Launching a book into the world

On a beautiful sunny afternoon in Sydney, a couple of weeks ago, over one hundred little girls and almost as many accompanying mums and dad waited on the wharf at Circular Quay to board the MV 2000 - for a book launch.  It seemed a bit surreal at the time and I was pretty overwhelmed that all of those people were there to help me launch Alice-Miranda’s latest adventure Alice-Miranda At Sea.  It was quite literally, a launch on a launch!  The atmosphere on board was fizzing.  A smorgasbord of cakes and finger sandwiches, champagne for the grown-ups, cordial and tea of course was on offer as we sailed around the harbour taking in the sights.

After all it was billed as a ‘High Tea at Sea’.  For me the cruise was about talking to the children, signing their books and smiling a lot for photographs – I couldn’t tell you where we went – other than we just happened to be passing by a P&O Liner when I was making my speech – which was timely given that we’d originally hoped to have the launch on that ship!



I know that many people say a book launch is the author’s moment in the sun, and yes it’s lovely to be recognised for your efforts but for me the launch is so much more than that.  It’s an opportunity to publicly thank everyone who supports this busy ‘second career’ of mine.  My family and my husband and of course everyone at Random House who work so hard to make Alice-Miranda the best she can be.  I think the real reason for having a book launch though, especially when you’re a children’s author is to meet the children.  To talk to the readers about Alice-Miranda, what they like?  What they don’t like?  Where they want her to go next?

Working in a school, I know that children love to read series’; they love to get to know the characters and feel that they can be a part of the adventures.  I welcome feedback from the readers and it great to talk to them about their opinions.  There’s a lot of planning that goes into a launch and I know from personal experience that they are can be met with varying shades of success.  Launches are hard work but when the planets align and it all comes together they are extremely rewarding and lots of fun.  So that’s why I’m already on the hunt for a suitable rooftop, preferably on a skyscraper in the Sydney CBD to launch Alice-Miranda In Manhattan.

 

Recently I’ve asked the readers of Alice-Miranda where they would like to see her go next.  There’s a survey on her blog http://alice-miranda.blogspot.com/