How To Host A Successful Book Launch Party

How to host a successful book launch party …

But first, if you’re new here, welcome, and if not, welcome back!

I do hope you’ve managed to stay well over over the past week. As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been battling a chest cough of the kind that causes the windows to rattle and skittish horses to flee. Well, it turns out I have bronchitis with perhaps a touch of pneumonia. You gotta love it when the doc gasps, “Whoa” in response to your first requested exhale. Hello, antibiotics!

But enough of that. Let’s move on to something much more positive.

How To Host A Successful Book Launch Party

Wahoo! My sister and my niece recently hosted a party to celebrate the launch of my book Never, Never, Hardly Ever.

Dear local pals of mine, please don’t feel left out. I deliberately asked for the guest list to be comprised of friends of my sister and my niece.

Wendy and Ash couldn’t have been more generous hosts. They supplied the venue, a wide variety of food and a bevy of drinks. I just had to come up with a game plan and show up. How kind is that?

Luckily, I’d recently attended Iona Whishaw’s brilliant author talk and was impressed by her brevity. She treated us to a brief outline of her publishing history (the woman published her first book at 64!) and then asked if we’d like her to read something. Of course, we did. She favoured us with a very short piece and then opened it up to questions.

I adopted this “sweet and to the point” effort. After sharing how Francine had been after me for years to use her detailed diaries as the basis for a book and how it was the readers of this blog who nudged me to commit, I then read a short chapter that best demonstrates how my confidence blossomed over the decade I worked at FROG. I wrapped things up with a Q and A.

Everyone couldn’t have been more positive or more curious about the book. Overall, it was a wonderful lesson in how to host a successful launch party.

At the end of the night, two things stood out to me.

One, it was astounding to hear folks share their favorite NNHE chapter.

Talk about your aha moments. I’ve written a book and people are reading it. Amazing.

And two, never, ever assume, Kelly.

Each guest was urged to head home with at least one of these wondrous frog cookies provided by my niece.

Aren’t they adorable? I’m pleased to report they tasted even better than they looked.

But why frogs? Ah, now we get down to the nitty gritty of never assuming.

Of course, everyone knew our antique shop was called Frankie Robinson Oriental Gallery. And, of course they knew Francine and I were fond of shortening it to the acronym, “FROG.” Wrong. Not everyone did. In fact, several folks sidled up to me afterwards and asked about the frog’s prominence on the book’s cover and why it featured as the theme for the take home treats. I suspect some even slipped home clutching their cookies, still mystified. Oops.

So, what are my recommendations for how to host a successful book launch party? Hand the organization of the party to someone else. Preferably to someone who loves your book and appreciates the tremendous effort it took to bring about its creation. Draw up a list of photos you’d like taken and task someone with the job of chief photographer. Ensure you have some extra book copies on hand. Take nothing for granted and, most importantly, come up with a game plan that works for you.

Thank you ever so much, yet again, Ash and Wend. Your support is everything.

In the dark about Never, Never, Hardly Ever? No worries. I’ve got you. You can unearth all the pertinent deets here: https://mybook.to/neverneverhardlyever

If you live locally, I’m happy to personally deliver a book to you.

Thank you for stopping by and hanging on to the end of this post.

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