With the smell of fresh pages and the clink of glasses, Barwon Heads is feeling a little more festive this season. Heads & Tales Bookstore, co-owned by Bella Lloyd and Emma Cahill has quickly become a treasure trove for readers, makers, and anyone who loves a table full of delicious food. From children’s books to cookbooks, puzzles to thoughtful gifts, every corner of the store is full of discoveries waiting to be shared.

This Christmas, Bella and Emma have cooked up dishes inspired by their favourite cookbooks – perfect for gifting or gathering friends and family around the table. Heads & Tales is all about celebrating stories, food, and the joy of spending the holidays together, making every moment a little more magical.

Hi Emma and Bella, thank you so much for having us all the way down in Barwon Heads! For those who have not had the pleasure of meeting you yet, please tell us a little bit about yourselves and what you both do. 

Thank you for coming! We’re co-owners of Heads & Tales Bookstore, an independent bookstore which we started together in April 2023. 

We met each other in 2015 while living in London and were put in touch through mutual friends. I needed a place to stay for a couple of weeks between nanny jobs and ended up staying with Em’s family in Islington for a short stint. We hit it off instantly – we have similar backgrounds having grown up in regional Victoria and we both attended the same college, about 10 years apart. We bonded over our love of books, food and travel and would fantasise about opening a bookstore one day. 

Bella

We opened the bookstore just before Easter in 2023 with so much support from the local community. It’s a bit of a treasure trove, with a big focus on children’s books, cookbooks, lifestyle and fiction. We also stock beautiful puzzles, games, posters and small gifts. We run an in-store seasonal book club that sells out very quickly – we have the most interesting and interested customers. Bella’s background in publishing has enabled us to run some very special events in-store and offsite locally, which we love doing too. 

Emma

What was the moment you both realised you wanted to open a bookstore together? 

Our family moved to Barwon Heads during covid, and at the time we were having all sorts of whacky ideas - the bookstore was the best of them! I didn’t want to do it alone and knew Bella would be the perfect partner. I planted the idea with her but knew she needed to conquer the publishing world for a bit longer. So I patiently waited and eventually the timing was right! 

Emma

I clearly remember getting a text from Em during a covid lockdown saying that the second-hand bookstore was for sale in Barwon Heads and would I consider starting a new store with her. It felt like such a wild and exciting opportunity, but I had just switched jobs in publishing and didn’t feel ready to give that up yet. Em kept chipping away at the idea and fortunately didn’t move on without me. She checked in again about a year later and the timing felt serendipitous – I knew in my gut I wanted to do it. Our dynamic has made for a good partnership; I could ponder about things forever but Em is great at saying yes and moving us forward. 

Bella

Emma, you are a lawyer with a book addiction. What inspired you to pivot from law to opening a bookstore? 

I’m still practising law which I love! When our young family moved down here I really felt the absence of a local bookstore I could walk to as I was very attached to my bookstores in Melbourne. Especially during covid, books were our lifeline and it became so clear that we all need more books and less screens in our lives. I also missed my old bookclubs and desperately wanted to talk about books! I come from a family of retailers, as my Mum and sister both run clothing boutiques, so I had an idea about what I was getting into. 

Bella, you’ve had such a wonderful career in publishing. What’s one memory from working with authors? 

Part of my role as a publicist was travelling with authors to events, media engagements and bookstores. I remember the first day I spent with Kate Reid (founder of Lune Croissanterie and a trained aerospace engineer) I had to take her around Melbourne in my beat-up Subaru Forrester. It was a manual and honestly, I never quite mastered the gear stick so I felt a lot of pressure driving this powerhouse woman around, who happens to be an expert and aficionado of cars. Lucky for me Kate is such a good sport and found it hilarious when I inevitably stalled. It actually broke the ice between us and kicked off a very fun and croissant-filled author tour around Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, definitely a highlight of my publicity career! 

You’ve cooked some beautiful dishes for us today. Which cookbook/s did these come from, and why did you pick these ones? 

Looking through cookbooks and putting together menus is my happy place so this was honestly a pleasure! Alison Roman is a must-buy author for me and her latest Something from Nothing might be my new favourite. It’s all about making the most of pantry staples and no matter how bare my fridge is, I’ve been able to make something delicious from it – these Spiced Butter-Roasted Carrots with Walnuts were so easy and one of those recipes where the result is better than the sum of its parts. Helen Goh’s new book Baking and the Meaning of Life was another must-have for today. We were fortunate enough to do an event with Helen earlier this year while she was in Australia, she lives in London and is a pastry chef with Ottolenghi. Helen’s both a psychotherapist and brilliant baker so we were hanging off her every word! I’ve been looking for any excuse to make the Puttanesca Galette– it's a bit of a festive showstopper. 

Bella

I’m not actually a great cook but often have a full house so am always on the hunt for delicious, easy recipes that can feed a crowd. I usually turn to Sarah Pound; her two books Wholesome by Sarah and Family Food have been huge sellers for us. When hosting I love to offer lots of delicious hearty salads and this Risoni Salad from Salata and the burrata from Love of Lemons are so yum and colourful for the table. Sarah’s lemon cake from Family Food is so easy and such a winner. 

Emma

If you had to choose one must-have cookbook for a foodie friend, which one would you wrap up? 

Helen Goh’s Baking and the Meaning of Life has been such a hit. Since our event with Helen, we’ve had multiple customers come in to rave about what they’ve made – some of our favourites are the Chocolate Ginger Beer Cake, the Peanut & Goji Berry Rice Crispies and the Matilda’s Tribute Cake. There’s not a single weak recipe in that book and the musings on psychology and human connection bring more depth than your average cookbook.

Bella

I’m about to gift a friend who is an amazing cook Alison Roman’s Something from Nothing - her recipes are casual but chic, bold in flavour and effortlessly achievable. Bella got me onto her and I’m now a super-fan. 

Emma

Do you each have a Christmas recipe you come back to year after year?

My parents have hacked the turkey game by brining it overnight – they use Julie Goodwin’s recipe and it always impresses. 

Bella

Ottolenghi’s sweet potato gratin often makes it onto the table. Plus of course Mum’s Christmas pudding. 

Emma

With Christmas around the corner, how are you planning to style your table, and what’s your top tip for creating a festive spread? 

Running a bookstore, it won’t come as a surprise that I love all things print so my family still has a huge collection of old delicious magazines – sadly something of the past now! We always lay the Christmas table with summer editions of the magazine as placemats. They instantly add colour to the table and can even be a good conversation starter if you get stuck. 

Bella

We love our Kip&Co Bush Blossom tablecloth decorated with the kids’ home-made bon-bons.

Emma