October, 2017

now browsing by month

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 26, 2017

SUMBANGAN BOOK TRUCK DALAM INDUSTRI BUKU MALAYSIA

Malaysia is targeting book contracts worth RM8mil through its participation at the Frankfurt Book Festival 2017, which ended on Oct 15 at the Frankfurt Messe (Frankfurt Trade Centre) in Germany.

Malaysian delegation chief and National Book Council of Malaysia permanent secretariat director Abd Wahab Ibrahim said the council is optimistic about achieving the figure, based on contracts worth RM7.5mil achieved at the same event last year.

“But the target depends on industry players working even harder,” he told reporters on Oct 11 at the festival’s Malaysia Pavilion.

Abd Wahab said the pavilion’s “Faces of Malaysia” theme is aimed at highlighting and promoting the country’s diversity in terms of architecture, cities, culture, ethnicity, food, geography, and more. Also featured at the pavilion is the culture of the Mah Meri orang asli tribe from Carey Island, Banting, Selangor.

He said the theme is not only aimed at highlighting Malaysia’s uniqueness but also the national aspiration of turning books into a knowledge tourism product.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/str2_bnfrankfurt_ma_3-300×300.jpg

Visitors at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2017

Visitors at the Frankfurt Book Festival 2017.

On Malaysia becoming a world book capital by 2020, Abd Wahab said he is optimistic about achieving that aspiration, adding that he wants industry players to double their efforts towards that end.

One industry player working on this is the PTS Media Group. Its managing director, Arief Hakim Sani Rahmat, who was also at the fair, spoke on Oct 11 about the company’s “book trucks”. They were introduced earlier this year and are gaining a foothold among local reading fans, especially students.

“They (book truck operators) play an important role in making access to books easy.

Arief feels that the book trucks are helping to bridge the reading gap between those in urban and rural areas, he said on Wednesday, adding that there are 30 book trucks in operation now, delivering books directly to consumers in Peninsular Malaysia.

With the encouraging response from the public, he is optimistic about expanding the service to Sabah and Sarawak in the near future, targeting an increase of between 100 and 200 trucks.

Depending on the vehicle size, it costs between RM80,000 and RM250,000 to suitably modify a truck for the programme, said Arief, adding, “We welcome any public or private agency that can help entrepreneurs who are interested in operating this service.” – Bernama

Main image above: A visitor browsing a display at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2017.

Read more at http://www.star2.com/culture/2017/10/15/book-publishing-plans/#BUBZ1r6QYGRciUkd.99

Posted in BERITA, INFO | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 25, 2017

BUKU PENGENALAN KEPADA HAIKU

MobileBookCafe telah menerbitkan sebuah buku yang telah lama ditunggu-tunggu. Ia adalah buku Pengenalan Kepada Haiku. Selain kaedah menulis haiku, ia juga memasukkan beberapa puisi Jepun yang lain seperti renka, syinru dan sebagainya. Paling penting, hasil karya pelajar sekolah semasa sesi bengkel di haiku ke sekolah-sekolah turut juga dimuatkan dalam buku ini.

2018 nanti, MBC akan mengadakan Bengkel Haiku dikemaskini. Setiap pelajar akan dapat buku ini yang berharga RM25.00 secara PERCUMA sahaja.

kandungan

Posted in FOTO, INFO | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 23, 2017

MBC Melaka di Muar

Aktiviti Mewarna & Blind Date With A Book di SK PArit Kadzi, Muar oleh MBC Melaka.

Posted in AKTIVITI | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 16, 2017

COVER BUKU TERBAIK 2017

Four Malaysian books make huge impact at Frankfurt Book Fair 2017

image: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2017/10/15/04/41/file6x43livb6hzdjalx951.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=96315A9D431E9EB652BA557BAC777FFD5304A96C

Monhardt (centre), the winner of the Beauty and the Book Award 2017, posing with his award and book "Im Licht - Im Bild". He is flanked by the Malaysian delegation with the four books which made it to the final list at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2017.

