We forgot to take pictures of the event, so this photo, snagged at the end of the evening, is all I have I have written and published four novels. Until now, I have never had a book launch, so I decided the time had come. On October 27, 2018, I hosted a Wine & Cheese Book Launch for my newest fantasy book The Forgotten King here at home. My favourite comment from many when they received their invitation went something like: "I've never been to a book launch (or literary event) before!" My response: "Me neither!" I have had two previous opportunities to attend the launch of a friend (one by the dear Susan Deefholts--who wrote under the pen name Kathryn Anthony before she passed--and one by Carolyn Wilker, whom I at least got to see with her set-up in the Waterloo Chapters a few months back), but both times just didn't work with my schedule. It only occurred to me much later that I had, in fact, attended a book launch /Q-A event at the Kitchener Chapters in the summer with Kelley Armstrong. So my response should have gone more along the lines of: "I've never hosted a book launch."
Well, now I have, and I had a wonderful turnout of friends, family, neighbours, and fantastic people all around. I didn't know quite what to expect, or how to prepare, so I started with invitations through evite and Facebook, a few emails, and word of mouth. And lots of cheese and wine.
The overwhelming support from all warmed my heart, especially those I had lost contact with (such as some folks from church), or had only met in the last few months (awesome band people and neighbours). People wanted to buy my books--all my books--even if they couldn't attend the party, and that (perhaps obviously, though I believe I cannot overstate this) truly makes a writer's day. It's not about the money, not for me. It's about the enjoyment I can share, the escapism I can provide through my writing. Knowing that someone can take time in a world I created in which to relax, to envision people and places that sprang from my mind to blossom in theirs, and that my work might make someone else smile--that's the epitome of this author's goal. The fellowship of achieving some of this through a party, of sharing time and a love of reading, of making people happy, is truly a blessing.
Thank you all who made my first book launch (even if it was for my fourth book) a huge success! I'm looking forward to many more :)
p.s., any reviews, on any of my books, on any site listing them, even if you didn't like the book, is greatly appreciated :D
Well, now I have, and I had a wonderful turnout of friends, family, neighbours, and fantastic people all around. I didn't know quite what to expect, or how to prepare, so I started with invitations through evite and Facebook, a few emails, and word of mouth. And lots of cheese and wine.
The overwhelming support from all warmed my heart, especially those I had lost contact with (such as some folks from church), or had only met in the last few months (awesome band people and neighbours). People wanted to buy my books--all my books--even if they couldn't attend the party, and that (perhaps obviously, though I believe I cannot overstate this) truly makes a writer's day. It's not about the money, not for me. It's about the enjoyment I can share, the escapism I can provide through my writing. Knowing that someone can take time in a world I created in which to relax, to envision people and places that sprang from my mind to blossom in theirs, and that my work might make someone else smile--that's the epitome of this author's goal. The fellowship of achieving some of this through a party, of sharing time and a love of reading, of making people happy, is truly a blessing.
Thank you all who made my first book launch (even if it was for my fourth book) a huge success! I'm looking forward to many more :)
p.s., any reviews, on any of my books, on any site listing them, even if you didn't like the book, is greatly appreciated :D
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