Why your favourite authors love bookshops

Jacob Ross, author of The Bone Readers

"I recently attended Emily Zobel Marshall's well-attended reading at Waterstones in Leeds City Centre – the same venue where I launched my first novel almost two decades ago. The bookshop still champions writers at every stage of their careers, from established names to those just beginning their journeys.

I enter bookshops – even the tiny ones – with a sense of anticipation and discovery. I'm especially fond of small independents such as The Little Bookshop on Harrogate Road, Global Tribe Bookshop on Swan Street, and Hold Fast Bookshop at Leeds Dock Moorings, where many of the sellers are readers themselves and will promptly find or recommend a book that matches your interest.

Bookshops have always been vital venues where authors and readers meet, share and discuss work. They are an essential part of our literary infrastructure, and we would be much poorer without them."

Prue Leith, author of Being Old... And Learning to Love It!

"I love everything about bookshops, especially small independent ones, where the owners are obsessed, where they know a lot about books and writers, and they can help you choose a book. And I like the smell of new books, and the fact that you can browse for hours: no one pesters you to buy in a bookshop. And increasingly, bookshops sell coffee and cake, and make you feel at home. It can be like a club, almost a community centre; a vital part of a country town. My favourite is Jaffé & Neale in Chipping Norton, where you can be certain to find one of the owners in the shop."

Hugh Bonneville, author of Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room

"Bookshops are the quiet pulse of the high street, places where, with each book browsed and each page turned, imagination can take flight. They are the gateway to stories we all cherish, whatever our age. I've been lucky enough to visit many beautiful bookshops recently, and the care they take in serving their communities is deeply heartening. From a party for local families and school talks with P&G Wells in Winchester, to an extremely jolly signing with Hungerford Bookshop, and a pleasingly large pile of international orders in Backstory Books in Balham, I feel honoured to have been supported by these and many more."

Roisin O'Donnell, author of Nesting

"Antonia's Bookstore in the beautiful town of Trim is at the heart of the reading community in County Meath. A real treasure-trove for book lovers, Antonia's Bookstore stocks everything from classics to the latest bestsellers, with an area dedicated to children’s books. Last year, Antonia's Bookstore celebrated its twentieth anniversary, and the local radio station LMFM broadcast from the shop. Shop owner Antonia Daly told listeners about challenging times during lockdown, when she drove across the county bringing books to people in need of a good read. This enthusiasm and dedication is what makes Antonia's Bookstore such a special place."

Nathanael Lessore, author of Against All Odds

"Bookshops are like libraries, in that they're only as lovely as the people who work there. And there are too many wonderful bookshops that come to mind when thinking about my favourite. Choosing my favourite bookshop is like choosing the best perfect day, or the best £20 note in your wallet.

My locals in South London are The Paper Cat Children's Bookshop in Herne Hill, Review in Peckham, and Waterstones Streatham, whose manager clearly makes space for teen and children's books. Paper Cat, like so many bookshops, is run by the warmest, most enthusiastic team, who spend the day with perma-smiles etched on their faces. Their kindness, and excitement to be around books, is contagious. If I were 30 years younger, I'd want them to adopt me. And my parents." 

Tom Palmer, author of War Dog: The True Story of Judy, Hero of WWII

"I have two favourite bookshops: The Thoughtful Spot in Halifax and Sam Read Bookseller in Grasmere. What I like about them both is the people: the booksellers. I have come to understand that the glory of a bookshop is more to do with the people who choose what books to put in the window, the tables and on shelves than anything else. The books I browse and sometimes buy were chosen and put there by a bookseller. And – as a writer – I am ever grateful to them for backing children's historical fiction, including War Dog."

Phil Earle, author of When the Sky Falls: The Graphic Novel

"My favourite bookshop is The Bookseller Crow on the Hill in Crystal Palace. For twenty-eight years it has been run by Jon and Justine, with help from Karen, and it is a very special place. The support they have offered me has been wonderful. Jon recently passed away, and the Palace won't be the same again. Our retail landscape is full of online retailers, but you can't replicate the heart and integrity you find in a bookshop. I love the interactions you have in them. Its alchemy, the ability to love a book so much that you can't wait to spread the word about it: to push it into someone’s hand and say 'here, read this'".

Paddy Donnelly, author of Badger Books

"Bookshops are very special and magical places to me. One of my absolute favourite bookshops to visit is Halfway Up the Stairs in Greystones. I'm always amazing at the personal service their knowledgeable staff give to their customers. I've been there a few times to paint on their front window; I had the pleasure of eavesdropping as their staff chat with both children and grown-ups, and deliver amazingly custom reading recommendations. When you write and illustrate picture books, you usually populate them with little details from your life that are important to you. As Halfway Up the Stairs have been so supportive to me in my career, I managed to slip the bookshop into the background of an illustration in Badger Books."

Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of Cursed Daughters

"Only a fellow booklover can understand what it feels like to walk into a room filled, from floor to ceiling, with books. It is sheer bliss. Yet it can also stir up immense anxiety; especially if, like me, you are not bound to any single genre. In my youth, I would gather three to five books and sit cross-legged on the floor of Waterstones, trying to narrow my choices down to the one or two I could afford. I am who I am today because I read voraciously. In many ways, I am a product of bookshops."

