12. Getting Invitations

Getting Invitations – The fear and fun of PR: In between some of the my previous postings I’ve been drawn into my first few bits of PR. In March 2013, not long after that final re-write I attended the inaugural Penguin Crime Drinks. The purpose of the event was to introduce to invited press, bloggers and buyers the authors and crime books Penguin were to publish that year. As you may recall from blog #9, my book was not due to be published until 2014. There was a beautifully printed folded pamphlet with each 2013 book and there, at the back in smaller print, me and three others to look forward to in 2014, all debutants.
Our editor stood on a chair and said lovely things about each book and author in turn, including us starry-eyes newbies! The event also allowed us to meet our marketing team, all the lovely, hardworking people who had been and continue to beaver away furiously on our behalf behind the scenes. My list of lovely people gets ever longer, and I can’t thank you all enough.
July 2013 saw me invited to Crime in the Court, a drinks evening hosted by the wonderful independent Goldsboro Book in Cecil Court, London – Thanks David.

This year’s Penguin crime drinks in March 2014, was a triumph too, and so much fun, thanks in no small part to my personal PR chaperone, FR – thanks so much!

(ps: Top marks to any eagle-eyed readers visitors who spotted the original title of Book1)