Never tell an author you don't like books - they'll see it as a challange

5 Things you should never say to an author at a book signing...

1.   My child is too young for books. It doesn’t matter what age your child is, they are definitely not too young for books! Babies can enjoy books right from the start, and what a lovely activity to it is to share, to cuddle up with a book and a baby on your knee, sowing the seeds of a love of books that’ll stay with them always.

2.   Are you the author? – who me? The one sat behind the local author book signing sign... yes, I get it all the time – I put signs on my table, but people still seem surprised that I am actually the author.

3.   How long does it take to write a book? Well we could be there all day with that question - a book isn’t like a production line item, it could have been born in a rush of inspiration that came tumbling out faster than I could type, or it could have been an idea that lurked around in the recesses of my mind, stubbornly refusing to arrange itself into a story... And then of course there are the illustrations, not just to be drawn and painted, but scanned in, and then technology gets involved, and anything could happen... 

4.   I don’t read books. Never tell an author you don’t read books – they’ll see it as a challenge...  I believe there’s a book out there for everyone, maybe you just had a bad introduction to books, were made to read books you didn’t enjoy... But there are so many books out there, that there must be something you’ll enjoy. What sort of film do you enjoy? Finding a book on the same theme as a film you enjoy is a good place to start, and once you’ve found one, you’ll be able to find other books of that genre, and before you know it you’re a book lover.

5.   My child doesn’t like books. If your child doesn’t like books, could it be that they see you not liking books? Go to a library of bookshop together and choose a book each. If you’re choosing a book for a very young child, then you have a lot of influence, so choose one you like too – if you enjoy reading the story you’re more likely to get that across to your child, and before you know it you’re both enjoying books.

#LostinaBook #amwriting 

Book signing in York tonight at Knavesmire Primary School Christmas shopping evening

My first Christmas event of the season tonight at Knavesmire Primary School, York - Christmas shopping evening 7 - 9pm please come along if you're in the area and take home a signed book, and... I have some exciting new additions to my table.

Or stay snug and warm and order online 

#LostinaBook

Books online 

Book signings in York

Book Signings: 

Tues 1st Nov 10.30am - 12 noon Clifton Library storytime and coffee morning

Thurs 24th Nov  7- 9pm Knavesmire Primary School Christmas shopping evening 

Sat 26th & Sun 27th Nov Christmas Fair Haxby Memorial Hall 

Tues 6th Dec 10.30am - 12 noon Clifton Library storytime and coffee morning

There may well be a few more added as time goes on, watch this space - or visit my website shop.

Knitted character from new book

So this is becoming quite a habit - meet Mr G from my new book But What I Really Want is a Box 

 

 

#LostinaBook

#knittedgiraffe 

Book promotion for the clueless... but I'll get there in the end!

Book promotion for the clueless... but I’ll get there in the end!

I’ve done it, I’ve finished my book, and requested a print quote to have my files magically transformed into a beautiful book... so now what do I do...?

This is the part I find the hardest, the part where I need to promote my book – but it doesn’t exist in a physical form yet. I’ve researched on line about the next step, but in truth most of the articles are full of buzz words about tried and tested ways of getting a book noticed. Most of these involve a massive investment in money, and sending out emails or letters asking for a piece of the spotlight across the media. This does seem a bit reminiscent of sending out pitches to publishers to add to their slush pile... So what I usually do is take my books out into the world at book signings, but this only generates enough sales to fund the next print run and keep me ticking over.

So how hard can it be to get a book noticed? Harder than writing the book it would appear. But wait a minute, what did I have to overcome to write a book in the first place...?

 I had to learn to type for a start off – I trained as a chef, back in the days when a chef would never need to use a computer, and I never expected to need to type. But I have always loved reading and making up stories, and as my children grew out of picture books - I didn’t.

 About this time my daughter would sometimes ask me to tell her a story instead (or probably as well) as reading one. This got my imagination stirring, and I started to write the stories down – pen and paper at that stage. When I graduated to the computer, writing was very slow, as I had to stop and search for the letters a lot of the time, and I found I made spelling mistakes on a keyboard that I would never have made with a pen...

 I had a deep mistrust of the computer, and liked to print things out in case they were lost. I’ll never forget the first time I used the printer on my own – the printer seemed to know it had the upper hand and started spitting paper out at me like an unruly child, until I had to stop it in the only way that made sense at the time – I pulled the plug out of the wall – that’ll teach it I thought! Of course it later had a tantrum about not being turned off in the correct way, but it only had itself to blame.

So, when I come to think about it, I’ve come a long way, so I will absolutely NOT allow a little thing like not knowing where to start, get in the way of getting my books noticed...!