Monhardt (centre), the winner of the Beauty and the Book Award 2017, posing with his award and book “Im Licht – Im Bild”. He is flanked by the Malaysian delegation with the four books which made it to the final list at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2017.

FRANKFURT: Four Malaysian books made it to the final list for the Beauty and the Book Award 2017 at the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF) 2017.

Malaysian delegation to FBF 2017 head Abdul Wahab Ibrahim said that despite failing to emerge as winners, the four Malaysian book covers were listed among the 10 best designs.

He said this year’s success would serve as a platform for Malaysian book industry players in the future.

“Perhaps next year, we will organise a selection process at the national level and we will nominate one or two books that have the potential to win,” he said when met after the plaque presentation to the winners’ ceremony on Sunday.

The four Malaysian books which made it to the final list were Modern Mosques in Malaysia Between Regionalism and Eclectism by Wael A Yousef Mousa published by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM); Alegori Rumah Api by Mat Luthfi (PTS); Kias Tersirat: Perantauan Bertemu Melayu dan Islam di Dunia Melayu Benua, penned by Herman Abdullah (Institute of Translation and Books Malaysia) as well as Tulis! Jangan Takut-takut by Zamri Mohamad (Legacy Publishing).

Meanwhile, Edition Monhardt representative Stefan Monhardt thanked the audience for giving him an opportunity to win the competition in conjunction with FBF 2017.

“The idea is very interesting, as we received votes from the audience and not from the agencies. Hence, they give an authentic opinion, which I think is a great idea,” he said.

The FBF 2017 was jointly officiated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron with France as the FBF guest country for this year’s edition.

The five-day book fair, that ends on Monday (Oct 16), provides a platform for the sale of literature copyrights for approximately 300,000 book publishers from around the world. – Bernama

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/15/four-books-make-impact-at-book-fair/#s4YrAZI0wY8XepYx.99

Posted in BERITA | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 6, 2017

10 SEKOLAH TERBAIK DI MALAYSIA

Oleh Mj pada 04 Oct 2017 kategori Informasi

Pendidikan amatlah penting dalam menentukan kemajuan sesebuah negara. Memilih sekolah yang baik juga penting demi kemajuan diri sendiri. Dalam artikel ini, iluminasi.com ingin berkongsi 10 sekolah menengah terbaik di Malaysia.

Pemilihan kedudukan sekolah terbaik adalah berdasarkan pencapaian keseluruhan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2016 yang diumumkan pada 16 Mac 2017. Gred Purata Nasional (GPN) telah digunakan bagi menentukan kedudukan sekolah-sekolah berkenaan.

Nota: GPN dalam bahasa mudah merupakan indeks bagi menunjukkan pencapaian sekolah, di mana semakin kecil nilainya, semakin baik pencapaian sekolah tersebut.

10. Kolej Yayasan Saad Melaka (KYS)

Sumber foto: kysm.edu.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.60

Terletak di Ayer Keroh, KYS kini berusia 22 tahun sejak penubuhannya pada tahun 1995. KYS merupakan sebuah Sekolah Berasrama Penuh (SBP). KYS diasaskan oleh Tan Sri Halim Saad, seorang ahli perniagaan, sebagai memperingati arwah bapanya.

Sekolah ini sangat terkenal dengan pencapaian cemerlang pelajarnya dalam peperiksaan-peperiksaan besar seperti PMR, PT3 dan SPM. Ramai bekas pelajar KYS telah ditawarkan biasiswa bagi melanjutkan pengajian sama ada di universiti dalam negara mahupun luar negara.

Selain bidang akademik, KYS turut mempunyai prestasi memberansangkan dalam aktiviti-aktiviti lain seperti sukan rugbi, bola jaring, robotik dan sebagainya.

