My Book Launch is Planned

 

                                        Please click this link for book and author information

I've picked the date and venue for the official launch of my new novel, A Killer Whisky. Tuesday, March 25th, in the RGO Treehouse at cSPACE, Marda Loop. The Treehouse is a whimsical name for the 4th-floor meeting room in Calgary's creative arts incubator. I held my last book launch in the Treehouse and the views are beautiful, especially at sunset. Thanks to the spring forward to daylight savings time, we'll be there again for sunset and twilight for A Killer Whisky's launch. 

City view from the Treehouse at twilight

Signing a copy of my book for a friend at my last launch

I'm planning a launch program similar to the ones at my last few book launches, with a twist. I'll do a PowerPoint presentation showing photographs related to A Killer Whisky's time frame and setting locations, interspersed with readings from the novel. Some photos will be images of Calgary circa 1918; others will be photos I've recently taken of 100-plus-year-old buildings featured in the story.    

A character in my novel moves into an apartment in the Hicks Block, Tuxedo Park. In the 1970s, the building was renamed the Kelly Block. My friend, writer and literary historian Shaun Hunter (crossing the street in the photo) will introduce me at the launch. 

It's customary at book launches to serve wine and light refreshments. Since "whisky" is in my novel's title and plays a large role in the story, a twist to the beverage service will be whisky instead of wine. Attendees can try a "wee dram" of whisky or a signature whisky cocktail. One of my tasks for the next month will be to develop cocktails named for my novel's characters. It's a tough job, but I'm up for the challenge. 
   

 

Another task will be to continue to work on online promotion to promote the book launch. If you missed Shaun's interview with me, check out her blog post.   

On Feb 22, 10 am PT, everyone's invited to my online reading and conversation with two other authors from Sisters in Crime Canada West. It's a free event, but you need to register here.

The week before my Calgary book launch, I'll get to practice my PowerPoint presentation at the Pincher Creek Library in Southern Alberta. I've titled this talk "War, Pandemic, & Prohibition: how historic events inspired my novel." Unfortunately, the library doesn't allow liquor service, so this event will reflect the novel's Prohibition theme.  

Cheers! I hope to raise a glass with some of you at these events. 

 

 

Planning a Book Launch

Please click this link for author and book information

My new novel, A Killer Whisky, was published in December. For my previous books, I've held book launches close to the release date, but December isn't generally a good month for these events. Booksellers who host launches are busy with Christmas sales and everyone is shopping and attending parties. They find it hard to fit an additional activity into their hectic schedules. 

So, I postponed my book launch event to the new year. Due to other commitments from January through mid-March, I'm looking at late March for the party. The period between now and then will be my soft launch and planning time. 

The first step is to settle on a venue and date. My local bookstore, Owl's Nest Books, doesn't have space in their premises for our hoped-for number of attendees. I'm considering a couple of options and waiting for more information and confirmation of the date.  

Next, I'll plan the launch program. The last few times, I've prepared PowerPoint presentations. I enjoy doing them and the 1918 setting of A Killer Whisky provides more scope than my contemporary novels. I'll discuss Calgary history in relation to the book and show archival photographs as well as photos I've taken on my visits to story locations. In the past, I've liked inserting readings from the novel along with an image of the scene's setting.  

I imagined one of these preserved 1912-13 Calgary workers' cottages as my novel protagonist's home 

It's customary at launches to serve wine and light refreshments. I had the idea to shake this up by serving whisky, which is in the novel's title and plays a large role in the story. But one venue I'm considering makes providing alcohol problematic. So, how about a Prohibition theme with virgin cocktails? Prohibition features prominently in the novel.  

Theme is key to a successful launch I learned from a speaker at a writers' festival last summer. The best launches create a vibe and atmosphere that brings the world of the story alive. Venue, decorations, activities, food, drink, and music chosen to fit the theme. I'll probably stop short of appearing in period dress. 

Unfortunately, my Roaring Twenties costume is a few years after A Killer Whisky's era

During this soft launch time, I've lined up some online happenings that build to the actual launch. First up is an interview by my friend Shaun Hunter, a Calgary writer and literary historian. You can read the interview, which includes historical photographs, on Shaun's website. 

In February, I'm scheduled to appear on BWL author J.Q. Rose's blog.  I'll also participate in an online discussion with two fellow Sisters in Crime writers in an event called Between the Covers.    

I'll keep my eyes open for other soft launch opportunities during these next two months of planning and preparation that are turning out to be less relaxing than I'd expected. 

Happy New Year