World Book Night - What I got Up To!

23^rd April was World Book Night!! I’m afraid it’s taken me a little while longer than I had hoped to write my day, but as often happens, life gets in the way of fictional fun!

The box of books for me to giveaway

 So I volunteered to be a Book Giver this year and was so happy to be accepted. I decided I was going to give my 20 books away at work. I’m very lucky that a lot of my friends are also big readers and I have frequent book-y conversations with them all the time! However, very few of my friends and colleagues at work are big readers. It’s well known that most of my reading is done on the train on the way to and from the office but my colleagues either drive, listen to music or peruse the Metro rather than opening a book. So I thought it would be nice to hand out the books to people who don’t read as much as me!

The book I choose I was The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde – a book I first read at university over ten years and adored. It’s set in an alternative 1985 where Dodo’s are house-pets and the Crimean War never ended. The heroine is Thursday Next, a literary detective who investigates crimes against books. It has mystery, action, hilarious jokes, satire, fantasy, romance and just surreally inventive ideas – in other words, something for everyone.

Special Edition of The Eyre Affair!

As well as the book, I also brought in some homemade rocky road bites (melted chocolate, cornflakes and marshmallows), cookies, party rings and some freshly made popcorn – the best way into my colleagues affections has always been through their stomachs! At eleven am I pulled everyone together told them what I was doing. I handed out all the books and unveiled the treats. Everyone was pretty amazed and surprised to be getting a book, but also happy and touched. Quite a few said they really should read more and were inspired to start reading that day on the train home. A couple others said they were going to take it on holiday with them later in May as a holiday read. What was nice is that we have quite a few non-British nationals in the office and the handful of French and Norwegian were keen to read a book in English!

Overall, it was a nice event and celebration in what is normally a pretty dull office life and I hope I inspired a few of them to try reading even slightly more. I am definitely keen to take part again next year! J

Event: Forbidden Plant Author Signing + GIVEAWAY!!

My Signed Copy of Minority Council!

I was sent an email from the nice people at Orbit UK publishers a few weeks ago letting me know about a double signing at Forbidden Planet, Shrewsbury Avenue – Kate Griffin, author of the Matthew Swift series and debut author, Benedict Jacka. I’d never been to an author signing before. Heck, I’ve never (to my knowledge) met an author before, but as I absolutely adore Kate Griffin’s writing (It’s so lyrical and lush) I dragged Sarah, my guest reviewer up there Thursday just gone.

We got there early but were able to restrain ourselves from buying any additional books. Standing in the relatively short queue, I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. I had no idea what I was going to say to either them. By the time I got to the front, I could barely stammer out my name to Kate as I handed her a copy of her latest book – The Minority Council. Luckily she was so friendly and much more relaxed than me as she asked me how to spell Melissa and we had a short discussion about variations on spellings. Even so I wished I’d been brave enough to ask her numerous questions about her writing process or what the future has in store in for Matthew Swift!  

My signed copy of Fated!

Luckily I was a little more relaxed when I moved onto Benedict and a little less star struck and we had a short chat about London and how no-one can ever know all of London well, but we stick to our comfo

rtable areas. I admitted that I’d never really spent much time in Camden where Fated, his book is set, but he said he’s not spent much time south of the river either.

All in all, it was other rather quickly as we moved on to make way for other people - and had a lovely dinner at one of our favourite restaurants in Covent Garden! So that was my first ever author event. I have to admit I felt like a real fan-girl and so nervous, despite knowing that they are just people! Does anyone have any tips on how to behave when meeting their favourite authors? I'm hoping I'll be more relaxed when I go to another one. Or perhaps you have any stories where you’ve totally embarrassed yourself in front of your favourite writer?

To celebrate I’m going to give away to one person their choice of either The Minority Council by Kate Griffin or Fated by Benedict Jacka. Just fill in the form below. Open Internationally and ends on Midnight GMT on 9^th March 2012. And to help you decide which you would prefer here are the synopsis:

The Minority Council (Matthew Swift 4) - Kate Griffin

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Matthew Swift, sorcerer, Midnight Mayor, is in charge. Or so he'd like to think. And London, being London, is having its issues. Drug use is rampant. Teenage vandalism is driving away business. Violent crimes are on the rise. Once upon a time, Matthew Swift wouldn't have given a toss. Now it's his mess to clean up. Especially when the new drug on the market is fairy dust and the production process involves turning humans into walking drug labs. And when the teenage vandals are being hunted by a mystical creature. And when the petty criminals of London start dying by magical means.
It becomes clear that not only is this Swift's mess to clean up, but someone is trying to tell him how to do his job. Now he has to sort out who's behind the crime wave and who's interfering in his business. Swift has a lot of old enemies and few friends. If he's going to save London from a rising tide of blood -- he's going to have to learn his lessons and fast.

Fated (Alex Verus 1) - Benedict Jacka

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future--allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success. But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none...

Both sound good, huh? If you want to get your hands on a copy, just fill in the form below!

<<<GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED>>>

EVENT: Out Of This World

I don’t get out much. At least not for book related events – I’ve been too nervous to go to a conference or fair so far. I keep thinking I’ll be one of those people creeping round the edges too nervous to talk to anyone! But I decided to work by way up to the big events starting with this the Out Of This World exhibition at the British Library.  Luckily I do have a couple of friends who also like books who I persuaded to come with me – well, one friend who likes books and another I could sweet talk into keeping us company! J

Me in 1950s horror mode - a nightmare of a spaceship crashing into a library!



Manuscript



The subtitle of Out of This World is Science Fiction But Not As You Know It and basically it looks at all the big questions that Science Fiction has asked over the years and how these writers have inspired and led science fact, entertainment and philosophy. As such there were plenty of original documents and first editions of some of the most influential stories and books over the last 200 years – some are beautifully illustrated manuscript and even more exciting for book geeks – manuscripts with authors notes and edits in!

There are various areas of the display looking at Alien Worlds, Future Worlds, Parallel Worlds, Virtual Worlds, End of the World and Perfect World which cover such wide ranging authors from HG Wells. Arthur C Clarke, Connie Willis, China Mieville and so many others! I also admit I might have added quite a few books to my wishlist looking around – there are a number of classics that I have never read but I should have! 



The Doctor was visiting as well...



In addition there are interactive session where you can talk to a computer that is learning to act human (although try asking ‘Elizabeth’ a political question or about the Olympics and she tends to get a little confused or say she’ll ask her mummy!). There’s also a crystal ball quiz, a life-size replicator of Doctor Who’s Tardis (He’s at lunch sadly) and plenty of musical options where you  can listen to any number of songs about aliens or time travel (I did end up with The Carpenters Calling Occupants of Interplanetary... stuck in my head!).



The exhibition isn’t too crowded and nicely laid out so that you can follow the official flow or just move to whatever catches you attention. I was a little bit of a butterfly flittering to which ever area caught my attention, but really enjoyed the variety and different views of the future as imagined over the years. I thought the whole exhibition was interesting and am considering a return visit to see if I missed anything!

The exhibition is free and open until 25^th September. Go have a look! J

Watch out - the lobsters are coming!

Book Chick City: All Hallows Eve

Book Chick City kicks off her Annual All Hallows Eve event tomorrow - it's a month long celebration of  "all things that go bump in the night - from werewolves to demons, vampires to ghosts, and of course not forgetting zombies!!!"

There will be reviews, guest posts and ghastly giveaways so if you have  time check it out - I'll be popping by daily! :-)