things are back to how they were before? Or have people’s buying trends and habits changed at all?
KW: There was definitely a post-Covid purchase trend. Immediately after Covid, the bestsellers were books relevant to local life or things people could use at home. We sold buckets of campervan books—there was one by a local guy about converting your van into a campervan, and we couldn’t keep it on the shelf!
Another lovely trend was wildflower books—so many sold in that post-Covid period. I thought that was such a wonderful thing to see.
JR: Yeah, that’s lovely, actually.
KW: Can that be a permanent trend, please? Everyone buying nature-related books?
JR: That immediate connection to nature—it’s really beautiful to hear.
KW: But also, I think we do stay on top of other trends. We've been able to grow things, like in the last two years, with the big surge in romance authors. That's been really fun to encourage. We've seen lots more locals coming in, looking for their romance novel of choice, and seeing us as a place where they can get them now too—whereas before, they might have just gone online.
KW: Oh, definitely, they have a lot of influence, especially in areas like our mountaineering section. We have very avid climbers, cyclists, and runners locally. There’s an outdoor college nearby where students come to study mountain guiding and outdoor tourism, so we get a lot of traffic from that.
We also try to stock titles that you don’t see heavily advertised by our competitors—places like W.H. Smith, Waterstones, or Amazon. We have some of those, of course, but we aim to offer books that align with our customers’ tastes but aren’t likely to pop up on their phones or be displayed everywhere else.
It’s not always easy because it’s just us picking the stock. If I had a helmet that could read minds, it would be incredibly handy! But we do our best to choose titles, and we’re always open to customer suggestions. Sometimes we’ll order something based on a recommendation, see how it does, and find out it’s a bestseller for us.
JR: Yeah, it’s nice to see it work like that. It feels slightly more organic that way as well.
KW: Yes, organic is a good way to describe it.
JR: Do you have any other immediate competition on the high street? Are there other booksellers? I can’t remember seeing any when I was there.
KW: No, not really. There are places that sell books here and there. I’ve noticed small bookshelves popping up in some of the other shops, which is great. The more books in people’s hands, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
We don’t have a Waterstones, though we do have a W.H. Smith. Honestly, they’re good for items we might not stock. We often send customers there if we know they’ll have something we don’t. They keep people employed too, so we can’t complain.
JR: No, exactly. And actually, by the sounds of it, and certainly from my experience visiting, it does feel like your shop almost funnels people in. Being at the end of the street, there’s a kind of magnetism drawing people into the bookshop. It feels like Fort William is laid out in a way that really encourages people to shop and browse.
KW: Yes, and we’ve seen a lot of growth along the High Street since opening. Before we were here, the street already had the fabulous Granite House and a few other local businesses. But since we opened, there’s been a British Wool Shop and several great cafés that have popped up.
I hope we’re a good pillar along the High Street, encouraging people to come in and look around—not just at our shop but at others as well.
JR: You’ve seen the bookshop on both sides of Covid. For a location so reliant on tourism and footfall, do you think things are back to how they were before? Or have people’s buying trends and habits changed at all?
KW: There was definitely a post-Covid purchase trend. Immediately after Covid, the bestsellers were books relevant to local life or things people could use at home. We sold buckets of campervan books—there was one by a local guy about converting your van into a campervan, and we couldn’t keep it on the shelf!
Another lovely trend was wildflower books—so many sold in that post-Covid period. I thought that was such a wonderful thing to see.
JR: Yeah, that’s lovely, actually.
KW: Can that be a permanent trend, please? Everyone buying nature-related books?
JR: That immediate connection to nature—it’s really beautiful to hear.
KW: But also, I think we do stay on top of other trends. We've been able to grow things, like in the last two years, with the big surge in romance authors. That's been really fun to encourage. We've seen lots more locals coming in, looking for their romance novel of choice, and seeing us as a place where they can get them now too—whereas before, they might have just gone online.
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JR: Does that mean that you’ve embraced the BookTok world, then?
