We decided to play the Q&A game with the ABC staff, and asked all sorts of bookish questions. In the coming weeks we will be posting their (sometimes cheeky!) answers here on the blog, so you can learn a little more about us.
Enjoy!
This time around we talked to IrisW, one of our social media wizards, buyer for the Horror, New Age and Poetry sections, and main force behind our BBDs (blind book dates) in The Hague.
What are your top 3 favorite books or authors?
I don’t have kids, but I imagine asking a bookseller (or any avid reader) to pick their favourite book is a little like asking a parent to pick their favourite child – impossible! If I’d HAVE to choose, though, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers would definitely be on the list. The third spot gets a little crowded: there’s simply too many great books, series and authors to choose from!
In which literary world would you like to live/go on vacation?
Given how much of a homebody I am, I think I’d do very well in the Shire. I like the familiar comforts of home, my books and comfy blankets around me, and some snacks and tea. On the other hand, I would also love to explore the galaxy depicted in Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series (which I kind of get to do, actually, because I play in a Wayfarers-themed ttrpg). Finally, even though I’m not a city person at all, a main character infinitely familiar with the ins and outs of a particular city really speaks to me. It doesn’t even have to be a real city.
What is your favorite bookish animal (fiction or nonfiction)?
The first one to pop into my mind is Nayimathun, one of the dragons from The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. I just love her vibe. The neixin or talking hoopoes from the Singing Hills cycle, a series of novellas by Nghi Vo, are also the absolute best. I guess I just really like that combination of wisdom and sass.
Do you have any reading tips for our customers (combine it with a cup of tea, background music, any preferred time of the day)?
I have a playlist of instrumental music that I sometimes listen to while reading, but honestly, I’m just as happy sitting in complete silence. I also like reading on the train, as long as people aren’t loudly chewing with their mouths open.
What non-book item at ABC can you not pass by without looking at it?
I love a nice, big tote bag, and our Booklover bags are a classic for a reason! The new edition, with the colourful Birthday logo, really brightens them up.
What is your favorite part of being a bookseller?
One of the best things about our Staff Choice insert cards is that it allows regular customers to discover whose taste in books best works for them, and then come to that staff member for custom recommendations (or just to chat about the books you’ve both read). I love when that happens! But I also like some of the more the behind-the-scenes work, such as unpacking the books and getting them ready to go on the shelves. Sometimes it’s nice to get a moment away from the hustle and bustle of the shop floor, and of course it doesn’t hurt being the first to see which anticipated new titles are coming in. ;)
Setting up our stand for big events, such as FACTS or Heroes Dutch Comic Con, is a lot of hard work, but also very satisfying.
What’s your secret for choosing the books you buy for your sections?
For me, it’s a balancing act of viewing through a lens of which books I would like to buy (I am a sucker for matching series and pretty editions), but also keeping in mind that not everyone shares my reading tastes. I keep an eye on which books from my sections do well, but I also take a chance sometimes. None of these are secrets, though – I guess like most things, it’s a combination of experience and a bit of luck.
About the Author: Lilia
