Celebrations…An Over-the-Top Book Affair to Remember!

It Was an Over-the-Top Book Affair to Remember!

A close friend of an author and her family simply said, “I want to give a book party for you …” and she did. And what a party it was! The words, You must remember this … flowed through my mind as I attended an over-the-top Book Launch of a book that I was the Book Shepherd with a few years ago. An unforgettable book launch. Why not yours?

Meet To Tuscany with Love

Author Gail Mencini’s debut novel. To Tuscany with Love launched with all the fanfare deserving of a Dan Brown. The author thought it was a small party and a book signing hosted by her friend. As the book grew an audience, USA Today recommended it as “Inspirational Women’s Fiction.”

It was the party of all book parties AND, as the invited guests walked into the Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado; the hallway had vases of sunflowers throughout. The doorway to the room the party would be in greeted us with a large poster of the book cover with balloons. We entered … and then, Oh My!

Two men playing mandolins were seated on the left throughout the evening, a delightful backdrop to the next three hours. Tables surrounded the ballroom, with vases bursting with sunflowers—the table clothes and chair covers to match the theme and book’s main covers.

 Imagine this … a huge ice sculpture that was shaped like a book—front and back cover and pages … within was the front and back covers (think three feet tall) … surrounded by a sea of huge shrimp, oysters on the half shell, crab cocktail.

A curving buffet table laden with Italian yummies, appetizers, and olives that ended with a carving station of perfectly cooked beef with three sauces to add to freshly baked bread for the perfect sandwich. In the center, happy attendees quickly discovered ravioli that was mouth-watering perfect.

Do you like fish cakes—like shrimp, salmon or crab? Have you tried lobster cakes?—well my mouth did a happy dance in appreciation as these gems beckoned to me next to the ravioli that others were doing flip-flops over.

An espresso and latte cart was waiting for all along with a dessert display that was simply delicious. And oh, yes, vino. Plenty of vino.

A display of To Tuscany with Love books was elegantly stacked to the right with author Gail and several helpers to process credit cards and placed elegantly wrapped books in bags.

Over 250 plus copies walked out the door with enthusiastic buyers and readers to be. All sales were credited to a local book store so that they would show up via Bookscan … BN has now put in an order. On Sunday, the Denver Post revealed that To Tuscany with Love was #1 in Fiction in the Metro-Denver area. As it should have been!


People schmoozed, ate in line, and had a simply fantastic time. When the over-whelmed and joyful author finally stood up from the long lines in front of her to thank her DEAR friends and hosts Susie and Greg Stevenson (she had no idea what they had planned or were doing until she had walked in to set up her books—after all, it was just supposed to be a little book party); other friends; people who were there that she didn’t know but were now new friends; the team that worked on the book, she was gracious, fun and told all just a little about the book—short, succinct, engaging.

This Book Shepherd was proud of her author! So were her editors, and cover and interior book designer Nick Zelinger of NZ Graphics.

Do friends count? Indeed they can and do.
Does creating a book that is quality inside and out count? Yes, it does.
Does connecting partnering with a key bookstore in the community count? Yes, it’s a smart, strategic move.

A perfect evening for a perfect author, a perfect book, a perfect book launch. Bravo!

Get the book, To Tuscany with Love, and continue the party. You can find it HERE. 

And … what are you going to do for your book launch? Admittedly, few have a friend like Gail Mencini did to pull off a book launch extravaganza. But you have YOU to start with. Are you ready to shout out? To invite friends, family, fans to a special event? A special place? Just somewhere to celebrate you and your book?

 

 

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 44 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book PlatformsSnappy Sassy Salty: Success for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a Million Dollar Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon and her historical fiction debut Secret Journey. Collectively, her books have earned over 45 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences. 

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged in-person and online experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensives limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her.

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