Recent Links: #IBW2016 Special Edition

So I have been planning ALL WEEK to make this an #IBW2016 special were links were SOLELY AND COMPLETELY related to #IBW2016, because it would make things super-quick to put together. Then of COURSE, some of my amazingly talented friends wrote some of the best pieces I've read all year and I decided there was no way I could leave them out. So this is a 'mostly #IBW2016' piece, but leading with four incredible blog posts (the first two of which both nearly made me cry.) Also, not a blog post but definitely worth checking - Wei Ming Kam, another awesome friend of mine, is doing a Queer Writer Of Colour Of The Day feature on her Instagram and it is FULL of amazing recommendations!

Faye - My Ace Journey

Debbie - Proud Of Being In Pride

Amber - How To Deal With YALC If You Have Anxiety

Grace - A Teeny Tiny Awkward Step

And now the #IBW2016 ones!

Prior to #IBW2016 starting, I blogged with my top ten reasons I love bookshops! During the week, I shared pictures of the awesome shortlists for the IBW Awards

I also did the #IBW2016 tag started by Will at Vintage Books as did the following people!

Simon from Savidge Reads
Clothes In Books
Erica at The Bookshop Around The Corner
Chelley at Tales of Yesterday
Emma from Howling Reviews
Grace from Almost Amazing Grace
Jasmine from Jazzy Fizzle

Other awesome posts related to the week!

Den of Geek's 50 Fabulous Indie Bookshops Around The UK

Maximum Pop's 8 Independent Bookshops You Need To Visit During #IBW2016

Lauren Laverne for The Pool on The Joy Of Books And Bookshops

Also on The Pool (have I mentioned recently I ADORE The Pool? Seriously, if I could only go to two websites ever - assuming I could still use the Twitter app - they would be The Pool and Safe Space) Kate Mosse talked about the magic of bookshops.

Indie Bound's 10 Weird Things To Happen In Independent Bookshops (inspired by Jen Campbell's Weird Things Customers Say In Bookshops)
Also on Indie Bound, 10 Independent Bookshop Dogs!

(As cute as ALL of those dogs are, none of them is as cute as Buffy though!)

Mummy will you take me to @StokeyBookshop for #IBW2016? pic.twitter.com/WJDAKLsLi2

— Buffy (@BuffyThe_Dog) June 18, 2016

And 10 bookshops picked their favourite signs and favourite window displays.

Grace shared her family's favourite books.

Jen Campbell and Carys Bray did a bookshop tour!

The BBC did a piece on Carol Ann Duffy's Shore to Shore poetry tour. 

Scottish Booktrust - Indie Bookshops - Why They Are Good For Your Health And Wellbeing 

Erica shared an older post of hers explaining why she writes about bookshops. (I LOVE Erica's blog!)

Karin Goodwin from The Herald wrote an article on 'the fightback' of indie bookshops.


Edit: One more new post I can't bear to leave out - Katie Webber started the #BooksMakeItBetter hashtag on Twitter and Sophie Waters put together a brilliant post about it for Maximum Pop! 


Anything great I've missed? Leave me a comment!