First, apologies for the silence – the last month or so has been taken up with publishing and launching the book – FINALLY!
Publication was on 8th March –International Women’s Day – no, the timing wasn’t deliberate, but it was a nice coincidence. For the next four weeks, it was on limited release – until last Wednesday, when it was officially launched.
The big moment happened at the offices of USp Content, in W1. It’s rare for me to be lost for words, but I was – albeit briefly! – when USP’s CEO, Rob Jones, asked me if I’d like to hold the event there!
As you might know, the story of how Rob and I come to know each other is, shall we say, unusual?? When I started writing the book, I didn’t set out to write that story, but it has ended up as the backdrop – or, as my editor, Christine McPherson put it, ‘The thread that pulls the whole thing together’. So from the moment I decided to have a launch party, I had my fingers crossed that Rob would be there – although at that stage, I didn’t think for one minute we’d co-host!
It was quite strange – in the nicest possible way – when, in his speech, he referred back to when I was a teenager – ringing him up while he was doing his show on Radio Luxembourg! Standing beside him, I remembered being fifteen, in the phone-box at boarding school, throwing 10ps into a hungry coin slot – and now, nearly twenty-eight years on, here I was… As I said in my speech that followed, ‘Life is officially weird – well, mine is, anyway!’
Later, Rob took everyone on a tour of the studios. The feedback on that, and the rest of the evening, has been fantastic. I’ve said it before, but thanks to everyone who came.
Special thanks also to Rob, and to Meryck Hurley at USP. Meryck helped organise the whole thing – including a video – which I’m really hoping will arrive in the post today! – and she also looked after everybody brilliantly on the night.
Response to the book so far has been so much better than I’d even hoped – and the momentum just keeps building! Next stop is a special programme, in my slot on Gateway 97.8 in Basildon (tomorrow at 3pm). My colleague on Thursday afternoons, Alison H, came to the launch and wants to cover it in tomorrow’s show – so I’m back in the guest’s chair!
When I first sat down at my PC in November 2009, I had no idea, either what the book would turn out to be, or where it would take me. I didn’t really know what it was going to be until the middle of last year. As for where it’ll take me – I’m still finding out. Exciting times!