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As a very small publisher, it’s rare for us to get offered a window display, despite our books being absolutely gorgeous! The bigger retailers usually ask for a substantial fee for a display, which is not in our budget when promoting new titles.
So, instead, all of us in the team take great delight in ‘book spotting’. Not unlike bird spotting, it means the b small team – including our freelance colleagues – take great delight in spotting one of our titles in a bookshop window. We photograph it and share it as widely as possible: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – oops, ‘X’ – and also with our sales agents, Bounce Sales and Marketing so they can thank the appropriate sales rep and if possible thank the bookshop too.
Imagine my delight in seeing our Point & Find First French Words board book on top of a pyramid of books for young travellers in Hatchard’s window in St Pancras station in July. A perfect place for it as it would definitely help frazzled families on holiday…and maybe start a love for languages in a small child.
No long after, our publisher Sam shared an amazing window display in Sofia, Bulgaria, no less. The whole window was full of our STEM Activity Book series and other science titles – in English.
This was the work of Chloe, one of Bounce’s export reps who sells the books in English around the world.
Another recent sighting was in the excellent Deptford Lounge, the children’s section of Deptford Library. There was one of our very popular science titles, Science Experiments at Home, a great choice for the long summer holidays. I couldn’t resist a photo.
Sometimes we get books displayed in all their glory at very relevant places, such as Jane Austen’s House (Chawton House). Could you imagine a more perfect setting for this book? (top left)
Occasionally we’ll arrange with an indie bookshop like DRAKE the bookshop or Tales on Moon lane to do a bespoke window display for particular titles. Vicky Barker, our Art Director and illustrator for SHARKS! SHARKS! SHARKS! got to work earlier in the summer to design and supply all the necessary cut-outs and display items. If only it was closer, we’d all have gone to have a selfie in front of the shops. Huge thanks to DRAKE and Moon Lane Ramsgate for your wonderful displays!
If you want to do a bit of b small book spotting, we’d love to see the results. Tag us on social media @bsmallpub / @bsmallpublishing!
