Room in Your Heart Launch Party!

Welcome to the party to celebrate the book launch of my romantic short story collection: Room in Your Heart. Let me take your coat and please take a drink from the tray. Bubbly all right?

I hope you don't mind me leaving you for a few minutes but others are arriving and I just need to let them in. Why don't you help yourself to a canapé while you're waiting? They were freshly baked this morning - I bet you're impressed as you know I don't bake very often!

Right, I'm back now - hope you've been OK talking amongst yourselves but my special guest: proofreader, photographer and writing chum Tracy Fells, has just arrived with her very large ruck sack and I needed to make sure it was put somewhere out of the way. What was that? Patsy Collins has blocked the neighbour's drive with her campervan? Not a problem, the neighbours are all here anyway. Love the outfit, the colour really suits you - mind if I ask where you bought it? Thought so.

Yes of course I'll tell you something about Room in Your Heart - I'm glad you asked. It's a collection of twelve romantic short stories, all previously published in The People's Friend. Which story did I like best? Oh, that's a difficult one but I think it has to be the first story, Read These When I've gone. There's something very poignant in Rachel and Mark's shared memories of their early married life and it was one of those satisfying stories that just rolled off the keyboard.

Oh, do please excuse me, I think I heard the doorbell ring again...

Back again - sorry to break off our conversation. Let me introduce you to my People's Friend editor... I really think you should take off that bobble hat, Alan, you'll get awfully hot in here with all these people. No, I'm sorry, Susan, bribing him with a glass of red wine will not guarantee a sale - even if it is a particularly good Burgundy. It's a shame Shirley couldn't make it but I'd like you all to raise a glass to her in her absence.

Ooh, I might be getting a bit tipsy, but I think I could be forgiven as this is the publication of my first book.

Ah good, Sally Jenkins has arrived. You really must meet her - if it wasn't for her book: Kindle Direct Publishing for Absolute Beginners, Room in Your Heart would probably still be floating around in cyberspace! What was that, Sally? You want commission? Sorry, but until someone buys Room in Your Heart, you'll have to make do with a sausage roll.

Let me take you over to meet some other very important guests - Marianne Wheelaghan, who runs the writing class where it all began, and two of my creative writing teachers, Natalie Scott and Ann Hamilton. Who's this lovely young woman? Oh, it's Sarah Hughes my cover designer - I know it's fab, isn't it! Next week Sarah will be special guest on my blog, so don't miss it if you want to know more about the work of an illustrator.

Do help yourself to a petit four - quick before Alan eats them all! While you're eating, I'll give you a little taster of Read These When I've Gone, the first story in the collection.

Rachel is sitting in the corner of the restaurant by the window, staring out at something I can’t see. Although still only dusk outside, the waiter has lit the candle and I look to see if its light catches the diamond in her engagement ring before remembering she won’t be wearing one – or her wedding band. The menu is open in front of her but I can see she is not reading it; instead she is staring at the reflections in the window.

You'd like to find out what happens? Well, you're in luck as Room in your Heart can be bought here!

Just going to put on some music. Must leave you for a moment to grab my husband for a dance... did you know we met at a dance class? Well that's another story (one that will be told in an article I wrote for The People's Friend). Anyway, without him, this book wouldn't have even got as far as cyberspace - it would still be sitting on my laptop waiting for someone clever to turn it into a book!

Thank you so much for coming to my launch party. If you buy and enjoy, Room in Your Heart, please consider leaving a review on Amazon... I'd be really grateful.

But enough about me, I'm monopolising the conversation, what about you? The story collection is all about love so how about telling me the most romantic thing that has ever happened to you.

Now for my Gwyneth Paltrow moment. Room in Your Heart is dedicated to all the special people who made it possible:

My lovely husband, proof reader and technical wizard, Ian.
Marianne, Natalie and Ann from Writing Classes
Illustrator Sarah Hughes
Shirley and Alan from The People's Friend
Tracy fells at The Literary Pig
Sally Jenkins' Kindle Direct Publishing for Absolute Beginners