Launching 'Podevin and the Queen's Death' by Nigel Oakley

I know this blog is called ‘More than Writers,’ but I hope I will be excused this once for writing about my Book Launch. Of course, by the time you read this, the event will be over – but, as it was my first, I was more than a little nervous. Even though it was happening in my own church: Lichfield Methodist.

My first book launch, but my second book: how did that happen? Because, last March, when ‘Warrior Princess, Errant Page’ was launched on an unsuspecting world, I was also in the middle of moving house. This time, I was nearly in the middle of having building work done, but that was (thankfully) put off until next year – so you will have to hear all about that, another time.

My friend and I got 6 boxes of books (around 50 of book 1 and 70 of book 2) and all sorts of other assorted stuff into the car at 8:45, and got ready for a 10a.m. start in church. Having spent all week going backwards and forwards worrying about whether I had got everything in place, of course I ended up with bookstands I didn’t use, posters that had nowhere to be put up, and boxes of books that never got opened. Better that way than to be unprepared, perhaps?

However, on the up side; a friend, who I’ve known for forty years, travelled all the way from Derby to support me. Other friends, more local, also turned up; and I ended up selling eighteen books – which, given the appalling weather, was not too bad. 

Exhausting? Yes. Interesting? Certainly. Worth doing? Possibly not in strict financial terms, but as a means of getting myself – and my writing – known locally, hopefully the answer to that is ‘yes.’ And, of course, I do have somewhere to launch book 3 in the series – once I’ve written it …

Nigel Oakley

Nigel was originally a Shropshire lad, being born and raised in Shrewsbury. His teaching career took him from the south-west of England to Teesside via Botswana, Africa. He has also served as World Development Officer for the Diocese of Durham for five years. Now settled back in the West Midlands, he spends his time writing novels, short stories, and other pieces – as well as sorting his house out! His website is www.nigeloakleywrites.com