KW: In some respects, definitely. I’m not personally on TikTok, but as soon as one or two young adults come in asking for a book, I turn to my colleagues and say, "Have I missed something?" And they’ll say, "Yes!" So, we get it in. There are some books you just have to keep in stock because people like them. I don’t want to discourage people who are finding their reading joy through romance novels. There’s a book out there for everyone, and if that’s your book, then that’s awesome. But those surges also help keep us in business. JR: Yeah, of course. Looking back at this year and the previous couple of years, I know you’ve been listed for the Independent Bookshop of the Year for Scotland. That kind of recognition within the industry can be so important and such a rewarding pat on the back for all the hard work you do. Do you find being so rural and so Northern makes an impact? Do you see more people coming through the doors because of that recognition? KW: I definitely see it more as recognition for the team than something that directly brings in visitors. |
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We see more response from our social media than from being nominated for an award. It’s definitely more of a "great job, team" industry thing than something the general public notices.
But we’re growing within that, and hopefully, once our voice gets loud enough, maybe more people from the industry will come up to the Highlands—not just for the mountains and the steam train!
JR: Yeah, but I guess it is an acknowledgment within the industry. Do you feel like more industry reps or publicity teams are finding you? Do you have rep meetings in person, or is most of that still online?
KW: We have a great relationship with all our reps, but we only see one in person regularly. The rest are digital—it’s just simpler for me that way. With the shop floor being so busy, it’s easier for me to look through what they send digitally.
We communicate a lot over email and phone, and that works well for us. Our reps are awesome. We were really lucky this year—our Pan Macmillan rep, Gillian [Mackay], got us the Gruffalo costume. Well, I should say the Gruffalo came to visit! But it was amazing to be part of that. It was so thoughtful of her to include us.
JR: That’s brilliant—you’re on the Julia Donaldson map now!
KW: Exactly, we’re making it!
JR: How about other events? Like the Scottish Book Fair or the Edinburgh Book Festival—they’re such big events. Do you engage with those? Do you get authors visiting off the back of them?
KW: One or two, maybe, from the book festival, but it’s not a regular thing. Edinburgh is a train stop away, and we’re a bit out of the way unless someone’s making a proper holiday of it. There’s that junction at Glasgow, Stirling, or Inverness, and it’s a matter of deciding if you want to take that extra three- to five-hour journey to the West Coast. Most people make it their own trip.
We do get authors visiting sometimes—some shy, some bold as brass, saying, "I’m here, give me books!" And we’re like, "Yes, come sign them!"
JR: I saw Michael Pederson has stopped by a couple of times. Such a hoot.
KW: Yes, I’m really looking forward to his new book. He tagged us when it was released, which felt very special. It’s so thoughtful of him.
JR: Being based in Northumberland, we sometime have to piggyback on some of the Edinburgh Festival tours, you know, if authors are heading north of Manchester.
KW: Why not stop?
JR: Exactly. But once you get to Edinburgh, you need other reasons to go further north, don’t you?
KW: Exactly. It’s a long train ride, but encouraging people to make us part of their journey is key. If you’re in the Highlands, why not stop at the bookshop on your way to Skye? If it rains, what are you going to do without a book?
JR: Well, let’s talk about books, then. What’s selling well at the moment?
KW: It varies, but witch-based novels have been huge. The Cinnamon Bun [Laurie Gilmore] books have been flying off the shelves!
JR: I can imagine.
But we’re growing within that, and hopefully, once our voice gets loud enough, maybe more people from the industry will come up to the Highlands—not just for the mountains and the steam train!
JR: Yeah, but I guess it is an acknowledgment within the industry. Do you feel like more industry reps or publicity teams are finding you? Do you have rep meetings in person, or is most of that still online?
KW: We have a great relationship with all our reps, but we only see one in person regularly. The rest are digital—it’s just simpler for me that way. With the shop floor being so busy, it’s easier for me to look through what they send digitally.
We communicate a lot over email and phone, and that works well for us. Our reps are awesome. We were really lucky this year—our Pan Macmillan rep, Gillian [Mackay], got us the Gruffalo costume. Well, I should say the Gruffalo came to visit! But it was amazing to be part of that. It was so thoughtful of her to include us.
