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.