Like Julie one of my earliest memories is of books. I used to spend hours poring over a set of illustrated New Zealand encyclopaedias making up my own stories to fit the pictures. Each time being transported to another time and place.

I am also a collector of words. I love the way they sound, the images they invoke or just the surprise I feel when I look up a word and it isn't what I expected. Vellichor is one of my favourites.

I have long been a supporter of the bookstore, and of Hayden and Julie's vision. I have avidly followed its progress and over the months books have been slowly migrating south and finding a home in my already overflowing bookshelves.

One day I was explaining to my daughter why I loved books and reading. How it is as necessary to me as breathing. She looked at me, as children do, and said "why don't you work in a bookstore?". And I thought to myself yes, why don't I?

The rest, as they say, is history.