JR: That’s brilliant—you’re on the Julia Donaldson map now!
KW: Exactly, we’re making it!
JR: How about other events? Like the Scottish Book Fair or the Edinburgh Book Festival—they’re such big events. Do you engage with those? Do you get authors visiting off the back of them?
KW: One or two, maybe, from the book festival, but it’s not a regular thing. Edinburgh is a train stop away, and we’re a bit out of the way unless someone’s making a proper holiday of it. There’s that junction at Glasgow, Stirling, or Inverness, and it’s a matter of deciding if you want to take that extra three- to five-hour journey to the West Coast. Most people make it their own trip.
We do get authors visiting sometimes—some shy, some bold as brass, saying, "I’m here, give me books!" And we’re like, "Yes, come sign them!"
JR: I saw Michael Pederson has stopped by a couple of times. Such a hoot.
KW: Yes, I’m really looking forward to his new book. He tagged us when it was released, which felt very special. It’s so thoughtful of him.
JR: Being based in Northumberland, we sometime have to piggyback on some of the Edinburgh Festival tours, you know, if authors are heading north of Manchester.
KW: Why not stop?
JR: Exactly. But once you get to Edinburgh, you need other reasons to go further north, don’t you?
KW: Exactly. It’s a long train ride, but encouraging people to make us part of their journey is key. If you’re in the Highlands, why not stop at the bookshop on your way to Skye? If it rains, what are you going to do without a book?
JR: Well, let’s talk about books, then. What’s selling well at the moment?
KW: It varies, but witch-based novels have been huge. The Cinnamon Bun [Laurie Gilmore] books have been flying off the shelves!
JR: I can imagine.
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KW: Absolutely. Those are real "vibe books"—people are looking for a certain feeling when they pick them up. But yeah, witchy books, in general, have been a big deal.
We also have a local author, JD Kirk, who’s huge in the area but has also cracked North America and Australia. Every time he releases a new crime fiction title set in the area, there’s a flurry of sales. His books give the area so much love, with that perfect mix of tartan noir and dark Scottish humour. JR: You’ve also been big on cosy autumnal vibes, I see. KW: Definitely. Our social media reflects those cosy vibes, but people are also picking up more serious titles and not-so-cosy books too. It’s a good mix. JR: Are there any maybe some surprises that you weren't really expecting to do quite so well? KW: Ooh, that is a good question. Oh gosh, I should have had a list in front of me. I think the ones that always surprise me are ones that are older, that get a resurgence. So they're either revived by TikTok or one of my colleagues, for example, has been touting Daphne du Maurier's The Scapegoat. And we've sold so many of them since she's been pushing it. She absolutely loves this book and thinks that it's better than Rebecca. So it's been really fun to see those books that get that kind of love locally or with people who are just passing through and, you know, you wouldn't see it face out in Waterstones or something because obviously it's an older title. |
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JR: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the strength of staff picks though, isn't it? They can find their way into your bestseller lists without much warning.
KW: Definitely. Yeah, and I think, yeah, we've seen a number of those this summer—older books getting more revisiting, the light of day in some respects.
JR: And what about you personally? What kind of books do you gravitate towards when you're not reading for a book club or reading for an event or something?
KW: Mmm. Um, it depends obviously, but I just finished North Woods [Daniel Mason], which blew my socks off!
JR: I've not read that yet, but it looks brilliant.
KW: Oh my gosh, it's such an interesting one. I think I'm always looking for a story that surprises me a little bit, either in the way it's told or in the plot itself—something I haven't seen before. And the way this was told was just really fascinating. Yeah, it was wonderful.
I've read Wilderness Cure [Mo Wilde] this summer, which is about a woman who forages for a year in Scotland and lives off only foraged food. I didn’t know that was possible, so it was really interesting to explore her diary-style experience.
