Paper Defiance

  • Episode 3: Typeface

    In which I talk to Guinevere of Perth’s Typeface Books. See next post for (slightly edited) transcript.

    , , ,

  • Episode 2 Transcript: Ink Bookshop

    Slightly edited for clarity

    Alex  

    Welcome to Paper Defiance, a fortnightly podcast all about indie bookshops and their owners. My name is Alex, and I’m recording this on Wadawaurung land in Ballarat, Australia. It’s exciting to have you join me.

    This is episode two, and from a romance-only bookshop in LA, we’re zooming to Australia to a little bookshop in regional Victoria, in the town of Mansfield. This is a bookshop that I have actually visited, because Mansfield is one of my favorite places to visit, and the bookshop is always on the agenda when we go through. I was excited when Charlotte agreed to talk to me. If you’re in Victoria, Charlotte mentions a bunch of indie book shops, particularly in regional towns. So you might want to get your pen out to write down those names, or just check out the transcript. I should also note that I asked Charlotte what should have been a sensible question about dealing with Covid. But instead it came out a bit garbled and frankly, a bit stupid. I consider deleting it to salvage my pride, but Charlotte gave a good answer, so I’ve kept it in. You’ll definitely know when you get to it.

    Oh, and do remember to keep listening after the end of the interview, because there’s another vignette about visiting a bookshop.

    Over to Charlotte.

    (more…)
    , , ,

  • Episode 2: Ink Bookshop (pictures)

    All pictures courtesy of Ink Bookshop, in Mansfield.

    Find Ink Bookshop on Instagram.

    , , ,

  • Episode 2: Ink Bookshop

    In which I talk to Charlotte from Ink Bookshop in Mansfield, Victoria. See next post for (slightly edited) transcript, and the one after that for pictures of the shop.

    , , ,

  • Episode 1: The Ripped Bodice (pictures)

    Look at how beautiful this shop is!! (All images courtesy The Ripped Bodice.) Instagram, Twitter, TikTok.

    The Ripped Bodice, the first romance only bookstore in North America. Owners, Leah and Bea Koch, and Fitzwilliam Waffles, DDS., EsQ. by Jenn LeBlanc
    , ,

  • Episode 1 Transcript: The Ripped Bodice

    Slightly edited for clarity.

    Alex

    Welcome to Paper Defiance, a fortnightly podcast all about indie bookshops and their owners. My name is Alex, and I am recording this on Wadawaurang land, in Ballarat Australia. It’s exciting to have you join me. 

    For this very first episode of Paper Defiance, I talked to Leah Koch of The Ripped Bodice, a bookshop in LA that focuses on romance books. About seven years ago, Leah and her sister raised more than $91,000 US on Kickstarter in order to get their bookshop off the ground. Leah talks about why they wanted to start the store, what she loves about the physical space of the store, and of course the effects of Covid. At one point Leah notes that a podcast isn’t a visual medium, but if you go to paperdefiance.com, you will see some pictures of their store – and of course I’ve got links to their Instagram page and so on. 

    Two things before we get into the interview. First, make sure you don’t just end the podcast after the interview, because there’s a little something after it, too. And second, there are a couple of swears in the interview, so if that’s not right for your ears, then maybe skip this one. 

    All right. Over to Leah. 

    (more…)
    , ,

  • Episode 1: The Ripped Bodice

    In which I talk to Leah of The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles, USA. See next post for (slightly edited) transcript; and the next one after that for images of the shop.

    , ,

  • Episode Zero: Transcript

    I love books. I am and always have been a reader. I’m the kid who read the cereal box at breakfast. Who always had a book with me wherever I went. A family friend once teasingly asked whether I took a book to my own wedding. 

    And in theory I also love bookshops. But I say in theory because the reality is sometimes I don’t like bookshops.

    My name’s Alex and this podcast, Paper Defiance, is all about bookshops and the people who own them. So why do I sometimes not like bookshops? Because  when I walk in I know that neither my budget nor my time stretch to encompass all of the wonderful, wonderful, books confronting me. So my dislike is driven by my love. 

    As is perhaps only natural, I have fantasised about owning a bookshop. But instead of doing that, I’m doing this podcast, where I’ll be talking to people from around the world who are responsible for those places that I both love and fear, about why they run them and the changes they’ve experienced in the business and what they love about their shops. We may also discuss actual books. Think of Paper Defiance as a fortnightly love letter to bookshops. I hope you’ll sign on. paperdefiance.com

    Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    ,

  • Episode Zero

    In which a new podcast gets a soft launch with an explanation of what the podcast is all about….

    Transcript available in the next post.

    Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    ,

  • Welcome

    Perhaps you’re the sort of person who looks up where the bookshops are in any town you visit. Maybe you wonder what it’s like to own a bookshop and if you’re allowed to read the books before selling them. Maybe you like stories about people doing interesting things with their lives. In Paper Defiance, I’ll be talking to the owners of indie bookshops about how they got into the trade and what they love about their shops. Paper Defiance will be a fortnightly conversation and I hope that you’ll join me, Alex, as we explore bookshops large and small. paper defiance dot com