So if anyone is interested I’ll write a series of these articles and share my journey and if anyone cares to add comments along the way please feel free to do so.

#LostinaBook    Lost in a Book is the name of my imprint. I’m self published and proud of it.

Feeling like a swan - a knitting swan... desperately trying to keep up with my imagination

This is my calm before the storm, even though there seem to be a lot of storms going on around me.

My first Christmas fair of the season was a success, and I only had one minor scarf calamity... There was a time when a scarf was a big woolly creation to keep out the winter chill, but now it seems to have become the must have accessory for every fair, wrapped around at the last minute before battle commences.   

I am known for my scarf calamities, from dunking the scarf in my coffee as I talk to customers, to breaking a chain on my necklace... but I've been doing quite well recently, until, the addition of the Christmas hat!

The hat is obviously an accessory too far - I managed to knock it off with my scarf at the beginning, and again at the end as I was packing up...

How is one supposed to have spatial awareness of a springy hat on a headband? Maybe I'll get better at it as the season goes on - or just accept that hats and scarves as indoor accessories are going to cause trouble...

 

#LostinaBook

Lost in a Book 

Not your usual stocktake

Counting books is distracting enough, but when a stocktake involves counting sheep, I'd better be careful...

The sheep continue to be my woolly ambassadors, attracting lots of attention at book signings, and filling up my knitting bag, as well as much of my time - they are a clear example of characters taking over; and in this case they've even escaped the page and taken on knitted form, to rampage about...

#LostinaBook

Sheep are more unruly than books...

The sheep?

These are my little woolly ambassadors...  

They are the characters from But I'm Not Sleepy, which is my bestseller, but they are in danger of taking on a life of their own. In the lead up to a book signing I'm far more likely to be in the middle of a sheep crisis than having trouble with the books - sheep are more unruly than books...!

What I need next is a sheepdog to round them up... just like Downboy the sheepdog in the story.

 

 

Author - knitting and horsing around...?

 

Sheep production has resumed... this sheep seems to have its legs set ready to jump - could it be because I knitted it while watching the Grand National on tv...?

And what about the horse - no that one isn't for sale, it was knitted for a challenge to knit a thoroughbred. At least this one won't mug me for carrots, like the real life one it's modeled on. I feel there may be a horse story coming on at some point...   

So... enough of the knitting and horsing around, let's get back to some books - if you want a book thebookshop is always open - I'll be somewhere about painting the illustrations.

Lost in a Book at Christmas fairs

I had a lovely weekend at a Christmas fair in Haxby - everyone had turned out to socialise and do their Christmas shopping from local artists and crafters - I even came home with a tiny growing Christmas tree, which has taken up residence on my kitchen shelf to await some deccies...

So while everyone else is having a manic Monday, I'm having quite a chilled out one, plodding through the things that need to be done, before launching into preparations for my final weekend of Christmas fairs, in the Tithe Barn at Poppleton and Yorkshre Heart Vineyard.

There's some emergency knitting to be done as all my sheep and Basil's have gone to new homes - and if I have time I'll get another Christmas busy book made... and somewhere along the way I have Christmas cakes to make, and Christmas shopping to do...  arghh

Christmas fairs and book signings... and folding tables

So what else would an author be doing on a Wednesday morning, but trying to prise open a folding table...?

When I started writing I though that I would write my stories, and hand them over to someone else to do all the other mystical stuff that gets those stories into books and into the hands of readers everywhere. But little did I know that I was setting off on a journey that would find me illustrating my own books, publishing; and far from sending the books out into the world, I find myself taking them out there and doing book signings anywhere from a book shop to a swimming pool, and even a vineyard...

Then there's the props - an early ice breaker was handing out bookmarks - made at home on a temperamental printer, and then finding I needed a paper trimmer to cut them up...

I needed a table cloth to cover my table at fairs - and what about a banner with Lost in a Book printed on. That option proved very expensive, so I custom made a table cloth with Lost in a Book appliqued on.

Next came merchandising the books, by designing and knitted characters from the books - so far there are sheep, which have proved to be very popular with all age groups, and a more fun ice breaker than bookmarks... and cats - little ginger Basils roaming the table.

As my stuff expanded and got heavier, I invested in a crate on wheels, which has made my life so much easier, and I don't arrive staggering under the weight of books and bags...

And now, for the fairs where they don't have enough tables, or charge extra for them, I have my own fold up table. It's heavier than expected - just as well, as it is sturdy enough for lots of books - I wonder if I can balance it on wheelie create...

Why an author is like a swan...