Antara bekas pelajar KYS termasuklah Iedil Putra (Pelakon) dan Dr Hannah Nazri (orang kuat The Kalsom Movement).

Alumni: KYSER

Laman Sesawang: KYS

9. SM Sains Alam Shah (ASiS)

Sumber foto: asiskl.org

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.53

Kebanyakan netizen selalu terkeliru antara ASiS di Cheras dan Sekolah Alam Shah (SAS) di Cyberjaya. ASiS yang diasaskan pada 16 Jun 2003 merupakan SBP yang menempatkan hanya pelajar lelaki tingkatan 4 dan 5 sahaja.

Pemilihan pelajar ke tingkatan 4 ke ASiS adalah berdasarkan keputusan cemerlang pelajar dalam PMR dari seluruh negara. Kumpulan pertama adalah seramai 84 orang dan mereka menduduki peperiksaan SPM pada tahun 2004. Kumpulan pertama ini dikenali sebagai PIONEERS, dengan keputusan SPM yang sangat memberansangkan.

Laman Sesawang: ASiS

8. Sekolah Seri Puteri (SSP)

Sumber foto: seriputeri.edu.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.51

SSP yang terletak di Cyberjaya telah ditubuhkan pada 6 May 1968, dan dahulunya dikenali sebagai Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Perempuan Jalan Kolam Ayer. Pada tahun 1969, SBP ini mendapatkan khidmat guru dari Bangladesh bagi memenuhi kekosongan dalam bidang sains dan matematik.

Selain kecemerlangan dalam bidang akademik, sekolah ini turut terlibat dalam pelbagai aktiviti lain seperti okestra. Pada tahun 2013, okestra SSP iaitu Seri Puteri Winds (SP Winds) telah memenangi pingat emas dalam Australian International Music Festival (AIMF2013) di Sydney, Australia.

Antara bekas pelajar SSP termasuklah Sawiah Jusoh (CEO Success Precession Wellbeing Ltd, UK) dan Vivy Yusof (Blogger dan usahawan terkenal).

Alumni: PUTERI

Laman Sesawang: SSP

7. SM Sains Tuanku Munawir (SASER)

Sumber foto: utusan.com.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.47

SASER merupakan sebuah SBP yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Sekolah Menengah Sains Seremban. SASER merupakan sebuah sekolah lelaki yang terletak di Seremban, dan ditubuhkan pada Februari 2002.

SASER amat konsisten dari segi kecemerlangan akademik terutamanya dalam peperiksaan SPM. Sekolah ini memegang rekod sekolah terbaik selama beberapa tahun, iaitu pada tahun 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014 dan 2015.

SASER turut memegang rekod sebagai sekolah yang menghasilkan jumlah pelajar paling banyak straight A+ dalam SPM 2010 iaitu seramai 16 orang. Pada tahun 2011, sekolah ini telah dianugerahkan sebagai Sekolah Berpretasi Tinggi oleh Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

Alumni: SASEROBA

Laman Sesawang: SASER

6. SM Sains Sultan Mahmud (SESMA)

Sumber foto: kosmo.com.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.42

SESMA yang terletak di Kuala Terengganu telah ditubuhkan pada tahun 1973 dan dirasmikan pada 5 September 1979 oleh DYMM Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah dengan nama Sekolah Menengah Sains Terengganu.

Tujuan utama sekolah ini diwujudkan adalah bagi meningkatkan jumlah pelajar dalam jurusan Sains. Pencapaian SESMA dalam bidang akademik amatlah memberansangkan, dalam kedua-dua peperiksaan PT3 dan SPM.

SESMA memegang rekod konsisten sebagai sekolah terbaik di negeri Terengganu selama beberapa tahun secara berturut-turut.

Alumni: SESMA Alumni

Laman Sesawang: SESMA

5. Sekolah Tun Fatimah (STF)

Sumber foto: utusan.com.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.37

STF merupakan sebuah SBP premier perempuan yang terletak di Johor Bahru. Pada asalnya, STF telah ditubuhkan di Durian Daun, Melaka pada 1956, dengan nama Secondary School Malay Girls.

