Friday, 15 November 2013
Brook Cottage Books is absolutely thrilled to have Lorraine Wilson on the blog today. Both Lorraine and I attended the Festival of Romance last weekend. Lorraine has kindly written a post about what it was like to be at such an event for the first time.
The Festival of Romance, a First-timer's Experience.
I
was told there's no better or more sympathetic audience than other
writers but as I waited for my turn for reading at my very first author
event (Coffee and Cake at The Lane) I felt hideously nervous. Some of
the audience were writers I greatly admire and I had no doubt they could
deconstruct my excerpt and critique it in seconds if they wanted to.
Charlotte
Ledger from Harper Impulse had offered to read for me (I have a brain
injury) but it didn't make it any easier. She started off by telling
everyone I was fabulous which made me want to sink down into the floor.
In fact you can see me to her right, hiding behind the pillar! Only when
she'd finished reading from my second book 'Secrets of a Chalet Girl'
and everyone had listened and laughed in the right places could I
breathe out again! I also had to studiously avoid my mother-in-law's
eye, worried she'd be shocked by the borderline steaminess of the
reading but she coped and said she'd done her teacher training in the
Cardiff Docks area so not much could shock her ;-)
Other
highlights of the weekend for me were seeing the bags I'd made for my
author friends on the Harper Impulse stall in the Romance Fair, meeting
new people (sadly not enough, there were lots of people I'd wanted to
find and say hello to but my energy ran out) including Sammia Rafique
from Avon, Harper Collins. I had a fortifying drink with her, Charlotte
Ledger and Katie Sadler from Harper Collins along with my dog Pip and my
husband before the Awards dinner.
The awards announcements
were another heart-pounding moment but I took a mental step back from
the emotion and found myself thinking about how to describe the
sensation if I were writing it. Yes, it's incurable - I'm a writer to my
core! I was fortunate to be shortlisted for two awards (innovative
author in the Industry awards and best eBook for 'Confessions of a
Chalet Girl'). I didn't win but lost to fellow Harper Impulse authors so
still had something to celebrate. I was also thrilled that Harper
Impulse won the award for most innovative publisher and who could resist
being swept up in the upbeat mood when publishing contracts were handed
out to aspiring authors?
This year was my first experience of
the Festival of Romance and I love that it included readers, book
bloggers, agents and publishers. It's open to everyone so if you love
books too I hope to see you there next year.
'Secrets of a Chalet Girl' is now available from Amazon http://smarturl.it/secretchalet, iTunes, Kobo http://bit.ly/1e0YT9E & Nook http://bit.ly/1dl5cUD and the third in the Chalet Girl series 'Revenge of a Chalet Girl' http://smarturl.it/chaletrevenge is available to pre-order, release date 19th December.
To keep up to date with Chalet Girl Series news checkout my author page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineWilsonWriter
I want a bag!!! Fabulous post. And huge congratulations on being nominated, Lorraine. That's a fabulous achievement! :) xx
Thanks Sheryl! I often make bags for competition giveaways and some of the bags on the stall will be part of giveaways by the other Harper Impulse authors so keep a look out :-)
Sounds like so much fun, Lorraine. Hugs you didn't win. I know I'm biased, but I think you should have!
Great post, Lorraine! I adore your fabulous bags and your writing. I can't wait to get stuck into the second Chalet Girl book! The extract Charlotte read out was wonderful!
Mandy :)
Very talented lady! Thank you for the lovely bags you made me!
It was my first FoR, and I enjoyed listening to the reading from your book, Lorraine. It was one I jotted down on my TBPBS (to be purchased by Santa) list.
Congratulations on your nomination, Lorraine! You'll win next year! :) I heart your bags too!