In the second in the series of contributors to Book Nook Workshop I am pleased to share this interview with John MacInnes one of the original contributors to this site.
1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, and how did you first discover the world of book nooks?
I’m John MacInnes from South Lanarkshire, Scotland. I spent my childhood being brought up in the Highlands on Scotlands West Coast, near Glencoe, (scene of the infamous massacre in 1692) so my heart will always be in the Highlands. I’m a newspaper editor by profession, but these days I spend an alarming amount of my spare time voluntarily gluing tiny bits of wood together. I’ve been building models since joining the Airfix Modellers Club in 1973, so I suppose I was always destined to disappear down another miniature rabbit hole. Then I discovered book nooks in late 2025… and that was it. My wallet has never fully recovered.
2. What was the very first book nook or miniature kit you built, and what do you remember most about it?
It was a Christmas gift from my daughter, who should have known better than to introduce me to yet another expensive hobby. She’s probably still wondering where all my disposable income disappeared.
I was given Cutebee’s Owl Bookstore. At the time I thought it was an absolute masterpiece. Looking at it now, I see wonky shelves, visible glue marks, unpainted edges and enough mistakes to fill another instruction manual. But every builder has to start somewhere, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
3. What keeps you coming back to the hobby? What do you enjoy most about building?
The fact that every kit is basically a giant 3D jigsaw with lights. I love watching a pile of laser-cut MDF gradually become something that makes visitors stop and say, “You actually built that?” It’s also strangely therapeutic, a world away from the stress of my day job… apart from the occasional moment when a 3mm part catapults itself into another dimension.
4. How would you describe your building style in three words?
Patient. Fussy. Curious.
5. Which completed project are you most proud of, and why does it stand out?
China Ancient Town. The kit was already excellent, but that’s never enough for me. I added realistic water, improved the lighting and generally couldn’t leave well alone. It’s probably the project that best reflects how I like to build—start with a great kit and then see how much better I can make it.
Running a very close second is Rolife’s Sunset Isle, another cracking build packed with detail. Ask me to choose between the two on a different day and you’ll probably get a different answer.
6. Do you prefer building straight from the instructions or adding your own customisations? Can you share a favourite modification?
Instructions are really just… helpful suggestions, aren’t they?
My favourite customisation has to be using water gels. I only discovered them recently and they completely transform those flat printed rivers and ponds into something that actually looks wet. Being a watercolour painter probably helped me take to them quite quickly.
After the basic build is finished, that’s when the fun starts. Mirrors, extra LEDs, weathering, stronger wiring, anything that makes the finished model look more realistic. I simply can’t leave well enough alone.
7. What essential tools, glues or materials could you not live without?
B7000 glue, Gorilla Super Glue, fine tweezers, a sharp craft knife, acrylic paint pens, UV resin, hot glue gun, magnifying lamp and enough coffee to keep Scotland awake for a week. Oh, I nearly forgot clamps- lifesavers at times.
I only realised while writing this answer just how much I’ve accumulated. If the hobby ever dries up, I reckon I could open Scotland’s first shop dedicated entirely to miniature glues.
8. Which manufacturer or designer consistently produces your favourite kits, and what makes them special?
Tonecheer rarely disappoints. Their kits have real character, plenty of detail and don’t feel like you’re assembling a fancy wooden box. They tell a story, and that’s exactly what a great book nook should do.
I also enjoy some of the Asian-themed builds as they’re often steeped in history. The only challenge is translating the information on the box before you discover the fascinating stories behind them.
9. What’s the most challenging build you’ve ever tackled, and how did you overcome the difficult parts?
Usually the one I’m building at the time!
Unfortunately, I have only ever abandoned one build. It just didn’t work out for a number of reasons, but I did rescue the lighting kit before ceremonially introducing the rest of it to a bonfire. Waste not, want not.
Complex lighting systems are probably the biggest challenge, especially when every wire seems determined to go exactly where you don’t want it. Experience has taught me to slow down, test everything twice and only celebrate once the lights actually switch on.
10. Have you ever had a build go completely wrong? What happened, and what did you learn from the experience?
Magic Wardrobe by ETKVR immediately springs to mind.
I don’t enjoy writing reviews that expose a kit’s failings, but because I don’t receive free review samples, I can afford to be brutally honest. My readers don’t want some sycophantic write-up. There were simply too many problems with that kit to ignore. Fair and honest has always been my approach. If something’s brilliant, I’ll say so. If it’s a dog, I’ll say that too.
As for my own mistakes…
I’ve glued parts upside down.