Namun telah berpindah ke Johor Bahru dan sekolah ini dibuka secara rasmi pada 25 September 1965 dengan nama baru bersempena Sri Kandi Melayu pada zaman Kesultanan Melayu Melaka, iaitu Tun Fatimah.

Sekolah ini mempunyai sejarah persaingan dengan sekolah perempuan lain, iaitu Kolej Tunku Kurshiah dan SSP. Namun, persaingan ini adalah sihat dan lebih kepada hubungan love-hate. Mereka bersaing dalam pelbagai cara termasuklah bahas, sukan, akademik, band, dan lain-lain.

Antara alumni STF termasuklah Mek Yam Jusoh (bekas TIME.com Senior VP), Prof. Dr. Muhaya (pakar mata pertama Asia Tenggara yang melakukan pembedahan LASIK dan penceramah terkenal) serta ramai kerabat diraja.

Alumni: SRIKANDI

Laman Sesawang: STF

4. Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah (KISAS)

Sumber foto: flickr.com

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.32

KISAS dahulunya dikenali sebagai Kolej Islam Klang (KIK). SBP ini diasaskan pada 4 April 1955, dan hanya menempatkan pelajar tingkatan 4 hingga tingkatan 6. Bangunan KISAS pada asalnya merupakan sebuah istana, namun Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah al-Haj membuat keputusan untuk mewakafkannya untuk dijadikan sekolah.

Pada tahun 1989, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah al-Haj telah menukarkan nama KIK kepada KISAS.

Dari segi pencapaian akademik, KISAS pernah menjadi sekolah terbaik pada tahun 2004 dan 2005 berdasarkan kecemerlangan keputusan SPM. Malah, pencapaian keputusan STPM KISAS adalah sangat menakjubkan, memegang rekod terbaik untuk peperiksaan ini selama 7 tahun berturut-turut, dari 2008 hingga 2014.

KISAS merupakan antara sekolah yang seimbang pencapaiannya dari segi akademik dan ko-kurikulum. KISAS pernah menjadi juara kebangsaan dalam bahas (bahasa Melayu), debat (bahasa Inggeris), bahas (bahasa Arab), tilawah Al-Quran, pantun, pertandingan drama, dan sebagainya.

Antara bekas pelajar yang menjadi kebanggan sekolah ini termasuklah Allahyarham Tuan Guru Dato’ Dr. Haron Din, Dr. MAZA (Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin), dan ramai lagi.

Alumni: ALKIS

Laman Sesawang: KISAS

3. Kolej Tunku Kurshiah (TKC)

Sumber foto: sistemrumahtkc.blogspot.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.31

Sekolah berasrama penuh perempuan yang ditubuhkan pada tahun 1947 ini asalnya dinamakan Maktab Perempuan Melayu. Nama sekolah ini kemudiannya ditukar kepada Kolej Tunku Kurshiah sebagai penghormatan kepada Raja Permaisuri Agong yang pertama.

Seperti sekolah-sekolah lain dalam senarai ini, TKC merupakan antara sekolah yang mempunyai pencapaian akademik yang sangat memberansangkan, bersaing dengan SBP perempuan yang lain seperti STF dan SSP.

TKC turut mempunyai pencapaian yang hebat dalam aktiviti luar, antaranya dalam pancaragam sekolah.

Antara bekas pelajar TKC yang terkenal termasuklah Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Presiden PKR), Tunku Intan Shafinaz (Tunku Panglima Besar Kedah), Rosmah Mansor, dan ramai lagi.

