Waterstone's book launch party!

I’m not sure how many book launches happen these days, but I think it is a fantastic way to mark the occasion that you have produced a new book and Yay! it is now available to buy and read.

About 40 people came along, about the right number for the upper floor of the shop – a bigger crowd might have resulted in wine spillages and all manner of unruly behaviour!

Sophie from Camberley People was a lovely surprise guest and she stayed until the end, clearly taking mental notes as well as photographs. Camberley People   Cath, Camberley Waterstone’s manager, opened the evening and introduced The Mayor of Surrey Heath, Councillor Tim Dodds, who pioneered Surrey Heath’s first Literary Festival last summer.



At Camberley Literary Festival 2011

He spoke very kindly of my books and his blog post appeared promptly the next morning The Mayor's 'report' He also said how important it is to support bookshops in this age of the e-reader. The Mayor’s personal preference is for a book he can pick up and hold; indeed, he was very taken with my book cover. On the other hand, his wife, also at the party, now prefers her Kindle. Opinion is often divided in this way; meanwhile we authors and publishers need to offer our books in both formats, which reminds me I must get around to getting No Gypsies Served on Kindle …

I failed to speak briefly and probably went on for too long!! But I felt I must explain that this ‘modern village novel’, the first of a new series (did I hear ‘Oh no!’ from my husband), has nothing to do with Gypsies and Travellers this time, although it is set in the same place. The style of book cover indicates something new. 



Thanks to Camberley People for photos



As suggested by Cath, the manager at Camberley Waterstone’s, I did a reading and decided on the 'blurb', Prologue and opening of Chapter 1. Another, more random extract, will be appearing on another blog post on Wednesday, 21 March Love a Happy Ending

As someone also representing the local community - for this novel is very much to do with community life - Chris Pitt, Councillor for Frimley Green and Deepcut, also spoke about how he first met me at a Gypsy and Traveller Forum and later enjoyed my first two novels, Gypsies Stop tHere and No Gypsies Served. A lovely comment he once made in an email: ‘They are amazingly readable, and I tore through each within about 48 hours of purchasing them. Couldn’t put them down wanting to find out what happened.’ There are local plans for a Traveller site up the road from where I live, so these novels are even more topical and of greater local relevance than when first published.

It was all captured on my husband’s movie camera but I’m not sure if this film will ever be released for the general viewing public; something to show my grandchildren, perhaps, in years to come.

This is rather late as I have been frantically busy since last week. A big thank you to everyone there – friends, neighbours, old work colleagues, some people I have never met before. Your support is much appreciated.