Hey Concord, we’re back! Our new Concord at the Willows store opens November 21! In this edition of Meet the Bibliomaniacs, we would like to introduce you to the entire HPB Concord at the Willows staff. Take it away, team!
What is your favorite part about working at HPB?
Laura: I have to say that working around people who are as obsessed with books and movies as I am is one of the main reasons I love working at HPB.
Bee: All the fantastic people I work with! We are a big ‘ole book family!
Emily: Having an excuse to talk about books or movies or music all day and call it work.
Aubrey: Getting to work with all the cool stuff that comes in and having a good time at work with my coworkers!
Dan: All my groovy coworkers.
Cheryl: I love the people I work with.
Kayla: Getting to work with people who are as passionate about books/movies as I am.
Bleu: I love seeing all of the cool books, movies and video games that come through the buy counter. I also really love the staff I work with.
Brandon: Treasure hunting for clearance books
Jake: I have the best staff in the world
Ariel: We are professional treasure hunters! Having the opportunity to interact and connect with people from all walks of life.
Sea: Working with people that are cool and fun to work with and are just as nerdy as me.
Erin: Getting to work with books!
Sally: The best part about working at HPB is discovering new books, learning from fellow book lovers and exposing customers to different ideas.
Mary: Seeing all the cool, unusual books that come to us over the buy counter. And then shelving them. And then talking to people about them. Basically I like to be around books and book people. 🙂
Scott: I have always worked with books and/or movies in one way or another. And I love media of all types, but I feel like my co-workers here are integral to the enjoyment of being employed here.
What is your all-time favorite book, movie or album?
Laura: My favorite book is a fantasy novel called The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells.
Bee: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.
Emily: I have too many favorite books, but my favorite movie is Edward Scissorhands.
Aubrey: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, The Handmaiden by Jordan Silver and TRICK by (Sandy) Alex G.
Dan: Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Cheryl: Rushmore directed by Wes Anderson
Kayla: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Bleu: My favorite movie of all time is probably Hereditary, directed by Toni Collette, or The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Brandon: Tuggy the Tugboat by Jean Horton Berg
Jake: The As Good as Dead album by Local H
Ariel: That’s hard. I’ll list a couple: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, the artist Brick, My Aim is True by Elvis Costello
Sea: I love anything by Neil Gaiman but currently I’m obsessed with The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. Fave movie is probably Labyrinth directed by Jim Henson. And for music I love everything David Bowie.
Sally: The book High Fidelity by Nick Hornby or the movie High Fidelity directed by Stephen Frears; either way it is my all-time favorite.
Mary: The Princess and the Goblin by Jozsef Gemes was my first favorite book, and I continue to add to the list…
Scott: I will go with album; although it is new, I think Rest by Charlotte Gainsbourg will continue to be untopped for me.
What are you reading right now?
Laura: My current reads are Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (the illustrated edition) and Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb.
Bee: The Golden One by Elizabeth Peters.
Emily: The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara (Her books are always amazing!)
Aubrey: Her Body and Other Stories by Carmen Maria Machado and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Arakl
Dan: Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Cheryl: The Book of Nightmares by Galway Kinnell
Kayla: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
Bleu: Right now I am reading Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreler.
Brandon: Anything by Marianne Williamson and Stephen King
Jake: Harvest Poems by Carl Sandburg
Ariel: The Hush by John Hart
Sea: Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
Sally: I’m currently reading The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes.
Mary: The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Also the 9th Ranger’s Apprentice book because I can’t just read one thing at a time!
Scott: Essence & Alchemy by Mandy Aftel. A local perfumer and author who has influenced many self-taught perfumers.
What TV show or movie are you embarrassed to admit you love?
Laura: My guilty pleasure is the Vampire Diaries TV show.
Bee: The Mummy with Brendan Fraser!
Emily: I’m not ashamed to admit I love Gossip Girl, xoxo.
Aubrey: I love early 2000s comedies like Charlie’s Angels, Josie and the Pussycats and Legally Blonde. Actually, I’m not embarrassed to admit that at all.
Dan: Bosch.
