The Mr B’s Team – where are they now?
To celebrate twenty years of Mr B’s, we’re taking a trip down memory lane – and popping in to say hi to some familiar faces along the way! Some of our former booksellers reflect on life at B’s, from funny memories and favourite experiences, to bizarre questions and brilliant encounters.
This time, we’re hearing from Gemma, who started working at Mr B’s in 2014 (as a sixth former, wrapping some of our early subscription books!) and left in 2022.
A funny memory from your time at Mr B’s?
One of my funniest and fondest memories from Mr B’s was dressing up as Nimona (from Nimona by ND Stevenson) for World Book Day!
I made a pair of red dragon wings out of cardboard, wore actual chainmail, and sprayed my hair red. I read to a class of kids for a storytime in the shop, and all of them were fascinated by how heavy my chainmail was!
Either that, or the Bath Literature Festival where we would all go a bit loopy from sorting and running boxes of books all over the city for events!
What have you been doing since leaving Mr B’s?
I left Mr B’s to do a Masters in Design and Illustration at Bath Spa! Since then, I have become a fulltime designer, illustrator, and writer, including making my own magazine The Myconauts which is now stocked in shops across the UK (including Mr B’s!).
What book did you love recommending the most to Mr B’s customers?
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley – I love the steampunk-y setting, the romance, and the fantasy.
I also loved She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan – the characters are so compelling and it really makes the history come to life.
What 3 books are currently on your TBR pile?
On my bedside table currently are:
Blue Horses by Mary Oliver
The New Age of Sexism by Laura Bates
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
A real mix!
What was the most bizarre question you were ever asked by a customer?
Any time a customer came in asking for something incredibly niche I knew it was about to be a wild time. I once had a customer ask if I knew any books about a specific river in the Congo – NOT the Congo river though – which they couldn’t remember the name of.
What was your favourite part about working at Mr B’s?
I had the most interesting, emotional, and impactful conversations with customers, all inspired by the books we had read and liked! Books are magical in that way.
