At the weekend I was walking past our local book shop in Whitchurch when what did I see but my own face staring back at me from a poster in the window! It was the weirdest feeling. (But possibly not quite as weird as the sight of me taking a photo of a photograph of myself in a shop window!)
Bookshrop is the venue for the launch of The Family Trap on Saturday 16th February, and I’m in good company because fellow local author Kate Long is also doing a signing there in March, and Costa First Novel shortlisted author J.W. Ironmonger was there on Saturday.
I popped in to have a chat with him – lovely chap – and bought of copy of his book. It was great to see how the shop will be set up for the day – table right up front, back-drop for posters etc – and it went some way to allay my nerves. Dinah who owns Bookshrop is an old hand at these events so I’m sure she’ll show me the ropes.
Here’s my game-plan for the event so far. Please let me know what you think and if there’s anything I’m missing. All advice gratefully received 
- Send invitations to everyone I know, put event on Facebook and Twitter.
- Contact local press and ask if they’d like to send a photographer or if I can send in my own photos.
- Ask our local school if I can put up a poster or provide flyers.
- Contact local radio and tell them about it too.
- Tie in with Valentine’s Day and run a competition on my blog to win a signed copy of the book.
- Plan a couple of guest posts on select book blogs to promote the launch.
- Add the first chapter to the end of Can’t Live Without along with a link (once The Family Trap is live.)
- Send details into Writing Magazine for their Members’ News section.
- Order books (duh!) to be ready for the day.
- Print out postcards to leave in local shops etc.
- On the day, take some chocolates (Valentine-themed) for the table, a pen, books, postcards and bookmarks, a newsletter sign-up sheet, a folder of reviews for CLW, and a great big smile!
Phew, tired just thinking about it! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my office is now finished and looks fabulous. I’ll be taking you for a guided tour around it on the January vlog post very soon. (The office is very, very small so it won’t take long!)
How exciting, Jo. Looks as if your launch is set to be a lovely do. Good luck with everything – looks as if you’ve got it all under control!
Thanks Lindsay, it is very exciting! x
How exciting! Best of luck!
Thanks Lorna
Jo, how exciting.Hope it goes well, Nikki x
Thanks Nikki x
Sounds very efficient and comprehensive, Jo!
But I’ll also share a tip from another author whose book launch I went to last week, the fab Sandy Osborne who held her event at Waterstones in Bath. It’s a romantic story set in Bath and mentions some local landmarks, including a posh local hotel. She persuaded the hotel to sponsor the event, holding a prize draw on the night for a meal for two there. The hotel was able to come along and set up a stall, chat up punters, etc, and seemed quite happy. (They’ve also booked her to give a talk to their ladies’ lunch club – yes, dead posh, it’s that kind of hotel!!) Check out her website for more info (I’m just updating it for her now – it’s her name plus .com, and her novel is called Girl Cop and is getting fab reviews on Amazon already – you guys have lots in common!
Although you don’t have a local link cited within your book, the fact that it’s a romantic story might enable you to attract some sort of deal that way – and then that sponsor will plug it to their clientele too and reach people who you otherwise wouldn’t know. Or maybe a local estate agent, given that connection? (I won’t suggest the local old folks’ home!!) Or maybe a wedding supplies shop?They could provide props – a wedding dress or wedding shoes and bouquet, similar to those featured on your cover, to be included in your publicity photos of the event and credited to them on your blog; prize draw to win the bouquet. Scatter your signing table with wedding confetti (and outside the shop door to attract attention from passers by), helium wedding balloons attached to your chair/the shop door, wedding favours for the first x customers. Lifesize cardboad cutouts are good props too, could be in the street or in the shop window. Just thinking aloud and rambling now…! Back to you!
Great ideas Debbie! You are an ideas factory
I did think of trying to get some local actors involved, acting out one of the early scenes from the book, dressed in wedding get-up etc, but then decided against it. Love the wedding confetti – definitely use that – and the other ideas are great too 
x
Exciting!!!!!
Now, where is Whitchurch again?
Xx
Thanks Vikki
Shropshire – I know it’s too far for you to come, but I’ll be having another launch online on the 14th. See you then, hopefully 
xxx
Ooooo, yeah, Shropshire is a trek *pouts*
Xx
Looking forward to the office tour!
Meanwhile, I saved this link a while back – it’s full of stuff about preparing for a store book signing… Debbie may already have covered lots of them though…
http://www.writing-world.com/promotion/james.shtml