Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Book Launches by Betsy Ashton

I LOVE BOOK LAUNCHES. I really did mean to shout. I love hosting book launches. I love launching my own books. They are happy times when an author, especially a debut author, holds up a book, reads from it, answers questions, and sells copies.

I've hosted two events at my house in the past eighteen months or so. The first was for Kimberly Dalferes when her second book, Magic Fishing Panties, was released. I filled my house with friends, both hers and mine, asked her to talk about the humor essay collection, and read. She left them laughing with her title story about her mother-in-law who gave all the women in the family magic fishing panties. You see, the family did annual salmon fishing outings in Alaska. If the women wore these magic panties, they caught fish. If not... The funniest section was when Kimba wrote about trying to use the "bucket" on the pitching fishing boat. Not easy to shed foul-weather gear, squat, and not fall over. Kinda like Erma Bombeck reminding women not to wear a jumpsuit on an airplane. Lots of cake, salty snacks, wine.

Last month, I hosted my critique partner's launch. He refused to let me take a picture of him with his book--ugh, so hokey--but did let me take one of the books laid out on a table. M.C. ("Mark") Young's book, No One Has Or Ever Will, is a coming-of-age tale about four friends from high school who grow up against the backdrop of the turbulent Sixties. No spoilers here, but none of the foursome makes it through high school and college unscathed by the events that shape their lives. The loss of Camelot with President Kennedy's assassination is the first smash-in-the-face reality check, followed by the war in Vietnam, Watts, Detroit. So many dark events, but still the main character keeps his sense of humor. On one triple date, he realizes he's going to have to date dumber girls. Lots of wonderful cake baked by Mark's wife, salty snacks and plenty of wine.

Nothing in my memory has equaled my release day for Uncharted Territory, the second Mad Max mystery. I was in a dentist's chair getting my teeth cleaned and polished. Yes, at the dentist on release day. I don't remember having a launch party. I think this image of me with my bib on was more than enough launch excitement. Did I forget to say that this was tax day? It was. What's not to like with a dental visit on tax day? My little heart was going pitty-pat.

I have a new book launching next month. Eyes Without A Face is different from anything I have done before. I'll give you more of a preview in my next post. Leave it to say, this stand-alone psychological suspense novel is dark.

8 comments:

Diane Burton said...

Your book launch parties sound like so much fun. Will you do one for me? LOL It might be a hike for my friends to come, though. Kimberly's story about the fishing panties was a hoot. What fun that party must have been. Loved the story (and picture) about you celebrating your launch in the dentist's chair. All kinds of ways to launch a book. :)

Jannine Gallant said...

I've never done a launch party, but it sounds like a blast. Everyone I know turned out for my first local book signing, but the novelty of Jannine the Author wore off after the first book. Maybe if there was wine involved, they'd be more interested...

Alicia Dean said...

I love this idea!! OMG, what a fun thing to do. Maybe myself and some of my author friends can do these for one another periodically. LOL, dentist and tax day??? Sounds like launch day from HELL.

Brenda whiteside said...

I want you to do one for me too! I had one for my very first book back in 2010. I rented an artsy studio in St Paul, MN and tons of people came. It was so much fun. Gosh. I need to do another one!

Andrea Downing said...

Where do I sign up and where do you live? I'm moving. . .

Rolynn Anderson said...

Yes, this is how it's done! We hate tooting our own horn...so give parties to each other! Fabulous. Thanks for the idea, Betsy!

Margo Hoornstra said...

Fantastic ideas, launch parties. I want one too. My next release is this Friday. No dentist appointment scheduled, but it's my husband's birthday and, hopefully, the day he gets out of the hospital after shoulder replacement. Gotta be a party in all that somewhere, eh?

Leah St. James said...

Jumping on the I LOVE THIS IDEA train! I had a big launch party for my first book back in NJ. It seemed like everyone I had ever known showed up...including a few old bosses from about 50 miles away! I actually ran out of books! (Boy did I feel awful.) I haven't done a launch party since, but I love the idea of hosting for a fellow author.