I'm a big fantasy reader as well, so I also read a book called Dragon's Bane [Barbara Hambly], published back in the 80s, though it got a reprint recently. It revisits the idea of what a fantasy heroine or hero can be. I'm not a teenager anymore, and that's fine, but I don't always need my heroines and heroes to be teenagers either. It was really nice, but it was still fantastical. It had that wonderful feeling you get when you read The Lord of the Rings or a great fantasy novel that takes you to another place.
JR: Is it like proper high fantasy, that kind of world building?
KW: You feel like you're in a high fantasy world—it sets that as a place—but it takes things in a different direction. I don’t want to give too much away, but it offers a refreshing perspective on fantasy.
JR: That sounds really interesting. And, you know, we all have our kind of—I call them back-pocket recommendations, the books that you could always recommend. What are your go-to books, the ones you'd always ensure are in stock?
KW: My go-to? I’ll say the author, as there are two titles I alternate between. One of my favourite authors is Susan Fletcher. She wrote Witch Light and The Silver Dark Sea. Witch Light is historical fiction, and the way she evokes emotion, place, and story in her writing is incredible. I still get a catch in my throat from how it makes me feel, like goosebumps from the storytelling. It’s so good and immersive. She’s my go-to for any fiction recommendation.
Her, or… hmm, this is the difficult part. My immediate reaction when someone asks for a recommendation is to ask, “What did you read last?” to get an idea of what they enjoy. That’s the most important part—I don’t want to recommend, say, a Clive Cussler novel to someone looking for a John le Carré.
JR: I know you’ve mentioned writing short stories yourself. Do you gravitate towards reading shorts as well?
KW: Not necessarily, but there are exceptions. I've just finished some of Claire Keegan's and Tove Jansson's short stories—she’s the author of The
Summer Book. In the past, I didn’t often pick short stories, but more and more, I’ve come to enjoy the smaller commitment. They don’t require the same time as a Wolf Hall-sized book, which is nice.
I’ve also learned in the book trade that there’s always something in every genre for someone. I’m the least fussy reader when it comes to genres—I can wander into a completely different section of the shop and still find something great.
KW: Definitely. Yeah, and I think, yeah, we've seen a number of those this summer—older books getting more revisiting, the light of day in some respects.
JR: And what about you personally? What kind of books do you gravitate towards when you're not reading for a book club or reading for an event or something?
KW: Mmm. Um, it depends obviously, but I just finished North Woods [Daniel Mason], which blew my socks off!
JR: I've not read that yet, but it looks brilliant.
KW: Oh my gosh, it's such an interesting one. I think I'm always looking for a story that surprises me a little bit, either in the way it's told or in the plot itself—something I haven't seen before. And the way this was told was just really fascinating. Yeah, it was wonderful.
I've read Wilderness Cure [Mo Wilde] this summer, which is about a woman who forages for a year in Scotland and lives off only foraged food. I didn’t know that was possible, so it was really interesting to explore her diary-style experience.
I'm a big fantasy reader as well, so I also read a book called Dragon's Bane [Barbara Hambly], published back in the 80s, though it got a reprint recently. It revisits the idea of what a fantasy heroine or hero can be. I'm not a teenager anymore, and that's fine, but I don't always need my heroines and heroes to be teenagers either. It was really nice, but it was still fantastical. It had that wonderful feeling you get when you read The Lord of the Rings or a great fantasy novel that takes you to another place.
JR: Is it like proper high fantasy, that kind of world building?
KW: You feel like you're in a high fantasy world—it sets that as a place—but it takes things in a different direction. I don’t want to give too much away, but it offers a refreshing perspective on fantasy.
JR: That sounds really interesting. And, you know, we all have our kind of—I call them back-pocket recommendations, the books that you could always recommend. What are your go-to books, the ones you'd always ensure are in stock?
KW: My go-to? I’ll say the author, as there are two titles I alternate between. One of my favourite authors is Susan Fletcher. She wrote Witch Light and The Silver Dark Sea. Witch Light is historical fiction, and the way she evokes emotion, place, and story in her writing is incredible. I still get a catch in my throat from how it makes me feel, like goosebumps from the storytelling. It’s so good and immersive. She’s my go-to for any fiction recommendation.
