A Novel Idea is Godalming’s oldest charity book and vinyl shop, where all profits go towards the Surrey-based mental health and wellbeing charity, Catalyst Support. The shop is more than just a place to buy books – it’s a community hub where volunteers and customers can share a love for literature and music.
One such connection recently came full circle when Sue, a volunteer at the shop, re-met Jane Collins, a customer who she had previously helped find a book for. Little did Sue know at the time that her act of assistance would play a pivotal role in inspiring Jane to publish her debut novel, The 6th Exit Point.
Jane is a married mum of two, with two dogs, living in the Surrey Hills. When she found she had some extra time on her hands at the school drop-off, Jane picked up a story she had started around fifteen years ago but never developed: “It was just a bit of fun and a way to help me de-stress about what was going on in my life at the time. I could disappear into this other world, like an escape.”
What started as a way to pass the time and support her wellbeing soon started to take the shape of a novel, but Jane was seeking further inspiration to help her with the task. A visit to A Novel Idea proved to be the catalyst she needed to finish her book. Jane recalls: “It was my first time being in the shop, and Sue asked me if I was looking for anything in particular, I hadn’t read fiction for many years and felt a bit daunted, but after speaking with Sue for a bit, she suggested a novel that would end up helping to inspire the completion of my own book.”
Sue’s suggestion was Matt Haig’s ‘The Midnight Library’. Sue explains that “it’s a novel based on the thought ‘could there have been a different version of what life looks like?’, and it puts the control of choosing that different version into the hands of the characters.” Haig’s style and his theme of other realities resonated with Jane, sparking inspiration for her own novel.
After her visit to A Novel Idea, Jane got caught up in the joy of creating, eventually completing her novel. She describes the process as “following a train of thought, adding characters and ideas. It’s like knitting a jumper; you can’t see the finished product until you’ve put in all the stitches.”
After encouragement from her husband, Jane decided to publish her finished novel The 6th Exit Point. The 6th Exit Point follows the complicated journey of a hypnotherapist who becomes obsessed with the idea of what happens to a person’s soul when they lose consciousness. Upon receiving her first copies, Jane returned to A Novel Idea to gift Sue a copy as a thank you for her help in the journey.
Sue expressed gratitude for the gesture: “When Jane came back in with her new book, I was really touched. I remembered her coming in the first time, over a year ago. I was really impressed because to complete and publish a whole book is amazing. It was really nice to think that in some small way, I helped her along the path.”
Sue started volunteering at A Novel Idea when she first moved to Godalming three years ago. “A Novel Idea was perfect for me; I love books, I love the customers, I love the people I work with, and I love feeling like part of the community. I hope this story inspires more people to come visit our shop, because you never know where it will take you.”
This story is a testament not only to Jane’s success as a new novelist, but also to the important role that initiatives like A Novel Idea have in fostering creativity and community spirit, all while raising funds for vital mental health and wellbeing services.
Visit A Novel Idea at 9 Queen Street, Godalming, GU7 1BA. Opening hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm, closed on Sunday and Monday. To register your interest in joining the volunteering team you can speak to someone in the shop, email bookshop@catalystsupport.org.uk or call 07990 072838.
To read Jane Collins’ The 6th Exit Point, you can download the e-book or find it in paperback on Amazon.
