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...

New sheep - wool crisis averted

The emergency wool trip turned up a new wool  - and here is the resulting sheep, slightly different, but different is good in handcrafted...  

So here is the first of the new flock:

So now all I have to do is turn the rest of this ball of wool into a flock of sheep in time for Saturday when I'm booked in at the Guildhall in York's city centre for a Christmas craft and gift fair.