Welcome
Welcome to Gill Bilski's Secondhand Children's (& other) Books.Please browse the catalogue of available books and, if you find something you like, find out how to buy it at the ordering page.
If you are having difficulties viewing or navigating this website please contact me here (gillbilski at gmail dot com)
- Catalogues issued (email or hard copy)
- Booksearch service
Updates
August 2021I've been adding quite a lot of books recently. I've started (finally) listing my mother's EJ Oxenhams, first editions and many with no other copy I can find online. There are still a lot to add.
I've also been adding some Noel Streatfeild adult titles (almost all inscribed by author, but most fairly musty); some Schoolgirls Own Library booklets; some crime and quite a few long out of print Greyladies and other reissues which I found in a box
There are also, of course, quite a few new reissues by Girls Gone By:
Mabel Esther Allan - The Adventurous Summer
E Brent-Dyer - Eustacia goes to the Chalet School; Problem for the Chalet School
Lisa Townsend - CS returns to the Alps and Difficult Term at the CS
Monica Edwards - No Mistaking Corker
Lorna Hill - Castle in Northumbria
May 2021
Just to say that I've uploaded some books today and that there will finally be a catalogue in the next couple of weeks. It's at the printers' at the moment.
It was going along swimmingly as mentioned in the last update when I decided to alter something in the shelf-worn new book section. I thought it would be quick. Instead it took me a month on and off. Got halfway through, realised this but, by then, it was too late to go back. Nothing is ever simple :)
Feb 2021
Goodness. So long since my last update. That catalogue turned out to be the only one of last year which, as I aim for one every 3 months is awful. I could use Covid as an excuse but I had it before the one catalogue I did manage to produce. I think the reissue publishers really excelled themselves and I spent so much time dealing with them it was hard to do my catalogue too.
However I am working on a new one which, at a guess, should be out within a month; I am almost uptodate with email and post orders from the website and have just updated the website again. To be fair, I have been doing this every week or so ... in lockdown there's not a lot else to do ... but I haven't actually told anyone that I've done it!
Finally hoping everyone is keeping as well as possible. I've had my first jab - my arm didn't like it at all but luckily I had no other side effects and am now waiting to be called for my second. I'm dreaming of visiting a bookfair or a charity shop or, even more so, family, friends and travel.
Keep safe!
Last year: Hooray! My new catalogue arrived. They will be posted when the labels I ordered 3 weeks ago finally arrive. Soon it will be labelling, stamping & stuffing! Apologies that it's a little longer than the 'imminent' in the March post; unfortunately shortly after that I was ill and it took me a little while to get back in the swing of things. Happily and luckily I'm fully fit again now and the printer, working in much reduced circumstances, did a brilliant job getting it to me. So it's just Amazon and the labels ...
Any overseas customers who only get a hardcopy at the moment, are welcome to have an email one as well because of the very long time it will take to get to you.
It's 72 pages of goodness containing nearly 1900 items including my entire stock of reissues and many books ranging from cheap tatty paperbacks to rare items of great value :D
Anyone who would like to be added to the mailing list, please let me know and also whether you would like hardcopy or email - message or email (gillbilski@gmail.com) me your address/email address.. As people know, I much prefer hardcopy as far more people order from these than the email version (last catalogue 80% of orders from the booklets).
Finally, all the pre-ordered copies of To be an Author were posted this morning; I hope they won't take too long.
Also an update to March's musings on selling books in lockdown. It all works well now except that there are much fewer letter posts (I generally get 2 deliveries a week if I'm lucky) and that everything sent through the post is taking a little longer to most places in the UK and a horrendously long time to anywhere overseas. But, buyers and sellers alike, we're coping and, although patience isn't one of my virtues, I'm trying very hard to be more laid back.
17th March 2020. Amazingly I've now managed to get access back to my home page so, while I've been able to upload books, I haven't been able to update this page. Please find today's update below
Just an update on the next few weeks (or 12 if that's how long Boris decides I have to be protected because of my underlying health issues ...). I have already been social distancing for the last week or so and am washing my hands like Lady Macbeth.
So, how will it work so I can still get books to my lovely customers and Gill Bilski Books doesn't go bankrupt in the meantime? Everything is subject to change as situations change, of course.
I have enough books for sale and waiting to be listed to last a millennium so, don't panic, I shall not run out of books. I shall also try to update my website more often.
The only problem I can see is posting the books. I can post in postboxes at night, like a ninja, up to a certain thickness and bigger parcels at the sorting office where there's a glass screen between them and me. What I can't do, except in exceptional cases, is post at the Post Office because it's nearly always busy and there's no specific time when it's almost empty. But I'm sure these things can be worked through as and when they happen and I shall take the hit if parcels go missing as I won't have proof of posting for those sent via postboxes.
Oh, and a bit of good news, I've almost finished a new catalogue which I'm sure I can make work somehow!!
Wishing you all the best of health and hope that you stay safe and well.
Happy reading!
17th March 2020 Gill finally got back ftp access to the home page after 2 years. Books have been updated all that time, but this page hasn't. My new site is still being worked on ...
4th August 2008 New site uploaded - designed by my daughter
9th May 2002 Original site created
Do check out my Facebook page - lots of info being added there as well as here