Ten, nine, eight.... LAUNCH !!!!!!!!!!

It's here and happening, right now! And I'm as nervous as can be.  Tomorrow I stand up for all the world to see.  Well maybe not all the world,  but definitely a few passer-bys.    What am I talking about you ask?  Well I'm proud to write but terrified to say... Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu is no longer a dream but a reality,  it's a bright, sparkly, shiny cover wrapped around 80,000 words with a beginning and an ending and riotous trip stumbling through Nepal in the middle.  And tomorrow I do my very first Author Appearance and signing.   

But for a moment indulge me as I take you back to last week, just after we arrived back home from Nepal.... yes I know,   I haven't posted anything on Nepal yet...at the moment I'm running late with my Bhutan posts... and Nepal is next, but just for the moment  I'm going to steal a post (or two) to tell you how excited I was to arrive home and find my author copies of Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu waiting for me - all 400.



I opened the first box and stared at the lovely cover,  bright and vibrant.  I love this cover so much.  The image was painted especially for the book, by a wonderful North Coast artist - Donna Sharam - and it represents every thing that is quintessential Nepal; colour, life, strength and vibrancy.  Then it was down to work - within 24hours of arriving home,  I'd thrown a couple of boxes into the car and was making a trip around to the book shops in my area - Byron, Bangalow, Ballina....Lismore - in the hope to sell a few.  I couldn't offload a one.  Not even a single page!   Was I disappointed?  Not at all... because they had all ordered in the book and there it was, sitting on the bookshelves.   I could hardly contain my excitement. 

Books in shops, it was time to have the Launch Party, which went off with a bang last Thursday.   I was terrified no-one would turn up.  Well I knew Mal would turn up - he had too or it would have been pretty frosty at home.   And I knew Seb and GG would be there; especially if they wanted free babysitting,  but I was worried no one else would come.  

I'd booked the wonderful restaurant at our local TAFE institution - The Nightcap Restaurant - for the Launch Event where they were to serve the most delicious canapés and yummies and promised to ply everyone with wine for me.  The incredible Samba Blissters were to roll the book out with a bang and an art exhibition by the cover artist herself - Donna Sharam - would add extra colour and vitality to the night. As I watched the clock tick over while I unloaded the goodie bags and Kata scarfs I'd brought back from Nepal, I prayed to the bodhisattvas to shine their blessings down on me.  On the dot of six, the car park began to fill and lines of guests made their way up the path to be greeted with a Kata and a wish of "Happy Journeys - where ever you may travel in life".

It was an amazing night with over 100 people attending - including my Publisher - Mark Zocchi of Brolga Publishing, who announced on the night, to my absolute surprise and delight,  that the book had been sold into the UK.  Talk about shrieks of delight! 

And now it's time for the tours of the bookstores.  The lovely little book shop of Books@Stones, at Logan Road, Stones Corner is my host for my first ever book signing and author appearance and I'm very excited to be visiting this bookstore just 4kms from the very heart of Brisbane's CBD and located in the village atmosphere of Stones Corner.   I can't wait to spread out the beautiful covers for all to see...plus I have a chocky or two to entice