Book launch

This was actually from the trial run we had in St Agnes a month ago, while I'm waiting for Andy's pictures to come back from last night.

It's nerve racking, having a book launch. Like any party, you want it to go well, but you also want to sell books - obviously. Celia's paintings were also on sale - lovely ones of each of the walks in my book, so we arrived at A Curious Hall in Falmouth yesterday afternoon to set up. It was locked. I knocked on the door. Nothing. We sat in the van, in the pouring rain then agreed with Celia that we would go and see if Blue (the owner of the hall) was at home, and sped off across Falmouth. By the time we'd got there (he wasn't in), we had not only devised several other places as Plan B to have the launch party, but Celia rang to say that he was at the hall - the relief! And we sped back to set up.

It takes a while, setting up books but luckily I had dear Mel and Joe to help as well as Mr B, and Celia's husband helped her - she had 12 paintings to put on easels and prints to show as well so it took her a lot longer, but eventually it was all done, and we set off for a coffee and sandwich while Celia and Steve went off for fish and chips.

We arrived back at 6pm and there's that tense half hour while we waited to see who would turn up. Luckily lots of people did, enjoyed my reading from the book, and I sold a healthy number of books which was very cheering. The only sad thing was that my two singing friends, John and Heather, couldn't come as they were both ill, which meant we couldn't sing, and another friend was stricken with lurgy so she couldn't come either.

That apart, it was a good evening, though I realised this morning that I didn't have a chance to talk to any of my friends, other than a snatched word. But it was worth it to sell those books!

We headed off for a bite to eat later and got home in good time - and sober - which was a bonus. I woke this morning full of a glowing optimism (which, being realistic, may not last but is pleasant while it does). Financial problems may not be solved in any way, but at least there are a few possibilities on the horizon. It's called diversifying, I believe.