Her, or… hmm, this is the difficult part. My immediate reaction when someone asks for a recommendation is to ask, “What did you read last?” to get an idea of what they enjoy. That’s the most important part—I don’t want to recommend, say, a Clive Cussler novel to someone looking for a John le Carré.
JR: I know you’ve mentioned writing short stories yourself. Do you gravitate towards reading shorts as well?
KW: Not necessarily, but there are exceptions. I've just finished some of Claire Keegan's and Tove Jansson's short stories—she’s the author of The
Summer Book. In the past, I didn’t often pick short stories, but more and more, I’ve come to enjoy the smaller commitment. They don’t require the same time as a Wolf Hall-sized book, which is nice.
I’ve also learned in the book trade that there’s always something in every genre for someone. I’m the least fussy reader when it comes to genres—I can wander into a completely different section of the shop and still find something great.
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JR: I wanted to linger on short stories a little longer, because I know you were involved with the Scottish Mountaineering Press flash fiction contest. Can you tell us a bit about that?
KW: Exactly. We got involved because they were starting up new programs and projects. They were trying to get things off the ground that hadn’t been possible before, offering opportunities for outdoor-themed voices and mountaineering stories that fit the area. We thought, “Why not help?” It’s exciting to support new voices getting off the ground. JR: They're looking at things like poetry - the theme being Soundscapes for poetry is amazing. And there was Texture for nonfiction, right? KW: Yes, texture. Yeah, actually, from where I’m speaking, I can see some of last year’s submissions in storage. We get to use them in displays and things like that. There are such unique pieces that have come out of it—really impressive. JR: Thinking about Christmas briefly, what are you really pushing this year? Are there particular books that stand out from your general stock? KW: There have been some amazing new arrivals. I might just list some titles rather than give a general description. Firstly, we’re always big on cookbooks in the shop. There’ve been so many great ones, but I’d have to recommend Comfort Living. I know it’s a few years old, but anything by Anja Dunk is fantastic. I can picture the covers now—they make me hungry just thinking about them. There’s also a new novel, Brightly Shining [Ingvild Rishøi]. I believe it’s set in Norway, and it’s about a man. |
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It gives me Small Things Like These vibes—hopeful but thoughtful. In terms of biographies, I’d recommend Jenny Graham’s [Coffee First, Then The World. It’s out in paperback now. We met her recently, and she was so inspiring. Her book is fantastic. That’s the one I’d particularly tout for nonfiction biographies.
JR: I’ve been seeing Brightly Shining everywhere at the moment. I haven’t read it yet but it reminds me of another one from a little while ago. Maybe it’s the jacket that’s similar, but I’m thinking of something called Twelve Nights by Urs Faes. Did you ever see that?
KW: No, I didn’t. That sounds cool. I’m scrabbling for a pencil right now.
JR: It came out in this gorgeous hardback edition, maybe back in 2020. I feel like a lot of people missed out on it or only discovered it months later. It’s great but with slightly foreboding, haunting Christmas vibes.
KW: What better time of year to be haunted than Christmas? The greatest Christmas story ever is a haunting, right?
JR: Exactly. So, looking ahead—are there any new books coming out that you’re especially excited about or think will do well?
KW: On a personal note, I’m very excited about Eowyn Ivey’s new one. She wrote The Snow Child. Black Woods, Blue Sky—I haven’t read it yet, but it’s being published in February. Also, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s new book. She wrote Braiding Sweetgrass, which is one of my favourites. Those two are at the top of my mind right now.
There are just so many great books—it’s like you need a vortex to sit in and read them all. I really enjoy following Fairlight Modern. Have you read any of theirs?
JR: Yeah, yeah, I love their little formats.
KW: Their editions are so lovely, aren’t they?
JR: Definitely. Some of theirs have been big hits for me, others less so. I think the last one I read was Missing Words [Loree Westron]. It’s set in the 1980s and about this journey of self-discovery. That was really good, but there are so many more I need to catch up on.
KW: The last one I read by them was Voting Day [Clare O'Dea]. It’s about the referendum in the 1950s in Switzerland when women were denied the right to vote.