I’ve trapped wires.
I’ve fitted pieces perfectly… only to discover they should have been installed three stages later.
Every disaster teaches you something. Usually new words that shouldn’t be repeated in polite company.
11. What tips would you give someone building their very first book nook?
Slow down.
Read ahead.
Dry fit before gluing.
Test every LED before closing the model.
And remember, nobody ever posts photographs of the bits they glued on backwards. We’ve all done it… some of us more than once.
12. If you could improve one thing about today’s book nook kits, what would it be?
Manufacturers need to stop treating LEDs as an afterthought. Better quality lighting, stronger and colour-coded cable connections, and dust covers as standard would make a huge difference. And let’s move away from cheap fibreboard and plywood. MDF is without doubt a superior building medium.
13. Where do you find inspiration for your projects?
Everywhere.
Historic streets.
Old bookshops.
Films.
Travel.
Architecture.
Once you start building book nooks, you never look at the real world in quite the same way again. Every interesting street becomes, “That would make a cracking book nook.”
14. What techniques have you learned that instantly made your models look more realistic?
Less is more.
Subtle weathering beats heavy weathering.
Hidden wiring beats visible wiring.
Mirrors create amazing depth.
Colouring exposed edges is probably the single biggest improvement any beginner can make. It’s amazing how much difference a simple felt-tip pen can make.
And if it looks too clean, it probably isn’t realistic.
15. Do you have a dedicated workshop or crafting space? We’d love to hear about your setup.
Yes—and I’m ridiculously proud of my office, which has dedicated work areas for both my hobby and my day job, although the two computer screens do take up a fair bit of room.
Everything has its place, every tool is within reach and I’ve invested in proper lighting, magnification and storage.
My wife calls it a workshop.
I call it my happy place.
The taxman would probably call it an alarming accumulation of glue.
16. If money and time were no object, what dream book nook would you love to create?
An entire Victorian cobbled street stretching into the distance using an infinity mirror. Then add snow-covered rooftops, a dusting of snow on the cobbles, little wooden Christmas market huts, an illuminated hot chestnut seller with his glowing brazier, an old man playing Christmas tunes on a barrel organ, beautifully lit market stalls, strings of lights hanging between the buildings, a huge decorated Christmas tree with animated lighting and warm light glowing from every shop and upstairs window.
Can you tell I’ve spent more than five minutes thinking about this?
17. Which upcoming kit or project are you most excited about?
As a man with a stash of 74 kits waiting to be built, this is always a bit of a quandary. Do I pluck one from the top of the pile or go rooting through the shelves?
I tend to follow a difficult build with something a little easier. I currently have eight Sea Breeze-style kits waiting patiently. They’re the sort that involve wallpapering tiny bits of wood and assembling bags of microscopic pieces, so I’m gradually working up the courage.
Apparently collecting kits has quietly become a hobby in its own right. The difficult bit isn’t deciding what to build next—it’s remembering where I put it.
18. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start designing their own original book nooks?
Stop thinking about book nooks and start looking at real life.
Study buildings.
Notice textures.
Watch how light falls.
And don’t worry if your first design isn’t perfect. Neither was your first build.
19. What does the book nook community mean to you, and how has it influenced your hobby?
It’s one of the friendliest hobby communities I’ve ever come across. Builders genuinely want each other to succeed.
That’s why I was delighted to accept an invitation to become part of the Book Nook Workshop team. Between the four of us we’ve now completed well over 200 builds, made just about every mistake imaginable and learned from them. If we can stop someone else gluing a staircase in upside down or trapping an LED wire, we’ve done our job.
20. Finally, where can readers find you online, and is there anything exciting you’d like to share with the Book Nook Workshop community?
You’ll usually find me writing reviews, filming builds or pulling articles together for a rather wry look at the hobby on Book Nook Workshop.
If there’s a new kit on the market, there’s a fair chance it may already be sitting on my workbench waiting for me to mutter, “Well… that’s certainly an interesting design choice.”
Some manufacturers are about to release some very exciting new models—but for the moment I’m sworn to secrecy.
If my reviews persuade you to buy a kit, don’t blame me when you suddenly find yourself with a stash of 74 waiting to be built. It happens to the best of us.
Quick Fire Round
Coffee or tea while building? Black tea
Daytime or late-night builder? Daytime
Tweezers or fingers? Tweezers (I’m not known as Freddy Fat Fingers for nothing!)
Warm white or coloured LEDs? Warm white
Your dream book nook theme in one word? Christmas
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