Once again another year has raced by, I’m sure the older we get, the quicker the years pass. It has been another fabulous book filled year for me, I am so grateful to all the wonderful publishers and authors who send me their precious books to read and review. I do my best to read as many as I can in time for publication but having to fit in reading and blogging around a full time job sadly means that there are times when I am running behind and playing catch up! Books that I’m sent and have read will get reviewed, if not always on my blog then you can find them reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.
I love attending book events, whether its listening to an author talk about their books in a bookshop or any other bookish gathering. I’ve been to some fantastic events this year, some of which are below. The long daily London commute can get very tiring but it has its advantages – one of which is easily being able to attend evening events.
My first book event this year was in March when I received an invite from the lovely Karen Sullivan of Orenda books (@OrendaBooks) to the launch of ‘The Abrupt Physics of Dying’ by Paul E Hardisty. This was held at Waterstones, Trafalgar Square and was a great evening . You can read my review and a brief write up of the evening here.
Again, in March, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Books and the City Blogger Party (@TeamBATC). BATC are the fab folk from Simon & Schuster who look after bloggers so well with gorgeous books and invites to events. This was another fabulous evening with S&S authors Milly Johnson, Iona Grey, Andy Jones, Jane Costello and Heidi Swain reading from their books and signing afterwards.
Iona Grey |
Photo taken by BATC team |
Also in March (this was a good month!), I attended the Patrick Gale event at Foyles in London when he was talking about his book, ‘A Place Called Winter’. (Some more photos and details here).
The Essex Book Festival took place in March. There were so many excellent events throughout the month with some of my favourite authors (Patrick Gale attended this too) but because of my working hours, the only one I was able to get to was one at Hadleigh Library to see author Julie Wassmer. Julie writes a series of Whitstable based murder mysteries, the second, ‘Murder on Sea’ has recently been published. It was great to meet Julie and she kindly agreed to a photo and to sign my book.
In April, Karen from Orenda Books invited me to the launch of Ragnar Jonasson’s ‘Snow Blind’. Luckily the weather was on our side and it was a really nice evening mingling with authors and book bloggers outside in Cecil Court. Of course I couldn’t come home empty handed and bought my copy there which Ragnar signed for me.
Translator Quentin Bates, Karen Sullivan & Ragnar Jonasson |
In May, it was to the News Building by London Bridge and to Harper Collins fabulous offices. This was for the ‘A Fabulous Night In’ with Lindsey Kelk, Lucy Robinson & Lucy Holliday event. The host was Claire Frost from the Sun’s Fabulous Magazine, asking the questions and getting some hilarious answers from the three authors.
Lindsey Kelk signing my book |
Lucy Robinson on book signing duty! |
I couldn’t leave without some pics of the amazing Harper Collins bookwall. This really has to be seen to be believed. I want one!
with Julie Williams & Julie Boon |
Unfortunately for most of the summer I was hobbling around with a broken foot and there were several events that I had to miss that I had booked for including the Headline Rooftop Book Club Event in August and the Jojo Moyes Waterstones launch for ‘After You’ – so very disappointing and frustrating.
However by October I had ditched the boot and crutches and attended my first Isle of Wight Literary Festival (you can read my post here). This was a fabulous weekend and I hope to be able to go again in 2016.
Just a couple of pics below, the others are on the post.
Colette Mcbeth, Clare Mackintosh and Rebecca Whitney |
Jill Mansell |
November saw me back again at the Harper Collins offices. Their building is only a 10 minute walk away from work and its an ideal location for me to get to. This time it was for the The Sun presents: A Thrilling Fabulous Night In. Authors Colette Mcbeth, Clare Mackintosh and Erin Kelly were being grilled by Claire Frost on various aspects of their writing and the evening was extremely entertaining as always.
Erin Kelly, Claire Mackintosh, Colette Mcbeth |
It was lovely to meet up with blogger friends, Julie, Rachel, Sharon and Julie
Later in November, it was back to the News Building, again! This time the Harper Impulse/Mills & Boon ‘Under the Mistletoe’ event (@HarperImpulse). Natasha Harding was hosting and asking the questions of authors Erin Lawless, Eva Woods, Lucy Holliday and Jessica Gillmore. As usual, another very enjoyable evening with the chance to buy more books and to get them signed.
L-R: Natasha Harding, Eva Woods, Erin Lawless, Jessica Gillmore, Lucy Holliday |
Finally, in December, I received an invite to a Christmas drinks event at the Grosvenor Hotel in London from the Simon & Schuster BATC team. As well as some S&S authors, there were many other book bloggers there, some I knew and others I met for the first time. It was a really great event and a hugely enjoyable evening with cocktails and nibbles provided. We were all given a goody bag which amongst other things contained a copy of Jane Costello’s forthcoming book ‘Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel’. Jane kindly signed my copy (with apologies for the poor quality photo, it was very dark!)
It’s been another fabulously bookish year for me. I’ve met so many lovely people and been to some great events and all because of my book blog; I would like to say thank you to all the authors, publishers and blogging friends whose company I have enjoyed. I already have a couple of events lined up for January and I’m looking forward to another year of reading some wonderful books.
What a lovely year.
Thank you Linda, it certainly has been a wonderful book filled year and I'm looking forward seeing what 2016 brings. x
You are lucky being in London (even if it is for work) as that's where all the best bookish things are! I hope 2016 is even better fun!
Thank you. Wishing you a book filled 2016 too 🙂
WOW looks like an amazing year and so fabulous to meet all the authors. I met Alison Baillie and Lin Anderson this year which was brilliant.
Bookish events are the best. I have Alison Baillie's book to read. Happy New Year to you.