Alumni: TKC Old Girls Associaton

Laman Sesawang: TKC

2. MRSM Tun Ghaffar Baba (TGB)

Sumber foto: bharian.com.my

Gred Purata Nasional : 1.22

MRSM TGB merupakan satu-satunya MRSM yang ada dalam senarai ini. Dahulunya dikenali sebagai MRSM Jasin kerana lokasinya yang terletak di Jasin. Sebagai menghormati sumbangan Tun Ghaffar Baba, sekolah ini dinamakan ke atas beliau. MRSM TGB ditubuhkan pada tahun 1981.

MRSM Bitara ini merupakan sekolah yang mempunyai pencapaian yang sangat cemerlang dalam peperiksaan SPM, bersaing selama beberapa tahun dengan MRSM lain seperti MRSM Taiping, MRSM Langkawi dan MRSM Pengkalan Chepa.

Antara pencapaian terhebat MRSM TGB adalah menjadi sekolah terbaik pada tahun 2001, 2005, 2006, 2012 dan 2016.

Antara bekas pelajar kebanggaan MRSM TGB termasuklah Mohd Afizuddin Ahmad Apandi (Pengusaha Nasik Lemak Paris (NLP)), Muhammad Aziph (bekas CEO Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia) dan ramai lagi.

Alumni: ANSARA

Laman Sesawang: MRSM TGB

1. Sekolah Kehidupan / Sekolah Jalanan

Sumber foto: beamingnotes.com

Sekolah ini mengatasi sekolah-sekolah lain dalam senarai ini, kerana keberkesanannya membentuk para ‘pelajarnya’ untuk menjadi manusia, melalui program khasnya iaitu pengalaman hidup.

Sekolah ini ditubuhkan sejak zaman Nabi Adam lagi, menjadi bukan hanya sekolah terbaik di Malaysia (mahupun dunia), malah sekolah tertua di dunia.

Ramai pelajar yang gagal menamatkan pengajian di sekolah mahupun universiti secara tidak langsung akan melanjutkan pengajian ke sekolah ini. Selagi anda hidup, selagi itulah anda akan belajar di sekolah ini.

Antara pelajar cemerlang sekolah ini termasuklah Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, dan ramai lagi.

Harus diingatkan bahawa pendidikan formal di bangunan yang dipanggil sekolah mahupun universiti tidak menjamin masa depan anda. Yang menjamin masa depan anda adalah semangat dan usaha secara konsisten, bersama doa kedua ibu bapa. Tiada yang mudah di dunia ini.

