The Story So Far
Interested in how ‘Married to Albert’ got on the shelves?
Here’s my diary to success and, although it sounds glam - there has been a lot of blood/sweat/gin drinking involved.
2004
Publication by Boltneck Publications Ltd - small independent publishing house in Bristol.
I am their first book (it says so on their website). They have no budget for advertising so Married to Albert can claim media interest on its own merit. Editors of newspapers are genuinely interested in this genre…
I pledge a percentage of sales to the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Articles in Western Daily Press, The Yorkshire Post, ‘Intuition’ (Supplement in The Oxford Times). Interview on BBC Radio Bristol
Amazon.co.uk reviews start to rave about Married to Albert.
I appear on BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) television and radio (I give birth to a baby girl the following day!)
I start to write the sequel Girl Guidance - GG.
30th January 2005 . RAF Hercules shot down in Iraq killing all on board; ALL PUBLICITY CANCELLED (most of the crew were my neighbours and friends).Boltneck Publications Ltd put the project on hold and move into media management.I decide to wait a suitable amount of time out of respect for the families before trying to re-launch. I could not profit out of a tragedy.
After the ten funerals…September 2005I take over all publicity/marketing of Married to Albert. I have no money to pay for advertising so I drive to Hay on Wye and sit outside bookshops on a blanket holding a notice begging to be let inside. Pemberton’s agree to stock two books. I climb in the window and clear their books out to put my two on display. Then I go into the town and hand out flyers advertising Married to Albert. I phone the Hereford Times.October 2005
The Hereford Times cover my ‘Hay on Wye’ story
Gail Harbour Buying Manager of Gardner’s Books Ltd loves the book so much she is sent outside for laughing. They can see the potential of the book and agree to have Married to Albert as a stock item. (This is the UK’s largest book wholesaler!)
I approach Jo Heaven, Manager of Waterstone’s Swindon who enjoys the book so much it made her laugh out loud and read parts to her husband in bed. She agrees to officially launch Married to Albert.
Re-launch ‘whole page’ story & photo in Western Daily Press
November 2005
Re-launch gets underway with a ‘whole page’ story & photo in Swindon Advertiser
Official Waterstone’s launch of Married to Albert 5th Nov. Wiltshire’s GWR-FM, their Black Thunder Babes park outside the shop in black 4×4s. It is also advertised on the Brunel Shopping Centre website, What’s On in Swindon website and What’s on in Wiltshire website and Lyneham village websites.
We sell 30 copies of Married to Albert on the launch day (5th Nov). Three weeks later Michael Rowley at Waterstone’s Head Office phones me to say they are going ‘core’ with it and will stock my book in their largest stores. Married to Albert is now on sale in Harrods and Europe!
Follow up story & photo on success of book sales in Swindon Advertiser
Follow up story & photo on success of book sales in Wiltshire Gazette & Herald
Interviewed live on BBC Radio Swindon
Interest in the book generates a story & photo in Stirling Observer!
December 2005
Fully supported and advertised by the RAF Benevolent Fund website
RAF Brize Norton devote half the inside back page of their glossy families magazine ‘Gateway’ to an article and photo on Married to Albert. Military wives tell me Married to Albert has saved their marriages! (my husband is called out to Iraq on Christmas Day!)
January 2006
Invited to speak after dinner at a ‘Gloucestershire Scary Women’ event
GARDNER’S advertise Married to Albert (half page) in their trade magazines GAZETTE and SELECT sent to 2,000 independent bookshops weekly
Whole page story & photo in Swindon Advertiser
Borders stock the book nationwide and I do an ‘author signing’ in my local Swindon store. The event is advertised on GWR-FM every hour after the news as a top story and on all Wiltshire websites
February 2006
Quote and photo in Daily Express (I was asked to quote on an infidelity article after a journalist read Married to Albert)
Half page story + photo in Selby Times
Interview on BBC Radio Wiltshire
Half page story + photo in Yorkshire Evening Press
Author signing at Borders York
Event covered on BBC ‘Yorkshire’ website,
Interview ‘montage’ with BBC Radio York (listen to this on my website)
Author signing at BORDERS Charing Cross
Local media support, story + photo in Wiltshire Gazette & Herald
Married to Albert being sold on the internet for 56 (unsigned)
Re-launch interview on BBC Radio Bristol
Author signing at Borders Bristol. Event advertised in What’s on in Bristol website, and in The Venue magazine Internet book forums are asking where they can get copies of Married to Albert in Australia!
Exchange military families tell me American wives are trying to get copies of Married to Albert
March 2006
Army Families Federation publish an article on Married to Albert in their glossy magazine ‘Journal’
WHSmith agree to go national with Married to Albert
I am invited to speak as one of the ‘Four authors of the day’ with BORDERS at the London Book Fair. My speech is advertised in the London Book Fair complete diary of Seminars and Events and Borders put posters of me around the venue Excell.
Invited to open a night club event in Swindon for ‘Funky-Mamas’ in association with Waterstone’s.
On BBC Radio Swindon as part of the show.
Waiting for GG to be edited, I start writing book three called ‘Home’.
April 2006
8th author signing at The Book Fayre, Woodhall Spa. Organised by Gardners Books.
29th invited to dinner with Gardners Buying Department
May 2006
8th Appear on stage at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon as part of the Swindon Festival of Literature (amazing for a newcomer . usually put in the Town Hall or Arts Centre). Afterwards, Waterstone’s sell out!
28th author signing at BORDERS Leeds.
I am signed up by Sheila Ableman (London Literary Agent).
June 2006
10th author signing Waterstone’s Oxford - 2pm
July 2006
16th RAF Benevolent Fund invite me to join their guests of honour at the Fairford International Air Tattoo.
Cricklade Gallery display my book alongside works of ‘avionic’ art.
August 2006
Oxfam head office ask me to officially open their new Marlborough branch.
September 2006
First edition sold out!!!!
October 2006
2nd edition launched - endorsed by The Daily Express.
The Yellow Ribbon Foundation list me on their home page and ‘rave’ review the book in their chat rooms.
An Oxford Times journalist phones to say Sandi Toksvig pulled out of an event at Eynsham Hall, could I stand in as their after dinner speaker (of course…).
February 2007
I give a lecture on writing to the RAF Benevolent Fund at Princess Marina House, Littlehampton (West Sussex newspapers cover the event).
www.clothesagency.com use me as a profile case.
Nicola Cornick of The New Writer’s Award thinks Married to Albert is a fun read!
Waitrose Cheltenham stock Married to Albert.
June 2007
Borders Milton Keynes officially launch 2nd edition of Married to Albert.
- Buckingham Advertiser cover the story
- Milton Keynes Citizen cover the story
Recorded interview on Horizon FM breakfast show.
New agent - Bill Ellis of A&B Personnel Management (thank you God!).
I say thank you and goodbye to my first publisher (time to seek paid avenues).
July 2007
Married to Albert reaches page 32 of ‘You & Your Wedding’ magazine.
Waterstone’s Milton Keynes author signing.
Live on BBC 3 Counties Radio breakfast show.
Appear on Wiltshire’s GWR-FM to quote on government initiative.
October 2007
Invited to speak at the Swan and Pen literature society, Buckingham University.
Invited to address pupils at Beachborough Preparatory School - Northampton.
January 2008
On home page of www.christianwritermagazine.co.uk.
February 2008
Invited to speak at Westbury W.I.
Full page spread in MY WEEKLY magazine.