JR: Yeah, about the Swiss suffragette story, right?
KW: Yes, exactly. It was so good.
JR: That does sound great, and still so poignant today. It was the '50s or early '60s, wasn’t it?
KW: It was. It was far later than I expected. I remember reading the back and thinking, “Wow!” But in the grand scheme of things, sadly not that surprising.
JR: Ok, Kelsey, my final question is about looking ahead—are you planning any events for the new year or spring that you can talk about?
KW: Yes! We’ll be attending the Fort William Mountain Festival in February. So if people are into mountains, they should definitely check it out. We also have Kirsty Gunn [Pretty Ugly] coming to the bookshop in January—just finalising the dates this weekend. Plus, we’re launching more workshops, including a world-building sci-fi and fantasy writing workshop. I’m really excited about that.
JR: That sounds really interesting and a bit different too.
KW: Yeah, we want to offer a lot of variety in our events, especially the participatory ones.
JR: Do you ever lead any of the writing groups yourself?
KW: I almost did this autumn, but I had too much on my plate. Hopefully, in the new year, I’ll run one on writing memory and family history. That’s my current forte—making everyone nostalgic for their childhood. That’s my talent!
JR: I’ve been seeing Brightly Shining everywhere at the moment. I haven’t read it yet but it reminds me of another one from a little while ago. Maybe it’s the jacket that’s similar, but I’m thinking of something called Twelve Nights by Urs Faes. Did you ever see that?
KW: No, I didn’t. That sounds cool. I’m scrabbling for a pencil right now.
JR: It came out in this gorgeous hardback edition, maybe back in 2020. I feel like a lot of people missed out on it or only discovered it months later. It’s great but with slightly foreboding, haunting Christmas vibes.
KW: What better time of year to be haunted than Christmas? The greatest Christmas story ever is a haunting, right?
JR: Exactly. So, looking ahead—are there any new books coming out that you’re especially excited about or think will do well?
KW: On a personal note, I’m very excited about Eowyn Ivey’s new one. She wrote The Snow Child. Black Woods, Blue Sky—I haven’t read it yet, but it’s being published in February. Also, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s new book. She wrote Braiding Sweetgrass, which is one of my favourites. Those two are at the top of my mind right now.
There are just so many great books—it’s like you need a vortex to sit in and read them all. I really enjoy following Fairlight Modern. Have you read any of theirs?
JR: Yeah, yeah, I love their little formats.
KW: Their editions are so lovely, aren’t they?
JR: Definitely. Some of theirs have been big hits for me, others less so. I think the last one I read was Missing Words [Loree Westron]. It’s set in the 1980s and about this journey of self-discovery. That was really good, but there are so many more I need to catch up on.
KW: The last one I read by them was Voting Day [Clare O'Dea]. It’s about the referendum in the 1950s in Switzerland when women were denied the right to vote.
JR: Yeah, about the Swiss suffragette story, right?
KW: Yes, exactly. It was so good.
JR: That does sound great, and still so poignant today. It was the '50s or early '60s, wasn’t it?
KW: It was. It was far later than I expected. I remember reading the back and thinking, “Wow!” But in the grand scheme of things, sadly not that surprising.
JR: Ok, Kelsey, my final question is about looking ahead—are you planning any events for the new year or spring that you can talk about?
KW: Yes! We’ll be attending the Fort William Mountain Festival in February. So if people are into mountains, they should definitely check it out. We also have Kirsty Gunn [Pretty Ugly] coming to the bookshop in January—just finalising the dates this weekend. Plus, we’re launching more workshops, including a world-building sci-fi and fantasy writing workshop. I’m really excited about that.
JR: That sounds really interesting and a bit different too.
KW: Yeah, we want to offer a lot of variety in our events, especially the participatory ones.
JR: Do you ever lead any of the writing groups yourself?
KW: I almost did this autumn, but I had too much on my plate. Hopefully, in the new year, I’ll run one on writing memory and family history. That’s my current forte—making everyone nostalgic for their childhood. That’s my talent!
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