Barefoot Bookseller - Soneva Jani

Malsa is the first Maldivian Barefoot Bookseller and hopes to engage with a wide audience over the shared love for books, including Maldivian book nerds like herself.
 

Before starting this role, she completed her Master of Research in Engaged Anthropology at a Welsh university. Being the daughter of a sailor, she grew up listening to stories about different cultures which sparked her love of reading at a young age.
 

Reading for pleasure continues to be her favourite hobby with a particular passion for historical fiction.

Barefoot Bookseller - Soneva Fushi

Jen embarked on her journey at Soneva Fushi in November 2023, bringing nearly a decade of experience from the UK's vibrant book industry.

She studied English Literature at the University of Liverpool, before receiving a master’s with Distinction from the University of Central Lancashire in Publishing. Her enthusiasm for books and publishing began in bookshops; she became a bookseller at Pritchard’s Bookshop and Waterstones Liverpool before moving down to London to pursue her dream of working in publishing.

She has spent the last seven years working in book publishing, and during that time won a PPC Award for her campaign for The Guest List by Lucy Foley. Most recently, Jen was Publicity Manager at Penguin Michael Joseph, where she spearheaded the publicity and events strategy for the Romantasy list, as well as providing strategic and creative publicity campaigns for Sunday Times bestselling authors.
 

When she doesn’t have her nose in a book, Jen loves travelling, exploring new places, and recording her adventures either by photography or journaling. Wherever she is, Jen always tries to seek out a bookshop, and now she has her own shop in paradise, it’s a dream come true.