Annie Waller

It’s true - in an art gallery and everything!

SUE’S GALLERY support RIAT 2006 - Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, and are displaying paintings inspired by aircraft.

As I’m a guest of honour at RIAT (the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund invited me ‘cos I give ‘em a percentage of sales) the gallery owner Sue Ilett decided that ‘Albert’ is a picture painted with words and compliments her theme nicely. Couldn’t agree more.

So a few signed 1st editions of Married to Albert are available at 105 High Street, Cricklade, Wiltshire.

Almost sold out - new cover 2nd edition of Married to Albert comes out later this year. Oh and the sequel is 90% finished…

I knew it would only take a large gin and they’d have to drag me off stage left…

The Swindon Festival of Literature is one massive animal and I am honoured to be a part of it. Thank you Matt Holland the Festival’s Director for letting me babble on about my first love (eating) no writing! It is a very humbling experience to stand in front of an audience and open your heart but I hope I did ‘Albert’ justice. Apparently Waterstone’s sold out so the proof is in the pudding (I like puddings…). And my success keeps on growing - Sheila Ableman a top London literary agent has snapped me up and is now on my side. Onwards…

The Book Fayre in Woodhall Spa (01526 354501) broke the sales record for Married to Albert this weekend. 43 copies sold in just two hours! I was honoured to meet ‘fans’ of the book and also people wanting signed copies. See, it really is a good read. That beats my Waterstone’s launch (32 in a day). Well done Kath and thank you for inviting me up. It means such a lot to have support from independent bookshops who know real talent when they see it. But struggling new authors have to make ends meet somehow - “Henry take that pirate hat off - it’s got 3 bids on it…”

Another amazing day. Since my incredible success with Married to Albert, the powers that be at Borders invited me to their stand right in the middle of The London Book Fair. I gave a 15 minute speech about the sheer hard graft needed to be an ‘overnight success’. It certainly got me noticed and after a day of walking miles around the publishing world as Kate in the book, wearing a wedding dress and hiking boots (what? Excel is a massive place next to the milenium dome - I needed comfy feet!), ‘Albert’ is well and truly on the map. Thanks Gardners (the UK’s largest book wholesaler) for being the best support an author could have - you truly believe in me and my talent as a writer. Only when I got home did I find daddy had given my gorgeous baby girl ‘pork pie’ for lunch (he’s not used to having the kids…).

Thanks to Borders Charing Cross for hosting my author signing on Thursday night. I love banging on about ‘Albert’ and having an audience meant I didn’t shut up for an hour.

When I ran through the journey of manuscript to publisher to high street shelves I couldn’t believe a) that the author was actually me, b) how well it is being received by readers and c) that I actually did those things - sat on a blanket outside Hay on Wye bookshops begging for literary acclaim.

Hey a girl’s gotta start somewhere and look where it lead! Now I’m a Borders Babe on tour. Okay back to it…