Lichfield Library
Set in the buildings formerly containing the town's Grammar School, the libary is an imposing yet welcoming feature of the Midlands market town, and boasts an extensive collection of reading matter.
Book Signing
Saturday 7th March 2009 had me in the bright, airy main room at Lichfield's impressive library for a book signing organised by Head Librarian Val Lovatt. The lady in the picture is Yvonne Smith, Team Leader for Children & Young Peoples' services. The entire morning was a very welcoming experience, and followed up on the Stafforshire purchase of 12 copies of "A Ticket to Tewkesbury" for the county's shelves.
Reading Group
Following on from the book signing, I was invited back to the library on Thursday 12th March 2009 to address the monthly meeting of the Lichfield Reading Group. Potentially daunting for a new author, I was made very welcome once more and was introduced to a gathering of some dozen or more members by Val Lovatt. A brief history of the book was followed by questions from the floor relating to the world of publishing.
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Newcastle Library
The impressive new city libary in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne cuts a stunning image against the dusk backdrop.
Two of the light, airy reading areas within the new structure
October 29th 2009 will see a visit to the new library, for a book signing and reading group discussion. This will be run by Sheila Naughton, who is the Service Manager for Reader Developoment and Lifelong Learning.
Update - No photographs, sadly. The new library, impressive though it is, was not suitable for flash photography, as the room walls are glass throughout. Grateful thanks to Barbara Bravey for setting the day up, and to Sheila Naughton for the invitation. I'm also grateful to all those who showed up and made it such a pleasant time.
Wandsworth
The picture is by kind permission of Wandsworth Libraries, and shows the Battersea Park branch where Lynn and I will be on December 19th.
It has been supplied by Chris Dobb, the Library Service Development Manager, and my thanks go out to him.
The morning session will involve a talk on the 'origins' of "A Ticket to Tewkesbury" followed by a Question & Answer section - hopefully supplemented by copious amounts of tea!
I'm taking the new book "Short Stories Volume One" along to the event - you just never know your luck.
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After the event. I was late; just couldn't imagine the London traffic and the weather, but we got there some 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, to a warm welcome from John Woodhouse and his reading group.
Lynn and I were made very welcome, and the group expressed considerable interest in the book, how it was written, and the steps necessary for breaking into the world of commercial publishing.
A very nice lunch at a local Italian restaraunt followed, at which I was asked to sell my only copy of the Short Stories. Never turn down a good offer, and feedback from the buyer was very positive some days later. A foray into to our local branch of Waterstones will solve the vacancy on my bookshelf. Photographs will follow once received from Mr Woodhouse.