Sambungan Senarai Sekolah Terbaik di Malaysia

Sumber foto: panduanmalaysia.com

11. SM Sains Perempuan Seremban (SGS)

12. SM Sains Muar

13. SBP Integrasi Gombak

14. SM Sains Kuala Selangor

15. The Malay College Kuala Kangsar

16. SM Agama Persekutuan Labu

17. SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra

18. SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

19. SM Sains Hulu Selangor

20. SM Sains Kota Tinggi

21. SM Sains Miri

22. SM Sultan Abdul Halim

23. Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah

24. Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman

25. SBP Integrasi Rawang

26. SM Sains Tun Syed Sheh Shahabudin

27. SM Sains Kuala Terengganu

28. SM Sains Tapah

29. SM Sains Johor

30. SM Sains Sultan Iskandar

31. SM Agama Persekutuan Kajang

32. SM Sains Banting

33. SM Sains Rembau

34. SBP Integrasi Gopeng

35. SM Sains Batu Pahat

36. SBP Integrasi Selandar

37. SM Sains Tuanku Jaafar

38. SBP Integrasi Batu Rakit

39. SM Sains Kuching Utara

40. SBP Integrasi Kubang Pasu

41. Sekolah Dato’ Abdul Razak

42. SM Sains Labuan

43. SBP Integrasi Jempol

44. SM Sains Selangor

45. SM Sains Sultan Hj Ahmad Shah

46. SM Sains Jeli

47. SM Sains Hulu Terengganu

48. Sekolah Sains Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah

49. SM Sains Machang

50. SBP Integrasi Sabak Bernam

51. SBP Integrasi Tun Abdul Razak

52. SM Sains Sabah

53. SM Sains Lahad Datu

54. SM Sains Tengku Abdullah

55. SM Sains Kepala Batas

56. SM Sains Pasir Puteh

57. SBP Integrasi Temerloh

58. SM Agama Persekutuan Bentong

59. SM Sains Raja Tun Azlan Shah

60. SM Sains Tuanku Syed Putra

61. SM Sains Kubang Pasu

62. SM Sains Sembrong

63. SBP Integrasi Kuantan

64. SM Sains Setiu

65. SM Sains Bagan Datoh

66. SM Sains Sultan Mohammad Jiwa

67. SM Sains Dungun

68. SM Sains Pokok Sena

69. SM Sains Teluk Intan

Rujukan:

Posted in BERITA | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 4, 2017

BENGKEL MENULIS BUKU AKTIVITI MBC

Ramai orang boleh menulis. Suka menulis. Namun tidak tahu ke mana mahu diterbitkan
Ada yang minat menulis, namun tidak pernah cuba sebab takut. Macam2 takut
Jika tidak pandai menulis, tapi boleh melukis juga bagus. Boleh terbitkan buku
Rami juga yang hantar manuskrip yang tidak menepati keperluan sebab tidak mahu hadir bengkel
Bengkel buku kali ini tidak ajar bagaimana ingin menulis atau melukis, tapi beri format, nasihat dan piawai supaya manuskrip yang dihasilkan boleh diterbitkan.

BENGKEL BUKU. AKTIVITI MBC
PADA AHAD – 22 OKTOBER 2017
Yuran penyertaan RM90. Makan secara potluck.
Untuk tempahan tempat. Bank in
MAYBNK 562414518430
WSP SLIP BNK ANDA
019- 3887659

Posted in AKTIVITI | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 4, 2017

MBC KEDAH DI DAERAH KUALA KETIL

MBC Kedah sedang berada di beberapa buah sekolah di daerah Kuala Ketil.

Selamat maju jaya.

Posted in AKTIVITI, BERITA, FOTO | No Comments »

Posted by: mbc-admin | October 1, 2017

Bob Johnston: a day in the life of The Gutter Bookshop

Bob Johnston is the owner of The Gutter Bookshop in Temple Bar and Dalkey. He has worked as a bookseller for the past 26 years as is also Chair of the Bookseller’s Association Irish Branch. When he’s not selling books to other people, he’s either reading or talking about books.

You own and run two of Ireland’s most beautiful and successful independent bookshops – the Gutter Bookshop in Cow’s Lane in Dublin’s Temple Bar and in Dalkey. What made you want to be a bookseller?

I’ve always been a big reader : Mum sending me to bed early was always a treat for me as it gave me more reading time! I got my first part-time job in a bookshop when I was 16 and continued it on until I graduated, and then went full-time.

That was over 20 years ago and I’m still proud to be a bookseller. Like most people who start their own companies, I set up the Gutter Bookshop in 2009 after spending my days working for someone else and thinking “I could do better than this!” Of course, when it’s your own money being spent it all comes a bit tougher. But it’s still the best thing I’ve ever done.

What are your typical hours? And do you work any atypical hours?

Both shops are open seven days a week so there’s not really any downtime. Typically I work six days a week with hours that vary from 9am-5pm to 8am-midnight if there’s a festival on. I do try and take one weekend off a month so that my partner doesn’t kill me. And I also work from home a couple of days a week now, which takes the pressure off slightly.

How much do you get to read? And where and when do you do it?

I’d be lost without reading. But it is much more work-related now – I facilitate five bookclubs a month so that’s five books to read each month for starters. But I do try to get the bookclubs to pick books that I’d like to read so that it makes it a bit easier. Most of my reading is done on the train in and out of work, but I always read in bed before going to sleep as well – it takes my mind off anything else that’s rattling around.

