Book launch - finally arrives
Hi Folks,
Well, the day of the book launch finally arrived. All that stressing and preparing. Invites out, venue vetted, venue booked, double checked, books packed, press packs put together, websites updated, press releases released. Phew!
Ok, cheque book, credit card etc to pay for everything. Invite list - just in case we get the odd gatecrasher. New outfit - have to look the part!
After a slightly delayed start due to also having to prepare things for the Erotica show as well, which happens tomorrow, and as I'm staying over night in order to get there early, there's more than just the book launch to try and remember, I eventually get out on the road. Still deciding where I'm going to park as I need to get to central london (Covent Garden to be precise), and eventually decide half way down the M3 to park at Richmond - my usual parking place! Train straight in to Waterloo or tube depending on timings. Perfect.
At hotel eventually, after lugging my stupid suitcase (the one with wheels I thought would be perfect as books can be somewhat heavy - stupid me! Forgot the wretched thing likes to twist and not stay balanced at the slightest movement!) - managed to find the hotel, with the help of my trusty A-Z of London. I hate looking like a tourist - but couldn't be helped in this instance.
Phew.
Cup of tea time!
Oh crikey, 6 O'clock already - need to get to the venue.
Finish getting dressed.
Put face on.
Venue details.
Press pack cards.
Books.
Phone.
Purse.
Ready!
Taxi!!!
Found one. Do you know how close you are to it - the taxi man said - nope! Probably quicker to walk! Ho hum! Disorientated so needed the taxi to get there in a calm and dignified manner.
Roger (my author) is already there, waiting patiently outside - it's just before 6.30pm. we go on down to the basement bar. Music is a bit loud, but we get my 'personal waiter for the night' to switch it down a bit to a more manageable level, so we can actually hear each other speak!
Ah, that's better.
Drinks are ordered, and we can start to relax a bit. Books all laid out. Nibbles ordered. Drinks starting to be drunk.
A steady flow of guest trickle in and the book launch launches! They all get to meet Roger, and he makes some new friends amongst the book buyers, commercial managers, and editors of top notch magazines, and other fellow writers.
The champagane flows, the banter is lively. A good time is had by all.
Oh no! I suddently remember I forgot to take a photo of the Author! He's left already. So take a few pictures with some of my buyers instead, to mark the occasion.
I check with my 'Personal waiter' to see how much money I have left to spend out of the minimum spend figure and there is about £40 left - so we open another bottle of champagne - a lovely pink one - and that goes down a treat - to help wind down the launch.
Bill all paid up, all within budget considering! We all disappear off into the night - at someone's suggestion a handful of us trundle along to a casino in Tottenham Court Road - of which I am now a member! :)
Everyone said they had a lovely night - so I guess all that stress paid off. Not as many people came as I had hoped, I guess there were other, more important things for them to do rather than come and view a book and drink champagne!
Their loss!
Come back again soon!
PaulineThe Publisher
Well, the day of the book launch finally arrived. All that stressing and preparing. Invites out, venue vetted, venue booked, double checked, books packed, press packs put together, websites updated, press releases released. Phew!
Ok, cheque book, credit card etc to pay for everything. Invite list - just in case we get the odd gatecrasher. New outfit - have to look the part!
After a slightly delayed start due to also having to prepare things for the Erotica show as well, which happens tomorrow, and as I'm staying over night in order to get there early, there's more than just the book launch to try and remember, I eventually get out on the road. Still deciding where I'm going to park as I need to get to central london (Covent Garden to be precise), and eventually decide half way down the M3 to park at Richmond - my usual parking place! Train straight in to Waterloo or tube depending on timings. Perfect.
At hotel eventually, after lugging my stupid suitcase (the one with wheels I thought would be perfect as books can be somewhat heavy - stupid me! Forgot the wretched thing likes to twist and not stay balanced at the slightest movement!) - managed to find the hotel, with the help of my trusty A-Z of London. I hate looking like a tourist - but couldn't be helped in this instance.
Phew.
Cup of tea time!
Oh crikey, 6 O'clock already - need to get to the venue.
Finish getting dressed.
Put face on.
Venue details.
Press pack cards.
Books.
Phone.
Purse.
Ready!
Taxi!!!
Found one. Do you know how close you are to it - the taxi man said - nope! Probably quicker to walk! Ho hum! Disorientated so needed the taxi to get there in a calm and dignified manner.
Roger (my author) is already there, waiting patiently outside - it's just before 6.30pm. we go on down to the basement bar. Music is a bit loud, but we get my 'personal waiter for the night' to switch it down a bit to a more manageable level, so we can actually hear each other speak!
Ah, that's better.
Drinks are ordered, and we can start to relax a bit. Books all laid out. Nibbles ordered. Drinks starting to be drunk.
A steady flow of guest trickle in and the book launch launches! They all get to meet Roger, and he makes some new friends amongst the book buyers, commercial managers, and editors of top notch magazines, and other fellow writers.
The champagane flows, the banter is lively. A good time is had by all.
Oh no! I suddently remember I forgot to take a photo of the Author! He's left already. So take a few pictures with some of my buyers instead, to mark the occasion.
I check with my 'Personal waiter' to see how much money I have left to spend out of the minimum spend figure and there is about £40 left - so we open another bottle of champagne - a lovely pink one - and that goes down a treat - to help wind down the launch.
Bill all paid up, all within budget considering! We all disappear off into the night - at someone's suggestion a handful of us trundle along to a casino in Tottenham Court Road - of which I am now a member! :)
Everyone said they had a lovely night - so I guess all that stress paid off. Not as many people came as I had hoped, I guess there were other, more important things for them to do rather than come and view a book and drink champagne!
Their loss!
Come back again soon!
PaulineThe Publisher
posted by PaulineThePublisher | 4:03 pm
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