Letter

The late autumn is always busy at Persephone Books because this is the time when we leave the cosy environment of Lamb's Conduit Street to meet Persephone readers who cannot get to London. In October Nicola went to the new Woodstock Literary Festival and talked about Hostages to Fortune (set in nearby Deddington) over a wonderfully 'proper' tea in Polly's Teashop. A week later she was at the Three Ways House Hotel at Mickleton near Chipping Camden, where a lunch club was asked the deliberately provocative question Are you Bored by Contemporary Fiction?, and responded with enthusiasm. In early November there was a Persephone tea (with Farmer's Market cake and madeira) in Truro to which forty local readers came; one result is that a Persephone Reading Group is being established near Bodmin, do ring the office for details if you would like to join it. Then, in late November, the day after the new Lamb's Conduit Street Festival (free mulled wine at Persephone Books, a band on the corner by The Perserverance, pattern cutting demonstrations outside the tailor) we went to Sherborne, to the headmaster's house, for another readers' tea. Finally, in early December there were two parties in the shop, again with tea and madeira but this time with Konditor and Cook mince pies.

Meanwhile, whenever it has been one of those cold crisp winter days we have enjoyed recently, we have set out to deliver our latest postcard round the streets of Islington. This shows the house that is the setting for A London Child of the 1870s, 1 Canonbury Park North, as it might have been if it had not been demolished: Ann Usborne's painting has been landing on Islington doormats, with an offer on the other side for the book to be sent out post-free.

But, most importantly, in the two weeks since the new website went live we have been hectic in the office. There have been numerous positive emails responding both to the website itself and to the letter we have been sending out to the 3000 people on our email list. 'How exciting to receive your e-mail,’ replied a reader. ‘I was very amused to read it and in particular your description of the day to day business of running a publishing business. I am a painter and when asked about my work I am always a little puzzled as to how my paintings ever get done - what with the Aga, my postman arriving (the most exciting part of the morning as I live remotely beside a Scottish Loch), the arrival of the veggie box and reading my Persephone books. I have just finished the housework manual and I was flabbergasted. It made me re-read the Agnes Jekyll cookery book, so today I can honestly say that yet again I haven't done a stroke of work thanks to your wonderful Persephone books.'

Whether a vastly increased number of internet orders is because of the new website, what the Daily Mail called the ‘blaze of publicity’ for How to Run Your Home without Help in yet another article about the book, or the Christmas rush, we cannot tell, but on most weekdays nine or ten mailbags leave the office. Jess calmly prints out address labels, put books in envelopes, (over)works the franking machine; meanwhile I answer letters, pay bills, sort out the Spring books and, when there is time, look for fabrics or try to decide if there is one more Dorothy Whipple as good as the four we have already published (opinions welcome); Lisa works every hour she has free wrapping books and shelf-stocking, as do Fran and Alarys and Emily on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. All this while the shop bell clangs constantly with people coming in and out.

Finally, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

Nicola Beauman
15 December 2005
Lamb's Conduit Street