Do you stick to what you like to read, personally, or do you travel outside of that? And how important is it to read what you stock?

I read mostly fiction, with a few biographies and other non-fiction thrown in occasionally. I still try to finish a book if I’ve started it, even if I don’t like it, but in recent years I’ve become more prone to just giving up if it doesn’t hook me. All of our booksellers are big readers and whilst we haven’t read everything we sell it’s important that we can recommend books across a wide range of topics. Listening to customers and their opinions is equally as important.

Do publishers or agents ever ask for your advice?

I used to be a buyer for a couple of chain bookstores (Hughes & Hughes in Ireland and Blackwell’s in the UK) and used to get asked my opinion a lot more in those jobs as you could influence a lot more sales.

But as an independent bookseller I still get asked about cover designs and possible sales for lesser-known authors. And I still get asked for advice from small publishers on the best way to get their books into bookshops, even though they often don’t like my answer (use wholesalers – you have to give them more discount but they’ll help get your books into more bookshops. And grab any piece of publicity you can – sadly, having a book in a bookshop doesn’t sell it, publicity does!)

Okay, what’s the first thing you do when you get into the shop?

Lights on, alarm off, kettle on for a mug of coffee. I’m not a morning person so I need to warm into the day. Once we’re rolling there’s a stack of tasks – open till, reorder titles sold the previous day, Hoover and tidy the shop for the coming day, and answer any emails from the previous evening (people send enquiries at some very strange times).

What usually happens on your lunch break?

If I’m working in the shop I’ll take an hour and go out for a walk and some air. It’ll often involve something work-related like picking up a change order or lightbulbs or something else the shop needs, and I don’t bring lunch to work as inevitably I’d sit in front of the computer to eat it.

And what’s the last thing you do before you leave? Close down the till, run the end of day reports, alarm set and lights off. Inevitably I lock up and then remember something I haven’t done so I have to go back in and write a note for the following day and then do it all over again.

What makes being a bookseller a great job? And what’s the thing you hate the most?

I love talking to people about books. I could do that all day, it makes me so happy. But as the owner of a small business I do have to spend a lot of time on the finances and admin side – it’d be lovely to farm that out to someone else but I know I’d still have to check everything to make sure the financial side was running smoothly so I accept it’s something I have to do myself. It’s no fun, though.

Over the years, you must have seen some surprising hits and misses. Can you think of a title that was a surprise success? And can you name a few titles that you felt deserved to sell better?

Every Christmas there are always one or two books that surprise you. This year already we’ve seen Irelandopedia by John & Fatti Burke fly into a reprint and I’m sure there’ll be more to come. The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books so we’re never out of stock of popular books for long now. One of my great pleasures as a buyer was to find a great book by a small publisher and see the sales rocket by adding it to a promotion that we were running. In terms of the Gutter, we try to offer a slightly different selection of books from what you see in the chains, but we also have to pick books that will actually sell – we have very limited space so every book has to earn its keep!

There are always misses – sadly we do “returns” every month back to our suppliers of books that just couldn’t find a home. It is a bit sad. But such is the life of a bookseller. Our “staff picks” section is a great way of drawing attention to books that we love but perhaps wouldn’t stand out otherwise – “staff picks” is always our bestselling section in the shop as people do love a recommendation.

What are the upcoming books you’re most excited about?

I’m just finishing Beatlebone by Kevin Barry which is just out. It’s fantastic and looks set to be my ‘novel of the year’! There’s also a new Jonathan Coe novel called Number 11, which is a sequel to What a Carve Up! (one of my favourite books of all time). And it’s not new but our classics bookclub has chosen David Copperfield by Charles Dickens over Christmas. I’ve never read it so I’m really looking forward to that – I do love a good Dickens at Christmas!

gutterbookshop.com

Sarah Bannan is the author of Weightless (Bloomsbury Circus)

Posted in INFO | No Comments »

Mobile Book Cafe

MobileBookCafe.Com