A swan will sit serenely on the water, gliding along effortlessly - but all the effort is going on out of sight, where the legs are doing all the work... Now I'm not saying that an author at a book signing is madly kicking their legs under the table, but, a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get to the point where they can sit or stand there for the day, with all the time in the world to engage in conversation with total strangers...

It all starts with a spark of imagination... and then there's:

• Writing the book
• Illustrating the book
• Publishing
• Printing
• Gathering display stands, a table cloth and lights
• Getting everything to the fair
• Displaying the books
• Hiding behind the books   
• Engaging total strangers in conversation and sharing a passion for books

Behind the scenes at Lost in a Book

...so how did that happen?

I started off lost in a book and rummaging for words, so how did that lead to rummaging in wool, and in danger pf getting lost under a pile of wool, fabrics and ingredients?

So - the wool started when I decided to merchandise my books, and make some characters from  the books to display on my table at book signings. The sheep were the first - people love sheep, and it's not just the children who want to take one home, I get adults who find them irresistible too...

 Then came  the cats - no not the real ones who became the stars of my latest book Outnumbered by Cats - and were the inspiration for Basil and The Flappy Thing came from - no, I mean the little knitted Basil's who are new to my stock this Christmas...

...and are now causing a wool crisis as I'm rapidly running out of ginger wool, and can't find any more.

Then there's fabrics for busy books

 - and as fast as I can use bits up, I seem to run out of something else...

As for the ingredients - well that's just a family Christmas sneaking up on me, and all the ingredients waiting in an overloaded pantry to be turned into a traditional Christmas.

So this afternoon I'm escaping the craziness and going to play with books - my stock of books is going down, last week I opened a new box of Doodle Mayhem, and this week I need to break open a new box of But I'm Not Sleepy - still my bestseller.

The real cats might just get a new box to play with...

Busy books, sheep - and what is a Basil...?

I'm heading towards another trip to the craft shop - threads are running out in some colours, and all the cream coloured 'sheep' wool is used up - so what about the odd black sheep creeping into the flock...
My tables at book signings have definitely become more fun with little woolly characters roaming about among the books, and the quiet / busy books are a big success too.

...and I haven't even posted a photo of the knitted Basil's yet... what is a Basil  you might ask... ? Well I'll try and catch up on some pics tomorrow, but if you can't wait till then, take a look in my bookshop

Author rambling on about getting lost in a book...

So what's the secret to getting lost in a book...?

It's all about finding a book that interests you. Go into a bookshop, either a traditional bookshop, or an online bookshop, have a rummage around, find a book and get stuck in. Don't let anyone tell you what you should be reading, or even what is a good book and what isn't, everyone has different tastes in all things, and that includes books.

Don't even let people tell you not to judge a book by its cover - if you see a cover you like, then pick the book up and read the blurb, if the cover design has been made to represent the contents, and why would anyone design a book cover that didn't, then its a good indication that you'll like the contents. But if that book isn't for you, then try another one... not every book you read will be the sort of book that you can truly lose yourself in, and I mean to the extent where you no longer hear what's going on in the room around you, where people can call you and get no response, but it's worth reading a lot of books in order to find that book... 

So now you know the secret to getting lost in a book, then why not pass it on...  

Tell your friends, tell your family, and most of all pass it on to your children - babies love books, and the sooner they can be read to and get hold of books the better, and don't worry if babies wear out their early books - better worn out than never read at all... A mended book is a loved book! 

 

Sheep shipped...

Not your average thing to do on a Monday morning, but then I like to be different...

I got an order late last night, for one sheep, which I have now shipped - well it hasn't actually gone on a ship, although given this morning's weather I could have done with a ship to sail down to the post office.

... anyway I got to thinking - I wonder why the name sheep is the same for a single sheep as a flock of sheep... maybe it's because sheep are so rarely on their own, that no one saw the need to think up a separate name for a sheep on its own.

So what do authors do when they're not writing...?

The wonderful thing about being a writer, is that I don't feel like I'm expected to be a certain way - I refuse to be put in a box... so what was I doing this weekend while I was away from my computer and neglecting my blog...?

I was at a family party where I found myself having a bucket of water poured over me soon after arrival, as part of the ice bucket challenge, then after drying off and having a hot cup of tea, I had a go with a JCB - as you do, on a Saturday afternoon...

Yesterday I realised that fabric shops are just as dangerous as bookshops when it comes to buying more than I went in for... I only went in for a real of thread, but then I saw some amazing fabric with sheep - knitting sheep at that - OK, I admit it, I'm easily distracted, but I think that's what makes life more interesting - I just never know where my day is going to take me - in reality or my imagination...