Social whirl – attending a book launch!

(Pretty covers aren’t they?)

I went to my second book launch this week.
The first was a few years ago for an anthology I was shortlisted in and felt quite surreal.
Tony came with me as I didn’t know anyone there and I evidently wasn’t alone in that as at one point two complete strangers zoomed in on us, having (separately) concluded that we looked like safe, friendly people to talk to. I still take that as a huge compliment.

This launch was for Sophie Duffy’s new book, ‘Bright Stars’ and Cathie Hartigan’s debut novel, ‘The Secret of the Song’, and I can recommend both (although I haven’t yet read Sophie’s, but I’ll bet it’s as good as her other two).

I was feeling a bit flustered when I arrived, having looped around Southernhay for a parking space, before resorting to the car park down the road that I should have gone to in the first place.
I was however, considerably calmer than I’d been an hour earlier when an argument erupted just as I was about to serve tea. The argument – wait for it – was over a cardboard box… from last Christmas, (“…but he’s playing with my half!”) Yeah, our kids take traditional play seriously 😉

The complimentary wine got rid of any residual flusters (I had planned to have an orange juice, but they’d run out and I figured one small glass of red was ok, although I spent the rest of the evening worrying I’d end up with that red wine joker’s smile) whilst listening to Cathie’s ensemble group singing Renaissance Madrigals as sung by Cathie’s main character in Secret of the Song. I’m not sure I’d recognise one again if it came up and hit me on the head (the song, not the singer) but it did sound very nice and added an extra fizz to the evening.

One day it’ll be my turn. When that day comes someone else can make tea!