On Saturday, I attended the book launch for Beelzebelle, the latest in the Clovenhoof comic fantasy series written by Heide Goody and Iain Grant.
Hosting a good book launch is important because it can raise awareness of your novel, whilst allowing you and your loved ones to let off steam after months of hard work.
I have attended Heide and Iain's previous book launches and they are always a fun, casual affair. This was their most relaxed book launch to date, with no formal speeches or readings. They simply hired a room at Bacchus Bar (a fantastic dungeon-esque Birmingham haunt) and gathered writers, readers, bloggers and guests for free drinks and networking. I spent a good deal of the evening with fellow Birmingham authors Katharine D'Souza and James Brogden, reviewed elsewhere on this blog.
Naturally, there were books for sale but this was the only clue that a book launch was taking place. Well, not quite. Heide and Iain always find a fun way to bring elements of their books to their launches. Beelzebelle is about Clovenhoof adopting a baby, so there were also complimentary candy dummies and the opportunity to be photographed with a hideous baby doll.
Coincidentally, I became a Daddy recently, so when this picture appeared on Facebook, I had to clarify that the baby doll was not my own newborn!
The event certainly inspired me to host my own book launch. I have never hosted my own event before, although I did participate in The One Big Book Launch and the Circ book launch, and I would love to deliver a launch as fun and relaxed as this one.
Hosting a good book launch is important because it can raise awareness of your novel, whilst allowing you and your loved ones to let off steam after months of hard work.
I have attended Heide and Iain's previous book launches and they are always a fun, casual affair. This was their most relaxed book launch to date, with no formal speeches or readings. They simply hired a room at Bacchus Bar (a fantastic dungeon-esque Birmingham haunt) and gathered writers, readers, bloggers and guests for free drinks and networking. I spent a good deal of the evening with fellow Birmingham authors Katharine D'Souza and James Brogden, reviewed elsewhere on this blog.
Naturally, there were books for sale but this was the only clue that a book launch was taking place. Well, not quite. Heide and Iain always find a fun way to bring elements of their books to their launches. Beelzebelle is about Clovenhoof adopting a baby, so there were also complimentary candy dummies and the opportunity to be photographed with a hideous baby doll.
Coincidentally, I became a Daddy recently, so when this picture appeared on Facebook, I had to clarify that the baby doll was not my own newborn!
The event certainly inspired me to host my own book launch. I have never hosted my own event before, although I did participate in The One Big Book Launch and the Circ book launch, and I would love to deliver a launch as fun and relaxed as this one.