The Christmas Bookshop

How are you doing?

I'm a little nervous, if I'm honest.

I haven't done one of these before.

You'll be great.

You know your material frontwards and backwards.

You're genuine. You've got this.

Thanks.

Remind me never to release a book at the same time

as a local bestselling author.

Hey Adie!

This is going to be fun.

Come on. Let's get started, shall we?

Adeline Wilson! Welcome to the podcast!

It's great to finally meet you!

Thank you for having me. Please call me Adie.

Adie, oh! Besties already!

Listen, we're live, so let's just jump right in. Okay?

This book is quite humbling.

And here I thought having gifts bought and wrapped

by December 23rd was crushing Christmas.

It's not meant to add more stress to the season,

but to alleviate it by taking away the guess work

with tried and true methods.

You have chapters in here dedicated to decorating,

hosting, cooking.

You've meticulously planned out

every detail of the holiday season starting November 1st.

I realize there's often debate about Christmas prep

before Thanksgiving, but coming at it from the point of view

of large families or homes that need a little more time

with the financial implications of the season,

it makes sense to start early.

And speaking of the financial aspects of the holiday season,

you have a chapter here called "Christmas on a Budget".

Why did you feel the need to add this?

It was important.

The message is that

Christmas doesn't need to be elaborate to be special.

And that making the effort is truly what matters.

Hmmm.

Now you know a little something about that, don't you?

Umm...

We're live!

Um, as a child, Christmases in my family were quite simple.

Yes.

And sometimes there was no Christmas at all, right?

Which is why I try to enjoy it to the fullest now.

I've three Christmas trees in my home this year,

all decorated in different themes.

Your book tour starts here, next week in Washington.

And you have twelve U.S. stops along the way, right.

Safe travels and I wish your book all the success.

I'm Trish with the "Bumble Bee Podcast" here with

Adeline Wilson, author of "A Christmas Season Handbook".

Get your copies today by using the link below.

Bye bye for now!

Ah, I have to catch this.

- Bye. - Bye.

I'm so sorry she went off script from the pre-approved questions.

It's fine.

Is it also fine that we've added an additional stop to the tour?

Twelve. As in "The Twelve Days of Christmas".

It's on all the bookstore posters

advertising the signings.

I know.

It's just that this store's been selected to host

the National Synchronized Christmas Eve Reading

of "Twas the Night Before Christmas",

so they're getting quite a bit of press.

And since Red Ribbon Publishing is a major sponsor of the event,

we thought we could piggy-back off that.

So I guess I don't have much of a choice.

Which store is it?

It's the Alpine Book Store in Illinois.

Okay.

These should be on the front table for the holiday season.

Do you really think this book signing's a good idea?

Ah, yeah.

We need all the holiday events we can get before year end.

But we're already hosting the Synchronized Reading event

on Christmas Eve.

That's creating a buzz.

We are up against the big box stores. Okay.

No buzz is too big!

Wow...

Your bookkeeping skills are truly a wonder.

Thank you.

Wasn't a compliment.

Garth, look.

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but

if you don't have a successful Christmas selling season,

I don't see the store being here next year.

It's not that bad.

No, it's worse.

You're bankrolling this company on savings

and haven't made money in almost two years.

I mean, this store is just a sucking sound on its best days.

I get it.

Do you?

Look, baby brother, while the rest of us have had to slum it

in Corporate America, your Olympic athlete days have

afforded you the luxury and the flexibility

of just doing what you love.

Which is great, but if you don't start taking the business

side more seriously, like in this changing climate...

Dude, you're going to end up in a nine to five office job

that will literally kill you.

I just don't feel the need to turn the store

into something that it isn't.

Selling other items like blankets and knickknacks...

I know. I'm not saying to expand the inventory beyond books but,

you know, people would want to stay here longer

if there was like a cafe attached serving drinks.

We'd need a food operating license for that.

Just another headache.

Okay. Well, I don't know. A seating area maybe?

I have a seating area.

That's your seating area? Okay.

Ah, maybe a more comfortable seating area?

Perhaps one with furniture that wasn't salvaged

from the dumpsters out back.

First you say we're in trouble financially,

and then you give me gears for trying to save money?

Just, hear me out. Okay?

I've been putting some ideas to paper...

I know you don't like this kind of thing, but,

it could help.

Actually, I got to take this one.

Of course you do.

There she is! Future doctor on the screen!

Hey, Dad.

Hi, Luna.

Aunt Mel! You're there already?

Yeah. I thought I come a week early this year.

I thought your dad could use some help with

the National Synchronized Reading event prep.

Probably a good idea.

I'm going to ignore the implication.

How did the exam go?

Good. I think.

Maybe. I don't know.

I should have studied more.

That would have been impossible. You barely slept all week.

I can sleep when I home for the holidays.

And miss all the epic holiday fun, not a chance.

I got the ski bindings ready to go.

Do you know how many people get injured

on the slopes every holiday season?

Nope. And don't go into all the gory details

like you did when I wanted to buy a trampoline.

You've already broken every bone in your body anyway.

Not this one.

Three more exams, then I'll be home.

Okay, honey, go crush your goals and then we ski.

Bye Luna.

I'm not so sure if med school's such a good idea.

She was always so up for anything.

And now she's so cautious.

She's sensible and smart and you're going to need her

to have a doctor's salary to look after you in old age.

Because I'm not taking you and your cat menagerie in.

Hey, I don't even have one cat now.

Oh, they will come, trust me.

Once you move into the trailer park with Uncle Melvin,

cats will find you.

That's why you need this.

Fine. Let's give this business proposal a look.

Doesn't the publishing house normally ship the books

to the stores in advance?

They would have if you were flying across,

but since you're driving,

they wanted to save on shipping costs.

Great.

Look, Adie, we both know this book isn't

the company's main focus this holiday season.

That's why they assigned it to me.

The company was excited about it when I pitched the idea.

Three years ago.

Enthusiasm over a project in this industry is fleeting.

The book took time. I didn't want to rush it.

I know and I believe in it. I know we can make it a success.

I can't stress enough how much my job depends on that.

Oh, no pressure.

Well, I guess I'm off.

Drive safe! Good luck!

Check in!

"The Christmas Season Handbook" by Adeline Wilson.

Chapter one.

Hi.

Do you know where the washroom is?

Thanks.

"It's all downhill from here".

The owner thought it was clever.

Miss Wilson!

You're Mr. Bowman?

Let me guess. I don't look like the scholarly type?

Rest assured I've read all the classics cover to cover.

That's a shame.

Modern literature has so much more to offer.