Book launch at Mumbles November 23rd 2024

Mumbles is a picturesque seaside village on the western edge of Swansea Bay. With its pier, lighthouse, lifeboat station, shops and cafes, Mumbles is a year-round people-magnet. The ideal location from which to launch my novel Nicely Out of Tune, I reasoned, swiftly booking the village’s Ostreme Centre for the event. I put together what I thought was an eye-catching poster, ordered equally attractive bookmarks, researched and purchased public liability insurance and completed a health and safety form.

The posters were displayed outside the hall, at the village library, on the Mumbles Community Council Facebook page and last, but not least, on the noticeboard in the female section of the public toilet block on the seafront.

Next, I considered what to provide by way of the advertised ‘light refreshments’ and devised a cooking schedule for the run up to the event date. I made a tablecloth from fabric that matched the main colour of my book cover and also managed to unearth a waxed cloth for the food table that complemented the colour scheme of the book display. Surely, I had all bases covered?

Then my husband wisely suggested that we purchase a contactless/chip and pin device so as to maximise possible book sales. Our younger son, a wiz at all things IT-related, obligingly set up the newly acquired, tiny piece of kit.

Everything was going so well that I began to feel quite smug to the point of actually looking forward to the event. I had high hopes of a plethora of passing shoppers popping into the capacious hall to partake of the advertised refreshments, and possibly to purchase a book or two. The best laid plans of mice, men and over-ambitious authors… All was scuppered by a storm named Bert.

The normally busy cycle path that borders the wide sweep of Swansea Bay was as devoid of walkers, joggers and cyclists as Mumbles Road was of traffic. Slate grey frothy waves pounded the recently re-enforced seawall as a straggly squadron of gulls struggled to remain airborne. Low thick cloud obscured the usually uplifting view from the road of the pier and lighthouse island at the far end of the village.

Mumbles was bleak, almost deserted, with few prepared to brave its streets in the torrential rain and gusting wind. Shop awnings flapped and slapped, bushes and trees bent and bowed as strings of jolly Christmas lights swung like skipping ropes in the wintry onslaught.

Huddled into our coats, my husband, son and I offloaded the car, and began to set up the tables in the cold, empty and echoey hall. Our expectations were rock bottom at that point despite the rather good background music - a hand-picked selection from Lindisfarne, Eagles, David Bowie and Steely Dan. Then our spirits fleetingly rose on the sudden appearance of two ladies only to discover that one was in search of a misplaced pair of spectacles and the other in need of a toilet!

What else could we expect of such a day but disappointment? Rather than endure three chilly hours at the hall, we discussed the possibility of an early finish when a sudden commotion at the inner door to the hall caught our attention… Our fantastic family and friends had begun to arrive!

We didn’t close early; the sausage rolls, crisps, Welsh cakes and biscuits were not wasted; hot and cold drinks were consumed and the afternoon sped by as everyone chatted and laughed and exchanged long forgotten anecdotes and stories. Even the chalkboards, and playthings were of use when my two-year-old great nephew arrived. With great gusto, he scribbled and ate, ran and hid, darted and danced, his laughter as delightful as his four-month-old sister’s gurgles and grins.

My book launch was not the event I’d carefully planned and catered for. No, it was something quite different… A heart warming show of love and support that bettered anything I had envisaged! I even sold a few books.
Have you experienced anything similar that you would like to share? If so, I’d be happy to hear from you!