A rural bookseller says farewell

From Penny Ernest

Tuakau Village Bookshop

My daughter, (the Jane Mary McCulloch mentioned in the list of acknowledgements), gave me a copy of Ripe for Christmas. What a superb book, congratulations to Beatnik Publishing for the polished and creative production, what a pleasure to use such a book. You mentioned the Dean and Deluca cookbook. Angela bought it from me, Tuakau Village Bookshop, now in it's last days of existence.

I want to thank you for your blog, it has been a great resource and friend to me in the sometimes lonely desert of book retailing in out of the way Tuakau.
The publishing industry has changed so much in the brief time since I was a sales rep for Reed. Random House is really the most customer focused publisher, most I feel are now quite cursory though as I write this I think of good old time reps like Mike Hill and Dennis Morgan.

The New Zealand list needs a new curator. At Reed we were all so involved with each title and had relationships with our authors, illustrators and knew the premise of each and never let the backlist slide. I really do feel that this is an issue for the industry to address.

Oh and I must also give a New Year Gong to Ross Lorimer of Archetype Allen & Unwin - a gentleman rep who always keeps the needs and culture of his customers to the fore and was a great support to me right from the very beginning.

Just a few thoughts as I sit here selling off the last books from a socially if not fiscally rewarding five years. I have had a great time, I will close the door with regret and also with some excitement, looking forward to new as yet unformed adventures.

Footnote:
Farewell Penny, you will be sorely missed by your community. I hope you are not lost to the book trade. Happy New Year.