OK – is it really?

The title of this post is pretty cryptic, but let me explain: this morning at the unearthly hour of 9am, I was sitting in the hairdressers (trying to look at least a little presentable for tomorrow’s signing) and was offered a bundle of magazine to keep me busy as Lesley, my new stylist, did her magic. I don’t usually read OK, Hello, etc, but had a flick through. I couldn’t believe who they had as columnists: Kerry Katona (‘singer’), that whiney woman from last year’s Big Brother (can’t even think of her name but she had a TV show in which she was insufferably rude to people, as she tried to do their jobs for a millisecond) and Jordan was the agony aunt! It made me think about all the people who have trained hard and tried to forge a career in the media and are unable to get a foothold because famous people are doing the jobs that they would have traditionally applied for. What qualifications does Jordan aka Katie Price have to offer advice, for example?

Rant over and back to the Borders event. I have rested up all week but that could be undone by a sleepless night this evening. I am genuinely concerned that I won’t sell many books, and people will just walk past, giving me curious stares (and secretly feeling a little sorry for me). I have left leaflets at various local places, but can’t imagine that will be enough to lure someone to the Team Valley if they had not intended to go there anyway. This reminds me of something amusing I read here, yesterday. I suppose you have to be very successful to have the guts to do that!

What else have I done? I contacted a few more Waterstones (Sheffield, this time), as my sister has returned from her hols and is convincing all and sundry in Sheffield that Karma is a must-have book. No response yet, but it’s early days. Oh, and I made contact with a fellow DA prize-winning author (via that addictive site, Facebook). It was comforting to hear that her journey had been similar to mine: an uphill struggle, but with some perseverence, maybe we’ll make it in the end!

By the time I next ‘speak’ to you, the signing will be over – success or failure, I’ll give you an honest account on my return. And I’ll hopefully have some more piccies for the Gallery…