It’s incredible to be sent photos of the book in different shops on actual bookshelves next to real proper authors. It’s finally, at last starting to sink in that I am now a published author!
I have to admit though, I’m an awkward party thrower. When the great date was on the horizon a safe six months away, I was bubbling over with enthusiasm. I was thinking about magicians, music and canapés. I had daydreams about the sparkling conversations my guests were going to share, in my mind, it was just like the party in The Great Gatsby and all my friends and family knew how to Charleston.
Then the date grew ever closer and I found the day dreams replaced with a cold dread. I wanted to shy away, a turtle disappearing into its shell. I was distinctly crabby if anyone (husband) asked me about numbers of guests or other sensible questions like ‘do we need to bring a corkscrew?’ I told everyone who would listen how I enjoyed other peoples’ parties far more than my own.
Then the day rattled into reality. It was a beautiful late August morning and as lovely messages from family, friends, colleagues and strangers started rolling in I suddenly realised I was far from alone with the book. Launch day marked the final stage in the book’s evolution it was no longer ‘mine’ it felt more ‘ours’. I realised all the scary stuff was done; I’d written the thing, I’d edited and toiled and now is a time for a little basking.
The launch was in Hatchards –the oldest and most beautiful book shop in London. The room was full of people I love and admire. The wine was chilled, we had a corkscrew, people laughed at the speeches and all my fears and anxieties melted like they never existed.
It was better than I ever imagined, I mean, I actually signed books on the table Oscar Wilde signed The Importance of Being Earnest. That was beyond even my day dreams. By the end of the night, my hand was rigid from holding a pen and my cheeks ached from smiling. I had an absolute ball and I can’t WAIT for the next one.