Cheryl: Beverly Hills 90210
Nicolle: One of my favorite guilty pleasure movie is Legally Blonde
Kayla: Gone in Sixty Seconds directed by Sena Dominic
Bleu: I really love watching cartoons and animated movies; they’re probably what I watch the most.
Brandon: The Mighty Boosh
Jake: It’s silly to be embarrassed by something you love!
Ariel: I am not embarrassed by anything I love!
Sally: Nothing. I fully own all my choices.
Mary: Never be embarrassed about what you love! Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is a great anime and you should totally watch it!
Scott: The only thing I could think of would be some artists I’ve loved who turned out to be not such good people.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Laura: I’ve lived on every continent (except Australia and South America) before the age of 15.
Bee: I can speak Japanese!
Emily: I don’t like Komodo dragons.
Aubrey: I like to collect Rilakkumas!
Dan: I love to watch cricket and rugby.
Cheryl: I’m a DJ.
Kayla: That I once worked at Walt Disney World
Bleu: I’ve been to an anime convention but I don’t really watch anime.
Brandon: I design video games
Ariel: I might have three kidneys.
Sea: That I have a pet snake.
Sally: I’m a fairly private person so there’s plenty you don’t know about me.
Mary: I have never been outside the State of California.
Scott: I’m a pretty open book and eclectic enough to where I don’t think anyone would be surprised by much.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Laura: There’s really only one answer, right? Read!
Bee: I like to read (obviously), watch Murder Mystery series, pet animals and go to art museums.
Emily: Skate, surf or read
Aubrey: In my free time I spend a lot of time playing bass for my punk band, listening to music/going to shows and going to QTPOC centered events
Dan: Read or play video games or watch movies or walk around outside.
Cheryl: Make music and pet cats.
Kayla: Read
Bleu: I really love to spend time with my partner, play video games, or watch streams on Twitch.
Brandon: Reading, bicycle riding, and wasting time on the internet
Jake: Swim / listen to music / nothing.
Ariel: Things I can’t do at work.
Sea: Read and watch movies.
Sally: My family life keeps me fairly busy, but when I have free time, I enjoy quieter activities like reading, gardening, cooking and casual biking.
Mary: I read, I cook and I make things.
Scott: I like to listen to harsh noise on my days off
If you could write a book about yourself, what would the title be?
Laura: “Why Can’t I be Reading Right Now?”
Bee: Bee Happy; Yes I Know That’s Basic
Emily: OK.
Aubrey: Has Anyone Seen My Car?
Dan: Self-Portrait.
Cheryl: I’m a Cat
Kayla: Coffee and Stories
Bleu: Bleu by You
Brandon: Tarble the Turtle
Jake: “River Rat”
Ariel: Weird.
Sea: Self-proclaimed Goth
Sally: Sheila, Sally and All The In-Betweens
Mary: Working in the Kid’s section I have found that all the best titles are already taken i.e., “Once I ate a pie,” “Mary had a little glam…” I just can’t top those.
Scott: “Nothing Much”
When are you the happiest?
Laura: Any time I had a super productive day.
Bee: When I am standing in front of a painting.
Emily: When I am out in the ocean surfing
Aubrey: I am the happiest cozy in bed (zzzzz)
Dan: When things go well
Cheryl: Making music
Kayla: When I get to spend time with people I care about
Bleu: When I’m spending time with loved ones, eating great food, and playing a good video game.
Brandon: When I’m sleeping in, of course
Jake: When I’m laughing with loved ones
Sea: When I’m drinking alone with my cats.
Sally: I’m happiest curled up in my favorite chair, wearing my pajamas with a cup of tea in one hand, a book in the other while surrounded by family doing all the things they love.
Mary: Spending some quality alone time with a pot of tea, a good book, something baking in the oven and a crochet project.
Scott: When I’m smelling nice scents and watching good movies.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Emily: Books rock.
Aubrey: I love dogs
Kayla: Books Rule
Bleu: I promise I’m not that kind of gamer
Brandon: Cats are king!
Jake: Our new store is awesome!
Scott: Read John Fowles, listen to The Rita and hail Papillion‘s “Salome”
Stop by our new Concord at the Willows store and meet the team in person!