A Grand Old Launch

Well that was certainly a launch and a half.  Nothing but the best for my 9^th baby  - and it gave me the best excuse ever to indulge myself in stationery, chocolate, cake… and scantily clad men.

My launches are an event for the town – it’s supported me, nice to give a little back: a thank you.  And what better day to launch a book by a Yorkshire author set in Yorkshire …but Yorkshire Day.

We had a raffle to beat all raffles: gift sets, vouchers, the world’s biggest food hamper, a gorgeous Hothouse hamper, cupcakes from lovely Shelley, brollies of all shapes and sizes (even Excalibur), champagne, ice-wine, chocolates, hairdos, Yorkshire roses - even a burglar alarm.  All given with kindness and grace because the whole evening was about raising some dosh for cancer patients and cats. 

There's a video of the event here... but you may need to be logged into FB to watch it

It was a big hall to fill - 225 people...

...but we managed it!

We had crowds...

And the lovely Phyllis and Janine were ready to flog them raffle tickets for the prize table...

 

 

And it was wonderful how generous everyone was.  Thank you all.

And we had catering to end all catering… two ENORMOUS umbrella cakes from my wonderful regular suppliers - Staniforths bakery who totally surpassed themselves this time.  We even had special napkins to wrap them in.  

Two hundred plus books were bought.  I was signing my little heart out – and loving every minute of it.  I did a talk

…which seemed to go down okay.  No one fell into a coma at least.  And boy – was it warm!  Nigel – my PR manager – got a round of applause for opening the fire doors.

Thanks to everyone who made the evening special and we raised a total of £1850 to be split between the two charities.  Mapplewell village hall put on a great spread and gave me nothing to organise – they were wonderful.

...and the sun smiled on us :)

 

Now the big book launch two days later was a very different kettle of fish.  There might not have been a buffet BUT we had six gorgeous men break out dancing ‘Here Come The Girls’ on the half hour.  They were a great hit with the lay-dies.  And what a joy to meet with so many people with whom I tweet and am Facebook Friends and have never met before.  And old friends came - even my old domestic science teacher (I say old - she wasn't old at any stretch - and looked way younger than me!) Everyone seemed in such a great mood – I think the boys were responsible for that.  So nice to see smiley faces when there is so much rotten news in the world.

We had some wonderful pics for the day and below is a gallery of some of our great sports

  

Anne being supported by the lads was our supreme winner – you can see why … she won the most GORGEOUS hamper from Fiona Sciolti (who sent me a box of chocs to sample, a duty which I took very seriously, and can now proclaim that she is the best chocolatier in the world.  I even ate the ginger chocs – and I hate ginger… or at least I did.  This was ginger to a whole new level!!!)

When you have a team behind you like I have – a wonderful agent, great editors, fabulous PR, liaison officers… oh and all the others – even the book sellers because WH Smiths were a fabulous support on Thursday and Waterstones couldn’t have been more wonderful on Saturday… plus dancing lads… it was always going to be a good couple of days unless the fates really hated us.  Luckily they didn’t – even the sun came out. 

If ever a book rolled out into the world on a wave of kindness and good feeling, it was this one.  Please wish it luck

- and here are the lovely team behind me at my publisher showing off a hamper of Fiona Sciolti chocs... or rubbing it in, as I call it ;)

 xxx

(photos mostly by Chris Sedgewick at untitledphotography.co.uk xxxx