‘Sunker’s Deep’ (The Hidden #2) was launched in Hobart last Sunday – and what a launch it was! We turned the Founder’s Room into a submarine, with portholes instead of windows. We had shadow puppets, games, reviews from readers, and a most unwelcome visitor in the form of Chief Engineer Albie. 😉

To start with, here’s what people saw as they came in:

One of the portholes

And then this:

Another porthole

Mistress of Ceremonies Mel King had people answering questions and doing actions such as ‘Raise the periscope!’ and ‘Dive!’ which got very chaotic and enjoyable:

Playing the ‘Claw’ game

About halfway through we had a reading with shadow puppets – I’m kicking myself for not having got someone to video it:

And then of course Chief Engineer Albie arrived (despite the guards I had on the doors) and disrupted the lucky door prize by making the winner walk the plank. (He apparently thought he was in Pirates of the Caribbean.)

Albie drags Emma Lee away to walk the plank. Note her distress – and my completely genuine horror 🙂

Finally, we had the countdown – which we do every year – and then I signed books.

Signing books

I’m pretty sure that everyone who was there had a lot of fun, and left clutching their copies of ‘Sunker’s Deep’. I hope you are also clutching yours. 🙂 If you’ve read it, go to the Sunker Goodreads page and give us a review. And THEN, if you liked it, go to the KZone Awards, click on ‘Boy Books’, and vote for Sunker’s Deep.

Oops, nearly forgot: all these photos were taken by one of our official launch photographers, Jacinta Chandler. I’ve still got some more photos to come from our second photographer, Maisie. I’ll put them up when I get them.

And the day after tomorrow, I’m off to Melbourne to talk at schools and visit bookshops. The schools are Marri Creek Primary and Clifton Hill Primary (Wednesday 12th November), and Sandringham East Primary, Sandringham Primary and Haileybury College (Thursday 13th November). On the Wednesday, I’ll also be talking at the Little Bookroom (Carlton North store) at 4 pm. If you’re in Melbourne, I hope to see you at one of those places!