The Full Story

Simon;

There are over 100 photos on our facebook group and it's a good place to go to see the full picture of the day.

The opening was incredible and really couldn't have gone much better. We sold more than 5% of our stock, which is spectacular. Big sellers in the first day were Hippos Go Berserk, by Sandra Boynton, Michael Foot, by Kenneth O Morgan, Rastamouse and Da Bag-a-Bling, and all the Maisy books, I wonder why?

The balloons worked really well and the High Road was full of green and white balloons declaring The Big Green Bookshop, Wood Green's Only Bookshop.

Rosemary Furber trumpeted and signed her books, and was an absolute lovely. Kate Straw is her trumpet teacher, and together they turned 'The Final Countdown' into a fanfare we'll never forget


We had loads of help all day, and James, Mark, Trish, Amy, Shena, Stuart and Sile deserve loads of thanks. But without a shadow of a doubt Nina Grant was the star of the day.
Nina has been a regular visitor/helper/entertainer for us since we got the keys, and she is pretty much the epitome of why we managed to open within 17 days of getting the shop. On friday night I got a text saying that the person who'd agreed to be Maisy Mouse couldn't do it. It wasn't her fault, and I should have phoned her on Wednesday to confirm everything. Anyway, the day before opening we suddenly had no Mouse. I gave Nina a call, and she simply said 'what time do you want me to be there'.
She turned up and spent all day in the shop, taking enquiries, learning how to use the till, and most admirably being a fantastic Maisy, enchanting kids and playing the character to perfection. She is an absolute superstar, and we really really appreciate it.
Katie was also a legend. She helped throughout the day, and looked after the shop whilst Tim and I flounced around looking bemused.

We were busy

very busy

We had visits from lovely lovely authors. Lovely lovely Alis Hawkins, whos book, Testament is quality fiction that will undoubtably be a right old 3 for 2 type title once it gets into paperback. I have a good feeling about this book and hope that the chains see the potential.

We also had the lovely lovely Sarah Matthias, who's last book the Riddle of the Poisoned Monk I absolutely loved.

I have no photos of Graham Marks , who was there to sign 4 of his books. Also Sam Enthoven was there, and I really can't believe there's no snapshot of him, as he's a bundle of energy and fun and got on really well with all the kids that turned up.

And of course Mary Cavanagh, author of the fabulous 'Crowded Bed'. A Big Green Bookshop seal of approval book. It was lovely to meet her. Her book is a 'belter' and I suggest you read it. She was accompanied by Caro Fraser, a great crime writer who, like all the previous authors, you should ignore all the links iv'e put and order signed copies through us by emailing enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com .



I kind of don't know what else to say. It was mad, and we had the most fun. We know we can't rest on our Johnny Borrels(that's indie rhyming slang), and have huge plans for author events over the next month or two. We're going to visit a load of local schools to do assemblies about our shop, and also we're going to carry on the big plan we have to get our name everywhere in Wood Green. If you're reading this, live local and don't mind flyering your street, feel free to come in and pick some up.

We are happy.

So a new chapter of the blog begins. Open a Bookshop, What Could Possibly Go Wrong still stands. We've opened the bookshop, Now what could posibly go wrong!!