bookselling

My name is Zak and I have Luggage Issues

author, bookselling, events 7th August 2019 Fairs and Markets, Other Things

… and they are getting worse. Way way WAY back, in the 90s, when the stock for markets consisted of about 40 copies of that month’s Forum magazine and maybe a handful of erotic novels out of the review cupboard, … Continued

Summer Dates – Signings and Markets

authors, books, bookselling, erotic fiction, erotic fiction. writers. writing, erotica, event 17th June 2019 Events, Fairs and Markets

Despite the persistently horrible weather, summer’s here, and it feels like time to post a list of what I’ve got lined up for the next couple of months because, despite the ongoing cluster fuck of UK politics, there are still … Continued

Contemplating potential futures for 2019 and beyond

bookselling, future, hope, writing 22nd January 2019 Musings

Around this time every year, just like most of the other bloggers and authors, I find myself musing about the future, and the past. I did it last year and the year before, and looking at those posts… well. (When … Continued

Are You Feeling Festive Yet?

books, bookselling, erotic fiction. writers. writing, erotica, fetish, kinky, politics, porn 19th December 2018 Fairs and Markets, Musings, Other Things

You’d think the festive season is prime time for traders everywhere, but one thing I have noted throughout my years of selling kinky books and bits and bobs is that December is often one of the less good months at … Continued

Musings from Manchester – and London

books, bookselling, erotica, fetish fair, Manchester 7th August 2018 Events, Fairs and Markets

Last weekend I made my third visit to the Manchester Author Event. For quite a bit of this year I have been trying to prove to myself that I am not, in fact, Getting On A Bit and am still … Continued

Events and Expectations and Etiquette

bookselling, customers, erotica, etiquette, events, trading 21st July 2018 Events, Fairs and Markets

Can’t blame it all on the football, much as I might like to. (I am completely unmoved by sport of any kind, but I have an active dislike of men’s football, especially large multinational competitions of men’s football, and everything … Continued

So Do You Judge A Book By Its Cover?

authors, books, bookselling, cover art, erotica, writing 24th April 2018 Musings

One of the perennial pieces of advice given to the self-publishing author is: spend some money on your cover. Don’t have a go with some Photoshop knock-off and FFS don’t do a drawing, scan it in and add the title … Continued

Taking Stock: 20 years of selling naughty books.

books, bookselling, erotica, fetish, kink, markets 6th March 2018 Fairs and Markets, Musings

To be fair, it was initially magazines… I started taking a stall at what was then the Whiplash Market in the mid-90s, selling copies of the magazines I worked for. It was fun, but it was predominantly pocket money: I … Continued

Fact and fiction: notes from London Fetish Weekend

books, bookselling, fiction, London Fetish Weekend 24th October 2017 Events, Musings

fiction, books, bookselling, fetish market, London Fetish Weekend

(Yes, OK, a little late with posting this, but it’s been a busy week or two…) For the second year running, I took the Dirty Sexy Worlds bookstall to the London Alternative Market’s special LFW event and, for the second … Continued

Manchester Author Event: Books and Boats And Bands and Buses

author event, books, bookselling, erotica, signing, writers 21st August 2017 Events 1 Comments

I wrote about the first MAEG last year – it was also my first ever author event. This time, I was better prepared – well, mostly. No one could have done anything about the bloody weather. And the trouble I … Continued