Everyone’s got their story and new Books & Books manager Megan McCluskey is no exception.
“I was born and raised in New Jersey and worked in retail for 15 years – everywhere from Disneyworld to Victoria’s Secret. I was then a textbook manager and now here I am.
“I am a book-y and actually have an action figure of a librarian on my desk. A famous one from Seattle with a shushing action. I was the geek who volunteered in the library whilst in school.” Megan says that in the same way she wishes she could paint but cannot so she goes to museums, she ‘does not have writing talent’ so surrounds herself with literature instead. She says the new role was not exactly part of a master plan, career-wise.
“I was totally happy with my job in New Jersey where I’d been for eight years and was not looking to move but I saw a blurb in a newsletter for Cayman and thought I would never forgive myself if I didn’t go.
“At every step, I thought, if it’s meant to be it will happen. And six months after I sent off my resume I was here in the Cayman Islands. I’d never set foot here before – I was too busy – but when I got off the plane and heard the band playing at the airport I realised how cool it was.”
Independent bookstores
Megan’s been on Cayman for nearly a month – looking for condos, trying to buy cars, the usual thing – and so far she says it’s very different to New Jersey.
“People here want to read and can name the author they are looking for, the genre they’re looking for. Back home there are very few independent bookstores left – these big stores where you walk in and if you’re lucky someone will come and help you.
“I like the interaction with customers so this is a wonderful place for me and the store is a lot more community-focused with lots of events, which is one of the attractions for me.” Of many favourite authors, Douglas Kennedy, John Irving, Anita Schreeve and all things historical are floating the new manager’s boat right now.
“But it’s like asking to pick your favourite child – I will read almost anything, except for science fiction, which I never really got into. And I don’t have the patience for mysteries – I just skip to the end, stop playing games! I want to know who did it!
“But there really is nothing like a really good book.”
Related Videos
