The northern launch
October 16th, 2011
Why have one book launch when you can have two? That was my thinking, anyway, and seeing I was born in Launceston, in northern Tasmania, and the very nice Fullers Bookshop people had invited me to visit on Saturday October 15th, I decided to turn it into a second launch.
Two very sinister characters
And what a launch it was! Nella Pickup, who did most of the organising, had bought a whole lot of blank masks, and we invited people to come half an hour early and decorate them.
As you can see, they turned out brilliantly. Some were mysterious, some were funny, some were beautiful and some were definitely sinister!
In the end we had to tear people away from the mask-making table to begin the launch itself. That bit was fun too.
Definitely mysterious!
Nella welcomed everyone, then Michelle O’Byrne, who is the Minister for Children (and who has a daughter who loved Museum of Thieves), asked the children in the audience why they liked reading. They came up with brilliant reasons, my favourite being that it takes you to different worlds.
Then we had two reviews from Joe and Katie, who had read advance copies of City of Lies. I had a moment of terror beforehand. What if they hated it? What if they stood up in front of all these people and said, ‘This was a truly horrible book and I would rather drown in dog vomit than be forced to read it again.’ 🙂 But phew, they both loved it – though Katie wished it was longer because she wanted to keep reading.
After that, I read an extract from the chapter called ‘To the Docks’, where Goldie and Toadspit have to track the men who have stolen Bonnie.
Very elegant masks, these two
Then we had the lucky door prize. And then, with Michelle leading the countdown, we unmasked both humans and book, and sent the latter out into the world with a roar.
It was fun. I met lots of nice people, including Romi from the northwest coast, who I’ve been corresponding with for a while now (check out her very nice review of City of Lies here), signed heaps of books and came away very satisfied. My only concern is – the masks were such a good idea … what on earth are we going to do next year, to match them, for the Path of Beasts launch????? Mind you, I do have twelve months to work it out. 😉
More gorgeous and creative masks below!
12 thoughts on “The northern launch”
Leave a Reply
About Lian
Lian Tanner has been dynamited while scuba diving and arrested while busking. She once spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, hunting for a Japanese soldier left over from the Second World War. Nowadays she lives by the beach in southern Tasmania.
More about Lian
YAY! It was so fun! Thanks for the picture and mention! ( :
Romi.x
It looked like a lot of fun.:)
Definitely! Wish you could have been there, Hannah. 🙂
i just got you book from barnes and noble and im about to snuggle up with some hot chocolate and read for a few hours.
Hmm.. It seems to me, that we found the way to bring some spirit of your books (MASKS!) here in Russia =)
i just finished city of lies! it was AMAZING!!! now i want to go to the festival of lies XD
Hooray, I’m glad you liked it, Christine! And if you manage to find where the Festival of Lies is being held, let me know. I’ll come with you. 🙂
That was awesome! I so wnt to be at a launch. thanks for the bookplates by the way-totally wicked! Can you buy the book at the launch?
Hi Lily, yes, you’ll definitely be able to buy the third book at the launch. AND get it signed. 😀
Aw, sweet! When is the next launch on?
I don’t have exact dates yet, Lily, but both the Hobart launch and the Launceston launch will be in October. Most likely, the Launceston one will be either Saturday 13th or 20th October. Probably 20th, because I think 13th is Show Day.
Yokay. Oh, and thw little extra bit you gave me with the bookplates . . . I love it! I know more about everyone now. (Except Gaurdian Hope is still a mean old fart.) The other two messages where nice aswell, and the bit “Pateince + stubborness” made me and my ma laugh.