Monday 13 April 2009

End of the Rainbow

Climbing this Rainbow is sometimes slippery, sometimes scary but sometimes it feels really good! I'm finally getting some feedback as people have now read the book. I was out last night and sold another 20 books... People are super keen. Women LOVE the concept! Multicultural chick-lit is long overdue!

Various women last night (who don't know each other - or me!) told me how much they are loving the book. One woman said she 'could not put it down'! The ladies are excited and people (including the guys) are buying the books like hotcakes. It's the 'packet' discussion that makes the guys pause and raise an eyebrow...

I went to Clapham Books the other day and told them that I had sold over 200 books in the last few weeks, all by myself, just at various events. They couldn't believe it! They said they had never heard of a first-time author having such success!

HURRAH!

So as I am marching to Brick Lane today to see what interest I can drum up, I will keep Will Smith / Chris Gardner in my mind from Pursuit of Happyness. I will remember that people love my book, that success only comes with hard work, and happiness lies at the end of the rainbow.

Saturday 11 April 2009

Bus Drivers

So I'm on my way to the 02 to stand in front of the Brian McKnight concert, with the hope of handing flyers to some keen young women, when I discover that the Jubilee line is down. And does London Transport have a rail replacement service? Of course not! So off I go on two buses to get to Greenwich...

It takes so long that I decide to finally get off the 2nd bus, dreading the return journey and think I might as well cut my losses. But then the bus driver persuades me to stay. I guess he fancied me. And then he bought a book! So I'm thinking, at least I sold a book... But then, now I'm stuck at the 02 with the concert already having started, with no way of getting home!

I should have asked the bus driver to give me a private drive home. Yeah. But instead, I take a bus via Elephant & Castle. And who really ever wants to go through Elephant & Castle? The experience is traumatic in itself. I only hope Bus Driver Omar enjoys the book. And then maybe the journey will have been worthwhile.

Monday 6 April 2009

In Sales

I keep thinking about Death of a Salesman. I never wanted to be a salesman. Sure, I once worked in McDonalds as a kid, but be a business woman? Nah. That was never for me.

Spreading the word about my book and being a salesman... there is a fine line between them. And I'm not sure I'm not stepping over the line. Spread the word... sell. Spread the word... sell. Of course I'm doing a pretty good job of selling. Women are queueing up to get a book from me at events. So that's good. BUT... I'm not sure I want to sell. I never wanted to be a salesman.

And frankly, we all know what ends up happening to salesmen.

They end up dead.