[As published in July/August BayBuzz magazine.]
Bookshops, like the environment and civil discourse, are under threat.
Unable to compete with the prices and range of the proliferation of online booksellers, the slow death of the high street sounds a knell for many. Yet, in the digital age, there is something wonderful about the tactile experience of rifling through pages, of walking into a bricks and mortar shop.
Louise and Gareth Ward banked on this magic when they took a gamble on Havelock North’s then failing Janeff Books and transformed it into a hub of community; a thriving, much beloved celebration of the written word.
“It seemed like a silly idea not to, although everybody said it was a silly idea to do it,” remembers Gareth, “even the owner said ‘Don’t buy it, it’s a dog,’ but we turned it around.” So naturally, when they decided to write a book together they took the shop as their setting.
They met in their native England at central police training. On the job experiences inspired the book’s plot, and their characters. “They say write what you know. We know about running a bookshop and being coppers,” Gareth remarks.
After they’d served a stint on the force, and had two kids, they came to New Zealand, around 18 years ago. Louise’s brother lived here, and they loved their holidays so much they moved permanently – on the children’s condition that they brought their cats.
A family of animal lovers, they now have three shop dogs – Finian, Gus, and their own Stevie – a timid rescue who features in the book, and gets to keep his name. Business and character names were changed at the publisher’s request, though remain recognisable.
In the book, Garth and Eloise run Sherlock Tomes, a riff on their fictional last name. Keen to extol the virtues of their adopted home, Havelock North and Hawke’s Bay stay the same. Though readers may think they recognise themselves in the pages, other than bookshop staff, characters are amalgams of the vast tapestry of people they have met in the course of their colourful careers.
Before the bookshop, Louise was using her English degree teaching, as an Intermediate vice-principal. Gareth was working in IT with a side hustle as a magician. At the now defunct Amaze ‘n’ Maize’s Corn Evil show, guests were chased through cornrows by a variety of creepy characters. With a penchant for magic and the macabre that can be seen in his writing, Gareth became the Great Wardini, a hypnotic character whose fear factor could be toned down for children’s parties.
It was a natural name for their new business, soon to be infused with magic – metamorphosed into the heart of the village. From the start they said yes to everything, becoming the go-to book launch shop, strengthening their relationship with publishers. Events were a loss leader. For Gareth, “It’s about the community. It pays dividends in the long run.”
They set about consciously creating community, with after-hours book clubs and pyjama storytime in the school holidays. Today they have a multitude of book clubs, including ones for sci-fi enthusiasts, young adults and teens. The annual Battle of the Book Clubs sees teams compete in a book-themed quiz, raising funds for youth cancer.
With a pair of comfy chairs and a children’s play corner, the shop is intentionally inviting – an oasis of calm in a busy world. The elderly are welcome to take a break there. It’s become a meeting place for kids and their parents. There’s no expectation to purchase; it’s not that kind of shop. The Wards are proud of the safe space they’ve created. “The people that come in end up being your friends, or it’s their sanctuary. That’s been the really nice part,” professes Louise.
The Wardini magic is propagated by their staff – diverse, warm and knowledgeable. A tightly knit crew united by their love of books, their personalities inform each shop’s atmosphere. Handwritten staff recommendations are one of Wardini’s endearingly unique features. Each staff member is encouraged to follow their passions, some spawning book clubs. Others are authors in their own right.
The Wards have resisted the temptation to franchise, both to retain what makes their shops special and to safeguard their staff in a shaky economy. “We take that responsibility very seriously,” says Louise. “We love our staff. They’re brilliant. We want to look after them.”
“Opening the second shop nearly killed me,” recalls Gareth. Its launch coincided with his first book taking off. The Traitor and the Thief won the Tessa Duder Award, catapulting him into a whirlwind of promotion that included a steampunk ball. A sequel, followed by a pair of Rise of the Remarkables novels cemented his place as a young adult author.
He branched into the adult market in his third series. Featuring Tarquin the Honest, it delved into the world of Dungeons and Dragons – an immersive role-playing tabletop game. In real life, Gareth is a Dungeon Master – leading thrill-seekers on a fantasy quest, recorded for their podcast Kiwis and Dragons. They’ve made it into a live theatre show, and held D&D themed launches for the Tarquin books.
Louise, too, is no stranger to the stage. An accomplished fiddle player, she performs with Celtic session band, McRag, as well as with Ish – traditional fusion acoustic music made for dancing. They’ve played to acclaim at a range of Hawke’s Bay venues and festivals, and have plans to tour.
Louise also reviews books. The Wonderful World of Wardini Books airs weekly on Radio Hawke’s Bay, and she’s a regular guest on RNZ. Her written reviews are legion.
With such a wealth of literary activity behind them, a co-authored book was the logical next step. Together they plotted the narrative arc, then each wrote alternate chapters in their corresponding character’s voice. “We’d just bitch about each other in our chapter then send it back. It was really cathartic, surprisingly fun,” Gareth laughs.
Good natured comedic banter frames a tale of murder, intrigue and literary clues, populated by the kind of community Wardini Books fosters. This, their passion, shines through the prose. The novel is an anthem for the potential of independent booksellers, for what will be lost should it all migrate online. “They’re not just somewhere that sells books,” asserts Gareth. “It’s part of your socialisation,” agrees Louise, “If it all goes out to shopping malls that doesn’t happen.”
Wardini’s will continue their mission of bringing people together over books with a mystery themed book launch for Dead Girl Gone – the first of at least two in The Bookshop Detectives series. “There won’t be any murders at the party,” assures Gareth, although they do need material for their next book.
The Bookshop Detectives: Dead Girl Gone is available from 23rd July.