Wednesday, July 06, 2016

It Happened One Summer

I was looking at some old blog posts today and realised it's ten years since my first book launch -- I remember it as if it was yesterday! It was held in a local castle for the charity I was working for at the time as I donated all proceeds for that first book to them.
book signing
Signing copies IHOS at the castle
It was a momentous day for me. I'd never been involved in anything quite like it before, or since to be honest. Although there have been other book launches and signings since, and I've enjoyed them all, there is nothing quite like your first!
There were a lot of people there for that launch on July 3rd, 2006, including my family, colleagues, dignitaries, press etc. If I'm honest, it was a little nerve wracking as I wasn't that used to public speaking and the thought of doing so in front of so many people set my knees a trembling. Thankfully, no one noticed as I stood behind a table when I spoke about my book. :)
cyfarthfa-castle-museum-and-art-gallery-1
Cyfarthfa Castle
All books sold out that day, there wasn't even one left for the mayor, we had to order more. One young woman who had been queuing for ages for me to sign her book, informed me that it was her grandmother who started the cancer charity in the first place. I felt honoured to sign a book for her.
That book was, It Happened One Summer. It really did happen that summer for me! It was the summer my first ever novel was published.
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Me with my writing group who came to the book launch!
If you fancy reading this book...it's available on Kindle and in paperback, though now has a new cover as I parted company with the original publisher. That's another another story in itself! I was fortunate to find a better publisher in New York, who published that book along with its follow-up, Return to Winter. That second book was also sold to raise funds for the charity. Both books are very close to my heart, as you can imagine. Since that time I've now republished them myself as I have more control over my books that way, although I still have two publishers for other books written under a pen name.

Purchase book here!
IHOS

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