When the publishers of the hugely successful Barefoot Investor series asked their star author, Scott Pape, whether he would like to launch his latest offering in Sydney or Melbourne they received a somewhat surprising reply.
‘Neither, I want it in Lismore,’ he said.
This Thursday that request will become a reality when Pape launches Barefoot Kids at the Lismore Book Warehouse.
The event, which is sold out, was the outcome of a conversation between the author and the owner of the store, Sarah Morrow, in the months after the February floods.
‘The water reached a peak of 14.3 metres in her store,’ Pape says.
‘Sarah lost $215,000 worth of books, none of which were insured. The next day she got in her boat and started searching for and rescuing people in her community.’
‘When the water eventually subsided the true scale of the destruction – and the rotting stench – became clear. The place looked and smelled like a rubbish tip for months.’
With great determination, Sarah and her team put the family-owned bookstore back together.
So when Pape’s publishers were drawing up plans for the official launch of Barefoot Kids, Lismore immediately came to mind.
While the launch is sold out, there is still an opportunity to soak up some wisdom from Pape and his team.
From 7pm he’ll be heading over to Hotel Metropole to host Beer With Barefoot.
‘If you are a local and are struggling financially, please come along and let me (and a few of my financial counsellor mates) help you sort things out,’ Pape says.
‘It’s totally free. It’s totally independent. It’s totally confidential. And I’ll totally shout you a beer.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
