WOW! My busy author adventures over the last few weeks… including a book launch and new cover reveal for 2025!
And… take a breath! WOW what a few weeks it has been. I’m not sure where to start ((Ideally at the beginning as you confuse everyone enough as it is with your Yorkshire waffling)) I’m writing this as the latest storm batters the UK and the boat is rocking and the water levels rising. ((Good job you have a boat then Peachy!))
On Saturday the 30th November I ran my first ever book stall in the Buttermarket in Newark. I basically spent the day catching up with old friends as I used to live and work in Newark ((we use the term ‘work’ very loosely)) and so many wonderful friends came along to support me and buy my new canal book, Lost the Plot as well as selling a few other books. I’m not sure it would be financially worth doing if I didn’t have a new book out, but I really enjoyed the day spent with friends who also had stalls, and Alice joined me whose has her AMAZING pirate duck story in Lost the Plot.
This weekend involved a lot of travelling as many of you will know we are now moored in Warwick for the winter and mid-renovation of our narrowboat bedroom. I don’t ever recommend taking on a massive project whilst publishing a book. I don’t even have my Christmas decorations up and normally they are put up on the 1st of December – that’s how busy I’ve been! ((You should be ashamed!))
On Sunday 1st December we travelled back to Newark as I had my first ever book launch for Lost the Plot at Letsxcape café which is a fabulous independent gaming café in the wonderful market square. I must admit I was a bit nervous and deciding to offer a canal related quiz was a bit ambitious but it went very well and by the end of the weekend, I’d sold out of my first batch of books and had to order more, which was fantastic. The special edition bookmarks were a huge success.
I also shared a sneak preview of my mystery book, One Step Ahead based on the wonderful Island of Jersey which will be out in 2025! ((you’ve only written this so you can visit Jersey for the book launch!)) and your point is? Anyway, I hope you love the cover. I will keep you posted on the exact publication dates.
It has cost me around £500 to bring Lost the Plot alive, including the cover design, typesetting, editing, proof copies and everything else so I need to sell 150 – 300 copies to break even. As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, the profit from books bought directly from Amazon are very small. I make a reasonable profit on paperbacks I sell directly but due to the size of the book it costs £3.95 to post, so unless people want to pay the postage costs as well that’s not a viable option. ((There you go Peachy. I always knew your waffling would cost money in the long run!))
My book sales direct and online have now topped over a hundred sales which is truly amazing and I am so thankful for all the support from my wonderful friends and family and with sales like this, it means that people who don’t know me are also buying copies so the marketing is working.
I have lots of marketing to do and ideas for the book over the coming months. ((This book is not just for Christmas!)) exactly Brackets, before turning my attention to writing that psychological thriller I’ve been promising for 6 years which I absolutely cannot wait to share with you. I AM SO EXCITED to finally bring Hope and Tom into the world ((I’m a bit scared of Tom to be honest)) You’re not the only one Brackets!
Right, that’s it from me. I hope everyone has an amazing Christmas and new year and I will leave you alone until after the new year. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, bought me a coffee, watched the vlogs (( Peachy forgot to mention that she’s just celebrated her 100th vlog!)), bought and shared my books. Left a review on Goodreads or Amazon and helped me along the way with encouragement. You’re the best and here’s to 2025 arriving in the not too distant future filled with more book launches, my 50th ((never… being sarcastic in case you didn’t realise)) and lots of narrowboat cruising and adventures.
Much love, Peachy ((and me)) xxxx
Click here to have a sneak peek of Lost the Plot
YouTube Channel – Watch our narrowboat adventures here
Patreon account – get early access to vlogs and you find out our plans first!
Bombay Circle Press – My Indian publisher based in Mumbai
Powertheauthor – Buy me a coffee here – saving up to upgrade my website so i can have a virtual bookshop! Until then you can buy from Amazon…
Amazonlink – Fantasy, travelogues, thrillers, romance and more…
