Launching ‘A Place of Her Own’
Completing the final draft of a manuscript is only the start of the publication process. It’s followed by months of revising, tweaking, polishing, editing and checking. After a final proofing, the book goes off to the printer. A month or two later, there's a courier at the author’s front door, delivering a box of advance copies. You tear open the box and smile with pride at the finished book. You run your fingers over the embossed lettering on the cover, only to realise that your name is bigger than the title! And you wonder if it shouldn’t be the other way around. With considerable trepidation you begin reading the text. On reaching the end you sigh with relief that you haven’t found a typo . . . or shudder at a mistake you missed and pray nobody will notice.
A couple of weeks pass and suddenly it’s launch day. You emerge from your writing cave, blinking into the bright sunlight, and head off to meet the people who make books come alive – the readers. Without a reader, a book is just a collection of printed pages bound together inside a cover, or a digital file hovering in cyberspace. It is the reader who brings his or her own experiences and emotional agenda to the author’s story and adds dimensions that weren’t there in the first place.
Lunchtime, Thursday, May 1 and I’m at Hurstville City Library where I feel honoured that sixty people have gathered to listen to my launch talk.
Naturally enough, I speak about ‘A Place of Her Own’ but I also outline my own journey towards becoming a novelist, with all its twists and turns. Afterwards members of the audience ask insightful questions about the writing process and I have to confess that I’m the kind of wayward author who doesn’t plan her work beyond an initial premise and some guideposts.
I also discover that there are several enthusiastic members of the ‘Richard Scott fan club’ in the audience. Since I’ve always considered Richard the unlikeliest heart-throb of all time, I’m rather puzzled by this phenomenon.
The lovely library staff, including Sue, the ‘Adult Collections’ librarian (no, it’s not as racy as it sounds – it simply means books for adults as opposed to children) have organised everything meticulously, including a delicious array of nibbles and glasses of champers.
The next day I’m on my way to the country for Saturday’s book signing at the delightful Miss Ruby’s Bookshop in Braidwood.
Housed in a row of Victorian-era shops with cast-iron lace verandahs, Miss Ruby’s exemplifies everything I love about small local bookshops – a cosy interior with comfortable armchairs, a mix of new and recycled books, and friendly owners who will do their best to track down obscure books for you. To complete the picture, there’s a rescue cat called Millie.
Saturday, May 3 also happes to be Braidwood’s heritage festival, celebrating 175 years since the town was founded. The Governor herself is in town for the occasion. She seems to be enjoying herself immensely. And no wonder – it’s a fabulous day with heaps of things to do – watching the street parade, visiting the Heritage Art Prize exhibition, buying bric-a-brac at the heritage markets, watching maypole dancing in the park and enjoying the random acts of art and music staged along the main street.
Deborah O’Brien
May 6. 2014