You already knew I wasn’t here today. I’m off visiting with Patricia Sands and Ashley Stoyanoff, but my social calendar has filled up a wee bit more. I’ve been invited to Carol E. Wyer’s Surfing in Stilettos Blog Party and how could I refuse such an invitation?
So I’ve narrowed it down to two pairs of party shoes and am whizzing back across the pond to join Carol at her Blog Party at www.facing50withhumour.blogspot.co.uk Come and join me for some fantastic prizes, surprises, and desirable shoes.
Not as such. But, the three blogs I’m visiting today are all in my hometown of Brockville. I need an easy day like this to rest up after the hectic schedule I set myself up for. Yeesh… wouldn’t you think I could have been a bit more coordinated rather than jetting all over from point A to B and back again? Over and over again. Oh well, at least I’m only travelling virtually. If it were for real, I would have the UK and European stops together and the same with the North American ones.
So where am I today? Well, three members of my local writers’ group – Writers’ Ink – have agreed to host me.
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My first stop today is with Joe Mossman. Back in January, Joe and I were guests on the local cable company’s program Reader’s Corner. You can see his interview with me on his blog joe-mossman.blogspot.com. Hope Joe has the coffee on. After my hectic schedule, I’ll need the caffeine jolt to get me kick-started this morning.
My last stop is with Dorothy Bush. She’s invited me for high tea. Hmm… wonder what we’ll be having? No coffee at this time of day, but a tipple of something just in keeping with the occasion. Dorothy blogs at Twisting in the Wind. Maybe if she hasn’t put her motorcycle away for the season, she’ll take me out for a short ride.
Drop back tomorrow and see what part of the world I’ll be visiting.
I couldn’t have scripted my hometown launch any better if I tried. Everything went so smoothly. Before the launch started, I was interviewed by Doreen Barnes for Brock News TV. I’m not sure when it will be available online but I will pass the link on when I get it. The interview took place in the library at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort, directly across the hall from the media lounge where my launch was held.
Now I decided that I couldn’t wear the same ensemble today that I wore in Kansas but footwear definitely worked into the equation. I mean a newly published author can’t always wear the same clothes to every event.
My launch ensemble
In the beginning there weren’t many people in the room but at 2:00, we started anyway. Doreen introduced me and I spoke about the background information on my book and then read an excerpt before the floor was opened up for questions.
Behind the podium during my presentation
While I was in my element in front of the crowd, the room began to fill up. Undistracted by the interruption, I carried on. By the time, I was wrapping up my reading it was practically standing room only.
Signing my first of 22 copiesTime to get out more books
Many of the people who came to my signing wanted to get their photo taken with me. Who woulda thunk it? People wanting to get their picture taken avec moi.
Sue Bowen (one of my beta readers of an earlier draft) and meAnne’s (who I dedicated my book to) family
The day turned out better than I could have hoped for. Signed and sold 22 copies! Wow!
At 2:00 pm today, I’ll be at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort (corner of King and Market St East) in downtown Brockville talking about and reading from my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past,published by 4RV Publishing.
If you’re in the Brockville area, come down to The Wedgewood. Admission to the event is free. Enter via the Market St entrance.
I’d love to see you there… not to mention sell you a copy of my book and sign it for you.
Gilli Allan’s new cover for both her ebook paperback will be available on September 22nd!
Same great novel… great new appearance, designed by Gilli, herself.
Gilli is thrilled to be able to offer her novel in a new format for those who don’t have e-readers or those who do but love a physical book.
Torn:
You can escape your old life, but can you ever escape yourself?
Jessica Avery is a woman in her early thirties with a three year old son, Rory. She has made a series of wrong choices in her life – job, men and life-style. Her job came to a disastrous conclusion. The men in her life have let her down and her life-style involved too many pills, parties and promiscuity. But she believes that by quitting her old relationship and moving from London to the country, she has escaped all that. Her choice now is to live a steady, responsible life in a tranquil new environment, putting her son’s needs and her role as mother as her number one priority.
But she finds country life less serene and bucolic than she expected. Her ex-partner tracks her down and assaults her as she leaves a local pub. Luckily, a witness to the encounter steps in and helps to defuse the situation, but she is left badly shaken. As an in-comer – and even worse, an ex-investment banker – Jessica is not made very welcome by the local mothers. Then there is the management of the rural landscape – the interests of commerce versus the preservation of the environment – which begins to engage her interest and concern. She wonders if leaving London was the right move.
The narrative is played out against the low-key background story of a proposed by-pass to the local town. Initially Jessica favours a new road until she realizes the route it might take, tearing through the landscape she’s come to love. She is torn between the pragmatic and the romantic decision. The friends Jess makes represent the differing positions. There is Danny Bowman, the counter-culture shepherd; his employer, James Warwick, affluent widowed farmer and father to three year old daughter, Sasha; Gilda Warwick, James’s match-making mother; and Sheila, the feminist nursery school owner.
