How to set up and run an author exhibition stand

Each year I set up my stall and sell my books at the Marché de Noël at Terves. Not only do happy customers go away clutching copies of one or several Roma Nova books, but I’ve had the pleasure of chatting about writing, books, feminism, adventures, history, Rome, publishing, the holidays, travel – you name […]

In praise of local litfests

The four authors on Historical Fiction Night, Wrexham Photo courtesy of Phil Burrows

Hay, Oxford, Edinburgh, Port Eliot, Cheltenham, Wigtown – all big beasts of the literature festival circuit and there are many more. Places where famous and worshipped celebrities jostle along with people who write books, places where zillions of books are […]

Me and events - an author steps out

Signing books

When you write and publish books, you know there are various steps on the way, mostly involving hard slog, rewrites, critiques, revisions, back ache, more edits, proofs, eyes watering, etc. Once your book is out, you’ll launch it, do a few book-signings plus the stuff on social media. Then what?

Of […]

Launching books

Last week, I had the enormous pleasure of attending book launches for two writing friends. On Saturday 23 January, I drank bubbly, ate scones and cake with Denise Barnes who launched her second book, Juliet’s Story, at the University Women’s Club. The magnificent library was a perfect setting for us to hear about the research […]

Speaking at ChipLitFest 'Trade Secrets' day

In the pantheon of literary festivals, the Chipping Norton Literary Festival is reckoned to be one of the best: world class speakers, an unrivalled range of events, the ‘localness’ yet global appeal, and not least, enthusiasm and fun. So when I was invited via my writing friend Liz Harris to speak on self-publishing at one […]