Alexander Armstrong, author of Evenfall: The Golden Linnet

"The best present when I was little was a book token, because it meant a trip to Appleby's Bookshop. Appleby's was like a magician's lair, where whole afternoons would disappear as my brother and sister and I would make our way through shelves of shiny books, humming and hawing, then finally choosing the ones we would carry hungrily home. This is what independent bookshops do: they make the experience of being amongst books utterly enchanting for young readers – it's why we must keep them going and buy ALL our books from them. Heartbreakingly, Appleby's closed 10 years ago, but we now have The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick, which is beautifully run and, if anything, even better."

Beth O'Leary, author of Swept Away

"For me, bookshops are little portals into other worlds. I walk into a bookshop, breathe in the smell of cut pages and feel potential. All those gorgeous, colourful spines on shelves, hiding beautiful stories for me to discover. No matter how tiny they are – and some of the loveliest bookshops I've stumbled upon are the smaller ones, like the gorgeous St Ives Bookseller in Cornwall – a bookshop contains multitudes of lives that you can live, places you can go, and people you can meet. They're nothing short of magical, and there is nowhere I would rather while away an afternoon."

Elle McNicoll, author of Keedie 

"Whenever I'm in a new city, I find the bookshops. If there are none, it's not worth a visit. My favourite bookshop is Topping & Company Booksellers in Edinburgh. The selection is vast but the rooms are intimate, with romantic sliding ladders and the most incredible booksellers. I was a reader, turned bookseller, turned writer, and nowhere makes me feel like I'm all three at once like Topping's. Though I've never met a bookshop I haven't loved. Bookshops can be the oasis in a noisy, overly apathetic world. And I couldn't live without them."

George Webster, author of George and the Mini Dragon

"My favourite bookshops are Waterstones Leeds, and Truman Books in Farsley. I love to discover new books whenever I go inside. Both bookshops have their own personalities, amazing hospitality, and they really welcome me. We always have a lovely chat about the day, what we've been up to… and books!

When I was a kid, there wasn't any Down syndrome representation in books or the wider media. Having so many books that have now improved on this is just wonderful. I want everyone to be able to see themselves in the stories they read. Like these bookshops, we are all different, we are all unique, and we need to be celebrated!"

Hiba Noor Khan, author of The Line They Drew Through Us

"Read. Holmfirth is a glowing presence in the quaint Yorkshire village (not least because of the bright yellow armchair and sunny interiors!), and I remember feeling instantly at ease when I first visited to sign books as a very nervous newly published author!

Each trip there feels like a treat – the shop is family run and all the staff are on hand and oh-so ready to passionately discuss and recommend books; it feels more like a literary living room than a shop! It was thanks to some of these chats that I ended up feasting on Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun, and Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan."

J.P. Rose, author of The Haunting of Tyrese Walker

"Stepping into a bookshop, is like entering a magical world. A place of possibilities, of differences and similarities, a place where I can be whisked around the world and back again, all without moving my feet.

Whilst every bookshop I’ve ever visited stays in my heart, there are some which have stamped an impression. Wonderland is one of them, a children's bookshop in Retford, a real treasure trove of celebration and inclusivity. I also love The Alligator's Mouth in Richmond, an enchanting, wonderfully stocked shop, and of course, Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath is breathtaking, full of quirky charm.

Bookshops are havens of creativity, of joy and knowledge, they truly are my happy place."

Alice Oseman, author-illustrator of the Heartstopper series

"With a powerful history, a cosy interior, and a passionate and dedicated team of booksellers, Gay's the Word is everything you could ever want in a bookshop. I adore their careful curation of LGBTQ+ literature, with specific identities and experiences highlighted in different parts of the shop, so that queer folks can easily find a plethora of books that represent and explore their communities. I'm always welcomed with so much excitement and warmth. Gay's the Word were one of the first big champions of my graphic novel series, Heartstopper, so it's not only an important figure in London's queer history, but also in the history of my writing life, and it will always have a special place in my heart."

Jenny Colgan, author of Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages

"I am so lucky to live in Edinburgh. We're overwhelmed with fine independent bookshops and it's wonderful. There's Topping & Company, if you like a fireplace with your bookshop; The Book Lovers Bookshop, for every type of romance under the sun (and in space), and The Portobello Bookshop, for the most fantastic events. Golden Hare Books is glorious for children, Lighthouse are fierce and uncompromising, and in the Edinburgh Bookshop, you will find a stepladder to the highest shelves. And so many more!

So, my strong advice is, come to Edinburgh and tour the bookshops. Grab a good cup of coffee with your book (or, if slightly later, a wee dram of whisky), read, contemplate, and watch the world go by."

Harry Woodgate, illustrator of The Happy Prince

"There are so many bookshops I love visiting, but the one I'd like to mention is The Common Press, a fantastic queer and intersectional bookshop, cafe and community space in Shoreditch, who champion under-represented creators, support small publishers, and offer a vibrant array of titles from poetry and non-fiction to comics, zines and children's books. I've had the pleasure of painting a bespoke window display in the shop, and I'm so grateful for the support they've given me and my books.

