When Gaston Meets Hope

■Interview Mania■

Hope Collins dusts off her beige trousers as she tries to tone down her mixed emotions and gets comfortable on her couch. "I am not nervous at all. I promise," she joked with her infamous and wild hand gestures.

The bookstore owner / avid reader also admitted that she divulges herself into occasional writing as a means to talk to herself. According to her, "Writing is like a mirror. It reflects you."

1. Was building your own bookstore number one dream of yours?

Hope: Um, yes (laughs). Ever since I was a kid, everything "story" related, especially the fiction, um, fascinated me. It um, it gravitated me towards reading. So, an idea of being surrounded by words, by stories, by books, started forming in my head from a very young age. I knew what I had to do.

2. Flip 'N Sip is talked about quite a lot in your neighborhood and has been promoted by some of the widely known influencers on talkO'. Did that popularity in some way frighten you?

Hope: In the beginning, I wouldn't say that it did. Because, it was all new to me, you know, like, all these cool influencers spreading the good word. It was all going really great until I read the comments online. Some people can be pretty um... they can go overboard with their uh, hard criticism. Like once you're in everybody's radar, it can be quite tough to stay out of it. Reading all those things kinda did frighten me.

3. When you said, "people can go overboard with their hard criticism", was that you putting it modestly?

Hope: Obviously! (Laughs). Oh, my gosh, I can tell that you've read those. But over time, I have learned to stop reading them. And not to toot my own horn but it's hard to see me sad. So, yeah, those mean words never affected me and it's never been a big deal. It didn't frighten me for too long. And by that, I mean, not more than a few hours. Later, my big sister, Nacreous, came over and we had our favorite ice-creams all the while laughing at all those rude comments. We had a great time.

4. Sounds like a great way to combat the haters.

Hope: I know, right!

5. If you weren't a bookstore owner or more like a businesswoman, what would you have done?

Hope: So, we all have that one backup plan. Mine isn't a backup plan but more like something I would love to try to do someday. For real. And, um, it would be to direct movies or shows or ads or anything (laughs). I'd love to be a director someday.

6. It is visible that you love storytelling in all its forms. So has that ever made you feel that you would want your life to go in a certain direction as well?

Hope: Oh, yes, definitely. All the time, in fact. Like, I imagine my life happening in various tropes and it's awesome! One of them would be to go on an adventure like Hobbit's. Or-or maybe, like Alice from Alice In Wonderland. There's so much!

7. Do you have that one wish that you think might be impossible but would love to see it happen?

Hope: Okay, so this is gonna sound kinda unrealistic but since you've asked this question, I can't help myself! Like it's my big, big, big, BIG dream to see a life sized pop up book on one of my favorite books! I will cherish this fantasy forever!

8. Hope that fantasy turns into a reality for you someday.

Hope: That sounded like a pun to me! "Hope" that fantasy turns into a reality (smiles).

9. Is there anything you would like to say to people who look up to you?

Hope: Whoa! Um... just that a lot of people won't believe in you or your dreams but remember to keep 'yourself' out of that circle, out of that unending loop. You don't want to be your own hater, villain or demotivator. Things are hard but so are you. Remember to not crack that easily.

10. That was a great advice and an even greater way to wrap up. Really loved your message.

Hope: Thank you so much! It was fun and refreshing to talk to you. I had a great time answering your questions.

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Okay, so, this is literally the last part of this book, I promise. And with that, I'm gonna mark it as complete! Phew! Okay, bye!!