Today I visited the venue for my book launch, the Leith Agency barge. Today I saw a kingfisher, twice. Today I discovered the hole where the mouse is getting in and today, I had an email from my publishers to say my e-book is ready, ahead of schedule.
Banana me beautiful launches along with 80 brilliant people on a boat in the Shore, Edinburgh on 11th July 2011. I told you a bit about how I was feeling and why I wrote the book last week. Today I’m writing to you about ‘planning the book launch’.
Firstly, bare in mind I’ve not launched a book before. The closest I’ve come is organising a white water rafting trip. It was for the same number of people and the majority of time was spent floating. Thankfully this event doesn’t involve wetsuits or chasing people for deposits.
I’ll try with a little help from my friends…..
It started with a facebook appeal ‘HELP, I need to launch a book, what makes a launch great?’ They all said free cake and drinks. I started the Banana me beautiful facebook next, for more interaction and to open a window into the book. I had some more brilliant advice, this time from top authors Sara Sheridan, Kenny Taylor and Juliet Wilson. They suggested I share the lime light, keep it within an hour and get someone else to facilitate the Q and A.
I’ll get by with a little help from my friends…
Book launches have signings but you can’t sign an e-book. I’m printing limited edition postcards instead. My friend Jo does graphic design in her spare time so she’s been helping me put these together. Banana themed food seemed essential so I’ve enlisted the help of some ace baking friends. I wanted music in the break and I really like my friend Drew’s music and he said he’d be happy to help, I used his music in the background of this film.
I’m going to fly with a little help from my friends…
Edd McCracken has been my writing’s greatest critic over the last 6 years. That makes him my writing’s greatest friend and I’m chuffed to bits he’s going to be facilitating the Question and Answer session at the end of the launch. Last night I said I was intimidated by the number of ‘Edinburgh literary giants’ that are attending and he reminded me that I was giving people free food and alcohol. When you do this “You can put a rabid badger on the stage and people will cheer” he said. Thanks Edd.
Ohhh baby….
And we’re nearly there. After some wonderful coverage in the Edinburgh Reporter, STV local, Edinburgh City of Literature, Scottish Book Trust, Greenerleith and the Edinburgh Evening News all 80 tickets were allocated and the reserve list is still growing. It helps to be lauching on a boat, big thanks go to the Leith Agency for that.
I’m honoured to have the poetry slam champion Young Dawkins the 3rd and top authors Sara Sheridan
and Juliet Wilson reading my poems at the launch. My folks are coming too, with wine. Rachel Everitt is exhibiting her beautiful etchings (we worked together to turn one of my stories into a picture book) and Alison Mackintosh, the person who first told me I was a writer is introducing the evening.
If you’re a bit nosy, here are some more of the wonderful folks who are sharing the evening: The Broughton Spurtle, The Edinburgh Spotlight, The Edinburgh Reporter, Edinburgh City of Literature, Anon’s Colin Fraser, The Scottish Story Telling Centre, The Scottish Poetry Library, Milo McLaughlin (Clear Minded Creative), Jon Melville, Mark Davidson (Observealot), Ruth Dawkins (Dorkymum), Ali George (12books12months), theinnertubemap‘s Susanne, Chris Gulland (TheEcoBrand), Caroline Hood (Casbo28), Iain McGill, Anita Sharkey (cladygirl4), Jim Wolffman…, the woozle, Ally Tibbitt, Elspeth Murray,
Vegware, Victoria Raimes and more….
(If you have tickets and you’re not here, let me know, I’ll add you)
Read more about the launch here. And if you can’t wait for the launch, if you live too far away or you don’t have a ticket, you can buy the book here.
auntyemily 