Good indie bookshops provide important spaces for community and contemplation, contribute to their local economies, and support authors and illustrators throughout their careers. For all those reasons and more, we should champion them."

Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks: The Labyrinth of Lost and Found

"I moved around a lot when I was young, but bookshops were always a constant source of comfort. They were a safe space, surrounded by books and by other people who loved books as much as I did – particularly given there weren’t many readers in my family or among my friends. There's nowhere else in the world that can rival a bookshop for its capacity to surprise you, and to give you something you never knew you needed. My life is so much richer for all the time I've spent in so many different bookshops."

Markus Zusak, author of Three Wild Dogs

"My favourite bookshop is Gertrude & Alice at Bondi Beach here in Sydney – a blend of new and second-hand books, and a whole array of other magical surprises. I never know what I’ll walk out of there with – most recently a Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums coffee table book, a cool G&A t-shirt (I'll admit it, I love bookshop merch!), and a unicorn I'd thought had vanished from my life – a copy of John Irving's memoir, The Imaginary Girlfriend. I'd given my copy away and couldn't find one with the same jacket. Until now. It always pays to go in and take my time – which I think is one of the greatest gifts bookshops give us: to remember what it is to slow down and immerse ourselves again, to know stories more completely."

Kate Mosse, author of The Map of Bones

"A cafe, a community, a relaxed and welcoming space in the pretty Hampshire town of Petersfield, One Tree Books is my local indie (even though I live over the county lines in Sussex!). They manage the balance between stocking the current bestsellers and the exquisite, wonderful books that might not always get so much attention, really well. Every week, the owner Tim does a quick canter through of their top ten selling books of the week, and it's always fun to watch and listen to. They run events, support local authors and it's always a joy to pop in and say hello."

Elly Griffiths, author of The Great Deceiver

"I've seen lots of lovely bookshops on my travels, but one of my favourites has to be The Steyning Bookshop in West Sussex. It's in a picture-postcard high street (like the setting for an Agatha Christie adaptation) yet it’s modern and thriving. Owners Sara and Rob have made the shop the heart of the village; running numerous clubs, delivering books on foot during lockdown, arranging author visits to schools. If you pop in for a browse you’re greeted with tea and home-made cake. I worked in the shop for Independent Bookshop Week and it made me appreciate them even more. We need shops like this. They support books, they support authors, and they support the local community. I'll be back very soon."

Pam Ayres, author of I am Emily the Owl

"I love Octavia's Bookshop in Gloucestershire because not only is Octavia hugely glamorous, but more importantly, she has a comprehensive knowledge of children's books. I have five terrific grandchildren and can always trust her advice about the perfect book for each one of them.

Bookshops are a window to new worlds. You can pursue your special interests, learn new things, be entertained and gripped! I like the process of choosing a book from the thousands available and seeing where it takes me. I especially love bookshops with a coffee shop, that is a delicious combination."

Wendy Erskine, author of The Benefactors

"There are certain shops that, when I enter them, make me excited. Bookshops are top of the list. There's such possibility that I am going to encounter something wonderful! I love seeing the little handwritten staff picks, hearing the music that someone has chosen to have playing, looking at tables or shelves with books that have been chosen with care by someone with their own particular sensibility. It seems unfair to single out any one place but I love Books Upstairs in Dublin. It feels like a treasure trove and then upstairs there is a beautiful little café where you can start your reading. Blissful."

Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of This Is Who I Am

"Bookshops are the beating hearts of local communities. They curate inclusive collections of books that can offer comfort, inspire, excite and spark curiosity, connecting readers with stories (real and imagined). You only have to take a few steps into a bookshop to feel it. They are warm and welcoming spaces where children and grown-ups can discover the books that pull them in. And one discovery may lead to another and another and another. They are a sanctuary – beautiful, quiet spaces in a busy world. And they're also community hubs, building bridges with schools and local groups, nurturing a lifelong love of reading, something that we know can be truly transformative."

Kristen Perrin, author of How to Solve Your Own Murder

"I recently got to spend some quality time in Gullivers Bookshop in Wimbourne, Dorset. With its beautiful window displays and utterly charming layout, you already feel at home when you set foot inside, but it’s the knowledge of the staff and their connection to their community that was the real warmth of the shop. It was just what a bookshop should be – that is, full of people who not only want to come buy books, but who want to talk about them, ask for suggestions, and discover new stories they wouldn’t have found if they hadn't stopped by."

Faith Hogan, author of The Bookshop Ladies

"I've always been a bookshop girl; I've browsed bookshelves across the world. You can tell a lot about a city from visiting their bookshops. My favourites have a wide selection of titles, space to browse, chairs scattered around, and staff who adore reading. Big or small, nooky or bright, city centre or in the middle of nowhere – I can't pass by a bookshop without stopping for a browse. In Ireland, we are blessed with many fantastic bookshops – Chapters in Dublin is always brilliant for unearthing treasure, a blend of old and new – indeed a perfect inspiration for The Bookshop Ladies!"