[URBAN NOTE] "A Carefully Curated Queen West Bookshop Takes Flight"

[rfmcdonald]

Torontoist's Kate Fane reports on the interesting-sounded new Queen West bookstore Flying Books, run by a former book publisher who is curating collections.

In Neil Gaiman’s 2012 commencement address at the University of the Arts, he stresses the importance of establishing a mountain: a goal towards which you direct all your creative energies. When making career decisions, you have to weigh whether the path will take you closer or farther away from your mountain (regardless of salary) and then choose accordingly.

It’s an idea that keeps coming up during our conversation with Martha Sharpe, the owner of the newly opened Flying Books. Her mountain has always been discovering, polishing, and promoting excellent works of fiction, though her ascension hasn’t been without its setbacks. During her 12 years at House of Anansi press, she was credited with introducing the country to award-winning authors like Michael Winter and Lisa Moore. But after relocating from New York to take on the role of Editorial Director at Simon & Schuster Canada, Sharpe found herself laid off after just 11 months.

Sharpe’s now on a slightly different track to her peak, this time as a literary retailer who carefully selects each work she sells. And like with any responsible climb, she isn’t doing it alone. Flying Books is located inside the Weekend Variety, the “Cultural Gifts Shop” owned by gallerist Katharine Mulherin, whom Sharpe describes as a “community hub” unto herself.