It's starting to happen...

It’s August 1^st… I’m in Kildare… Yesterday I got word from the publisher that the date and the venue for the launch of the book have been confirmed!! The invitations, posters and advertisements in the local papers, can now start to spread! Yes! So, this is how it stands today: the book is at the printers and 100s of copies should be ready by next week (not sure of the exact amount). The book will start to spread across the country and further afield (seeing as though we’re using our great friend Amazon and Kindle!) from the end of August. The celebration of the release will be on the 23^rd of August. This is our ‘big’ launch date!  

The launch itself will be held in a little book café in Gorey town (10 minutes south of Arklow). We weren’t initially going to organize a launch, but the way it came about, was too coincidental for us NOT to do it. It happened a few weeks ago. I was walking down a laneway in Arklow, passed by a flower shop. It had a box of second-hand books outside and there was one of Paulo Coelho that caught my eye. I hadn’t read it yet, so I picked it up and went into the flower shop to pay. I’d never been in there before, but saw that there was an extension at the back. It was full of arts, crafts and more second hand books. I was browsing and amazed by some of the paintings that a local artist had done. Then the lady running the shop offered me a tea! Who am I to say no! So we started chatting about the artwork and we got on to the subject of writing… For some reason she said: ‘you must be a good writer’. That’s something debatable I guess… but I slowly started telling her I was getting my first book published. 

She went on to tell me about a book launch she’d only recently been to, and the venue of the launch. It had taken place in a little snug coffee shop (called the Book Café) in Gorey town and she really 'sold' it by saying how perfect it was for a personal, more ‘intimate’ launch, as it was small and in a relaxed atmosphere. She knew the owners were willing to host more book launches to support local authors who are only starting out… Of course hearing this, alarm-bells started going off! It sounded perfect: a coffee shop (ANY coffee shop is where I love to write the most), a book shop (well, needless to say, that’s almost toooooo suiting!). Also the fact that it’s outside of Arklow means we’ll attract more of a variety of people and word on the book will hopefully spread faster. So, I was buzzing with excitement, when I was speaking with this lady. She was too. We exchanged numbers, promised to be in touch, we hugged (only strangers 15 minutes ago!) and I went on my way… 

I was totally blown away by what had just happened! Why? Because, when I woke up that morning (and when I walked in to pay for the book), I wasn't looking to find an answer as to what road to go down, in regards to the launch and the publicity of the book. I wasn’t searching for anything when I walked in, but when I walked out I felt like I’d been given the ‘go’ sign, to put the happening of the launch into motion. So what did I do?! I jumped on the next bus to Gorey town to see the Book Café for myself and to speak with the owners. And 3 hours later (after sitting the in café (that actually WAS exactly how the lady in the flower shop had described it), drinking yummy drinks, taking in the atmosphere and writing my heart out in my journal) I spoke with the owners, who were more than happy to host the launch... We exchanged numbers, I promised to be in touch, I hopped on the bus…and couldn’t believe how amazing life can sometimes be! I know it might sound so petty to a lot of people that something so ‘normal’ can be so exciting… But it’s like this: everything that comes along my path, WITHOUT me searching for it, is confirmation that I’m on the right track in life and that things really ARE unfolding, even when I'm not trying to control these forces. It’s all simply meant to be! Wouw… this is life in full flow!

The publisher was just as excited as I was, when I told her about the venue. And so we set the date for the 23^rd of August. I’ll be giving a reading, probably do some talking and book signings. A few local newspapers are being invited as well as presenters from the local radio station. After the launch, the promotion will start. But that's for a later date... Because for now we’re taking it one step at a time. And today I’m soooo excited to see it unfolding like this! I’ll be sure to update on where exactly the book will be available and of course how the promotion will take off. Happy days!