So the topic of my launch party came up yesterday. Very exciting. I've been daydreaming what it'll be like for years. I want to have orange roses. And a band to do some Nina Simone covers (I have a wonderful singer in mind and as soon as I have a date nailed down, I'm going to ask her). Of course, serve something with orange mint and honey (my book has recipes, which I'll be posting closer to pub date).
But yesterday I was teased that the menu better be right and the venue better be right. I'm starting to get a little anxious (a little like the "one special day" wedding craziness).
With the anthology, the local contributors and I met for dinner at the Fourth Story (which doesn't exist anymore) before our group reading, then we read downstairs to a huge audience at the Tattered Cover, and that was the book launch. And it was fabulous. Put the book on the Denver Post best-seller list.
When my first book came out I had a launch party at my gym, of all places. But it was a fancy gym. (This was back when I was a gym kind of person.) They'd just opened a new coffee bar and the manager offered to do my party for $100. An offer I couldn't refuse. She catered cookies, treats and fancy coffee drinks. Friends brought flowers and champagne and I brought a couple boxes of books to sell. It was great.
And there were other signings and other parties (I'm a big one for stretching out the celebrations.), as I hope there will be with this book. But now I'm a little more in the know about marketing and such so I have higher expectations, I guess. Or maybe it's because I've had all this time to dream. I always imagined a spring release, but I thought that would be April and I could have a garden party. First week in March is iffy here for something outdoors. But maybe I could do an afternoon at the Denver Botanic Gardens? Or an evening soiree at a restaurant after the reading? Or the African American Research Library? Maybe save the garden party for a mothers and daughters event around Mother's Day?
Anybody got any ideas? If you had or attended a book launch party that was especially great, please let me know what made it so. Besides tying the theme to the book, what other considerations should I be looking at?
10 comments:
Oooooh, I love party ideas! You could work something out with an art gallery (pros: lots of open floor space for musicians, food & drinks, etc.), I don't know if Ferrill House is possible but there would be plenty of room and parking, I love the Botanical Gardens idea -- Hmm, I've got my thinking cap on...
I thought of Ferrill House. That's definitely on the list. So too is The Mercury Cafe. Ever been? Have to figure out if this shindig is going to be the same day as the signing or some other time.
I've never been, but Scott has and he says it's great -- I checked out the website and it looks very cool.
THanks for coming by my blog! I'm so glad you did. I just read your excerpt and it made me a little teary and desperate to read more. Since you are talking about your book release, I am assuming it is coming out soon? I will definitely be buying a copy. I wish I was near you and Lisa so I could go to your book launch! I'm sure it will be great, but I do love the Botanical Gardens idea. I think anywhere you can get additional traffic that might be meandering through is a good thing! Perhaps you can do a separate tea on MOther's day. Congratulations on your book launch!
Ello, Thanks for coming by MY blog! And thanks for reading the excerpt. Feb. 26th is my pub date.
Lisa, You are the Queen of All Bloggia. Thanks for all your comments. You should def check out The Merc. Artist central. The lighting is good to write by, too.
Carleen stop worrying! Geez Louise, you've got a BOOK about to be PUBLISHED with a MAJOR house! Everyone at LLL just wants a reason to party; I can tell from one meeting they're all heavy-duty partiers. :) Any place you pick and any food or drink will be fine. We're all going to be happy you're happy and at this point we're just looking forward to celebrating with you...sounds like your wedding day after all, doesn't it?
I'm not really worried. I'm excited, actually. But thanks! And you're right, those LLL ladies will rock the house no matter what! :-)
carleen! reading about your launch is making me excited and nervous as well. i know that it will be great! it is so good to see other writers further along the path. it makes this stack of pages that i'm wrestling feel more real. like it really can be a book. i don't know your area, but my friend ronlyn domingue (the mercy of thin air) had a lovely book signing in an art gallery. her book is set in new orleans, and there happened to be a great exhibit of new orleans photography up.
Hi Jamey, Yes keeping visualizing yourself at your own book launch. Got me through some scary times. Your friend's party sounds perfect - though as Karen says - I'm sure they all are, after all it's a celebration of a lot of hard work and dreams coming true. Nothing bad about that!
That's a nice idea, Carleen, especially if you can tie in with an artist of garden prints or something else that's springy and cheerful and floral...hmmmm.
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