There is nothing like meeting someone who loves what you do
NO one was going to come to my book launch. I was convinced of that. This was my third ‘do’ in less than four years. There are only so many times you can hear a friend or even your favourite writer read over a glass of warm wine standing up in a bookshop.
Nonetheless — I had to give it a lash. So I texted Annie-May Reape to see if she would do the honours. Annie-May Reape is a dynamic local Fianna Fáil councillor who this year holds the office of chairperson of Ballina Municipal District. Her official title is Cathaoirleach — which I can’t pronounce, so I call her Annie the Mayor.
She deserves the post not only because of all the work she does in the community, but also because she is just so darn glamorous in that perfectly groomed and ‘put-together’ way I aspire to, from that generation of women between my mother’s age and mine. A gap that’s closing by the year.
‘I’d be honoured,’ she said. Mayors say things like that. I knew she had other far more important engagements than a book launch to attend, but I wanted her there anyway.
The staff in Easons are old hands with my book launches at this stage and I knew they’d put on a good show. I popped in mid-afternoon to drop off the wine and as I was parking, I found Eason’s franchise manager Eunan unloading chairs out of the back of a van. Oh my goodness, I thought, seeing the back of the shop lined with row upon row of borrowed chairs, how many are they expecting?
At the front of the shop there were tables piled high with hardback copies of That Girl. There was a full shelf under ‘Bestsellers’. No matter how many books I write (this is my ninth Kate Kerrigan novel) I will never get over the thrill of seeing my book in the shops. Nonetheless, I felt a bit sick thinking — they’ll never sell all these!
I went down to Mam’s and put on my make-up and my failsafe black jersey dress with the cover-up swish-bits at the front. We drove up because the weather was awful. ‘Hurry up,’ Mam said as I searched for parking. ‘I want to get there early to get a good seat.’
‘No-one will come out in this weather,’ I snapped.
‘You say that every time,’ Mum said, ‘and last time I had to sit at the back!’
Her confidence in my ability to draw a crowd gave me 25 minutes of looking at the empty seats thinking ‘nobody is going to turn up’.
At 7.30pm I turned around and saw our glamorous lady mayoress arrive, her gold chain glinting against a scarlet dress and a fur coat that was pure Hollywood. Her hair was coiffed to perfection.
She gave me a warm hug as the crowd began to trickle in. At 8pm sharp Annie-May walked up to the lectern and introduced me — not just as a writer, but as a valued member of the local community. Her words thrilled me because I love where I live and I love my life here. Feeling part of my local community is as important to me as selling books.
AS I took my place for the reading I looked down and saw every seat taken and a smattering of ‘standers’ at the back. There were friends and family plus neighbours from Ballina and Killala. Then there are people that I only see at book launches — my Kate Kerrigan readers.
I stay in contact with my readers all the time. It is one of the great advantages of social media. People sign up on my website to be part of an exclusive mailing list of advance readers. But, despite this online activity, there is nothing in the world like meeting someone face-to-face who loves what you do.
In the book-signing queue, Barbara from Boots appeared. This chirpy blonde is an extraordinary salesperson and single-handedly responsible for my overflowing cosmetic collection with her endless vouchers and special offers.
‘Buy one get one half price!’ I quipped as I signed. Everyone around us laughed. In Ballina, we all know Barbara from Boots, and it turns out a lot of them know Kate the Writer as well. And that makes me blessed.