March 2023 Reading List

This is number 4 in the Eternity Springs series, and we finally hear the story of Sarah Reese. Sarah is a single Mum, owner of the local grocery store and carer to her Mum with dementia.

Sarah and her daughter win a trip to Australia and by chance they encounter her daughter’s father. This leads to a series of events that test Sarah and her family.

I listened to this as an audiobook and I hate to say it but to my ears, the narrator’s Australian accent is really bad. A little bit of training would have gone a long way.

Narrated by Kathe Mazur, it runs for 11 hours and 53 minutes.

A book that was mentioned in a What Should I Read Next? Podcast Episode 326. It’s the fictional dramatisation of what happened when Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days in 1926.

I didn’t know this had occurred so it was quite an adventure to see how such a famous author could go unnoticed.

I don’t think I’ve read any of Agatha Christie’s books, but I’ve definitely watched quite a few movie adaptations. Now I want to read some of her books.

Highly recommend!

In Boss Up! Lindsay is giving a pep talk to other Mum’s wanting to start a business.

She wants them to value their strengths, be themselves, have high standards, share stories to connect with customers, constantly learn, find a mentor, set goals and ask themselves if what they believe is a fact or a thought.

One favourite quote that I adhere to:

Never. Ever. Stop. Keep learning if you intend to keep growing.

It has definitely given me much to think about as I work on my business.

I think I heard about The Diary of a Bookseller in a What Should I Read Next podcast? episode, but maybe not as I can’t find a link.

It is the real diary of Shaun Bythell, owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland.

It is divided into months with each month starting with a quote from George Orwell’s 1936 ‘Bookshop Memories‘, which Shaun then reflects upon in his own experience.

Every day we get the number of online orders, the number of these that were found, till total and the number of customers. The till total varies quite a bit throughout the year, giving you a picture of how it changes with the seasons. For his financial confidentiality, it doesn’t include his income from online book sales and other revenue streams.

It’s an interesting look into the people who come through his doors, his frustrations with selling books online, his staff, his travels to get more books, his downtime, the books he reads and his work on the Wigtown Festival. It’s a humourous read that I highly recommend.

I look forward to reading his second book Confessions of a Bookseller.

The final book suggestion for March 2023 was by the guest on What Should I Read Next? Podcast, Episode 325. The guest said it wasn’t a religious book as the author is part of the “prosperity gospel”, but personally I found it all a bit much.

Kate was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer at 35 when her child was very young, and she wasn’t given much hope for survival. Fortunately she was able to get access to an experimental drug and as far as I know is still alive today (book was published in 2018).

As I have had my own cancer story back in 2014 I like to hear how others have tackled a diagnosis and those around them. Kate had plenty of support from her community but as she attests it wasn’t always helpful.

If you want the perspective of a cancer patient and how you can help them this is the read for you.

Narrated by the author Kate Bowler, it runs for 4 hours and 32 minutes.

I’m looking at attending Craft Fairs to sell my sewn goods, and this is a resource that I came across through my research.

Erin created a blog, Made Urban, a few years ago to help people be successful at Craft Fairs. In addition to the blog she has a few books on the topic including this one.

It actually has 4 Mini Books:

• Choosing the Right Events
• Deciding on Stock & How Much
• Creating a Powerful Display
• Improving Sales & Selling Techniques

Each book is between 70 and 80 pages and is packed full of useful content, including worksheets to get you thinking about your own business. I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos on Craft Fairs and this book definitely had a lot more information, especially breaking down the figures in what you need to bring to a craft fair.