No, I have no idea why there was a giant inflatable lobster knocking around the Albert Dock last Saturday, either. There was a pirate event of some kind and, I believe, a food festival taking place, so Lobby might have had something to do with one or the other, but I was there for the Liverpool #LADS author event. Organised by Scarlett Flame, who also runs the Manchester Author Events, this was a cracking day out, and I sold quite a few books, as well.
We were on the top floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum, which is fascinating in its own right. If I hadn’t been doing the whole trip in a single day I would have spent more time prowling around and looking at the exhibits, but i only managed a run round the gift shop.
I did manage to sample a bottle of the local brew at lunchtime, though.
Author signing events are, as I found when I did my first one three years ago, not quite like the fetish fairs and adult shows I’ve been doing for decades. For one thing,they are open to everyone, including kids, so if you have stuff which is Not Suitable for Minors, you need to be a bit more cautious. (Don’t @ me; they sell EL James’ books in Tescos and all my covers are, of necessity, not indecent ie no nipples or pubes or actual obscenities in the titles.) I’ve taken to running a tabletop raffle with the prize being a bag of lube and sex toys, so I wrap the most obviously ‘adult’ items in ordinary giftwrap. And it’s fair to say that, even though there are usually a few authors selling children’s books and a fair few nippers running around, the fact that several of us write and sell erotica or erotic romance has yet to send anyone howling into the street.
I’m planning to do more of this kind of event over the next few years, so keep an eye out when you see one advertised near you. They are usually inexpensive or free to attend, and you stand a chance of discovering your new favourite author among those hanging out and offering sweeties.
My only minor grizzle with this one is that we ended up finishing a little too early. I’m never too keen on that.I’m the sort of tiresome person who (usually because I am going home on the overnight coach or something) tends to be more than willing to reopen the stockbag when sitting in the bar afterwards and bag a couple more sales. But then again, there’s always next time…