The title – ‘Torn’ – can also be understood as referring to the personal choices which confront Jessica. Despite vowing she wants no emotional entanglements in her life, she is attracted to two very different men. She finds, to her cost, that in the face of temptation it is not so easy to throw off old habits and responses. She is a woman who claims she has never been in love. Eventually she is prompted to re-evaluate this stance and to admit to herself, that beyond an undeniable physical attraction, she has indeed fallen in love, but with which one – the suitable man or the unsuitable boy?
Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s about time you posted pictures. So here you go folks, and not necessarily in any order!
one of the boxes of my books
Ah, one of three boxes of my author copies. Even before I cracked open the box, I held one copy that my publisher had in her stuff that she wanted me to sign. Anyway, you should have seen the Canada Customs guy’s look when I declared them and the ones I bought. Me: I bought some books. Him: $700? Me: Also have the author copies of my novel. Him: smiled and stamped my declaration form.
the venue at the Kansas History Museum
We were in the large double tent in the middle of the photo. This picture was taken on the advance scouting mission that Carla and I went on Friday afternoon.
Author Galand Nuchols, my editor Carla Ralston, author Jacque Graham and me
My book is in the top of the rack on the right. It’s also displayed on an easel in a more prominent position… see here.
the adult and YA titles. A Shadow in the Past is on the right
I thought the best feeling I ever had was holding my book for the first time. It still remains special but I think my first sale was even more special.
my first sale – photo by Vivian Zabel
What a rush selling my first book! I can’t put the feeling of euphoria into words. Then I went on and sold 6 more!
chatting up a buyer and her hubby who gives the thumbs up for the purchase – photo by Vivian ZabelJanet Brown, me, and Galund Nuchols with our books that debuted at the Kansas Book Festival
Here I am with my editor, Carla. We had such a good time working on A Shadow in the Past. There were times that we both thought we shared the same brain we had such a great connection.
Carla and me … and I’m wearing my “ruby slippers”
Even with the fun as I had in Kansas, memories I’ll cherish forever, as Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz – there’s no place like home.
Now I’m looking towards the launch in my hometown on September 22nd.
Releasing her very first novel is author Melanie Robertson-King whose book launch of A Shadow in the Past will take place at 2 p.m., on Saturday, September 22 at the Wedgewood Retirement Resort.
Nineteen year old protagonist Sarah Shand finds herself in love with Blair, who cheats on her with Sarah’s best friend. Distraught and not knowing what to do, Sarah takes sleeping pills to mask the heartbreak. She leaves the family farmhouse and wanders out into the night, becomes disoriented and suddenly hears screeching brakes.
Waking up in the Victorian Era of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Sarah encounters strange customs, eccentric characters, and a sharp spoken granddad, but also a dashing suitor, the Laird of Weetshill.
Sarah struggles with the secret of her true identity. Will Sarah ever return to the 21st Century?
Has Sarah found true love? If so, at what cost?
This event is free to the public with entry into the Wedgewood Retirement Resort at 15 Market Street East, Brockville.
Well my ruby slippers, suitcases full of my novel and my ruby slippers are back in Missouri.
The last few days have just flown by so quickly. Still I wouldn’t have traded the experience for all the world.
The last two evenings, Carla and I spent having “slumber parties” with Vivian and Jacque flitting back and forth between our rooms by way of the adjoining doors. We yacked about books and authors and all things writerly and anywhere in between.
Saying our goodbyes this morning was bittersweet. We’ll continue to keep in contact through email and Facebook but there’s no guarantee we’ll meet up with each other in person again.
Galund and Janet (the two other authors who had books debut at the festival) were great fun, too. I’m certain the friendships we forged this weekend will last for many years to come.
My suitcases are fully loaded with books. The one weighed in at 50 pounds give or take and the smaller one at about 45. Hopefully they’ll take the combined total weight and I’ll be under 100 pounds total.
My flight leaves the airport at 7:40 tomorrow morning so it will be another early morning but at least we’re only about 10-15 minutes from the airport.
I had a fantastic time at the book festival. I heard later that they had 2000 people there. I don’t know how they tracked it because admission to the event was free.
The best part of all was selling my first book. That felt every bit as good as holding a copy in my hands for the very first time. Then I went on to sell six more! Yippee! I was told I was a natural seller so we’ll see how well that trend continues when I have my launch in Brockville next Saturday.
I’ve got some great photos to share with you when I get home.
Tomorrow Carla and I male our way back to the airport at Kansas City and prepare ourselves for our early Monday morning flights.
This has been a truly unforgettable weekend and it’s not over yet.
My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King
