There is so much happening with the newly launched Well-Tempered Clavier that it's making our heads spin, not to mention what it must be doing to poor Bill. I think he's loving all the attention though!

For starters there are plenty more upcoming events fixed with more in the pipe-line:

November 15th 
Noreen Moody Book Club, Edinburgh.

November 16th
Author talk, drinks reception and book signing at 6.30pm at the Laurence Oxley Bookshop & Gallery in Arlesford, Hampshire.

November 17th
Eton College parent's day - booksigning at Eton's Alden & Blackwell bookshop in the morning.

November 24th
Edinburgh Waterstone's George St branch, booksigning, 11am.

November 29th 
Issy Setford book club, Hants

Edinburgh Blackwell's booksigning - tbc but hopefully at the start of December

If you are in, or run, a book club then let us know and we'll try to arrange for Bill to visit your group too. He's an excellent speaker and is also willing to let lots of 'trade secrets' slip from his time spent at The Sun. Maybe you'll even get further insight into who the main character in the book could possibly be based on?? 

I also thought you might be interested to see one of the latest reviews for WTC on Amazon.co.uk -- plenty are appearing on there now, and all worth a read but I liked this one in particular:

Despite not being one normally given to approaching romantic fiction with anything other than a sharp intake of breath and a heavy heart, I found myself effortlessly swept up by Coles's debut novel. A charming, poignant and bittersweet account of the unfathomable temporary madness that is love, made all the more intriguing for its peculiar setting of Eton College. Coles invites you into to this weird netherworld and writes with real affection for his alma mater, while also being quick to point out the absurdity of the institution and its particular quirks.

He captures the thrill of first love and all its attendant woes with real skill and is unflinching in portraying the narrator as not so much a victim of circumstance, but more of his own petty jealousies and understandable immaturity. The glacial father figure is certainly a contributory factor in the hero's emotional ineptitude, but Coles does not opt for a cop out, instead investing real depth in these supporting characters and the foibles, strengths and weaknesses that make them credible contributors to his downfall.

Ultimately, The Well-Tempered Clavier is a surprising book. It does not follow a predictable course, opting instead to take an otherwise run of the mill tale of first love and, with considerable skill, then lead us down an altogether more thought-provoking and challenging route.

Couldn't agree more!

Emma

 

 

 

As I think Tom mentioned on the blog last week it's been over a year now since the wonderful and sorely missed Luke Bitmead died and since then not only have his family updated his website and plan to award the first bursary to a fledgling writer in 2008, they have also been generating some more newspaper coverage about Luke, his writing and his illness.

Luke's Mum, Elaine Hanson, and his sister, Tiffany Orton, are working tirelessly to raise the profile of mental health issues and to stop them being such a taboo subject. A photographer visited Elaine on Monday accompanied by a journalist to get an update on how the fund is going and the article was posted online yesterday at www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk (simply search for Luke Bitmead).

And finally, and most movingly, here is the email that Elaine sent out to all supporters of the Memorial Fund.

Emma

THE LUKE BITMEAD MEMORIAL FUND
First anniversary 27 October 2007

www.lukebitmead.com

Luke's fund continues to grow.  We thank you for being generous and compassionate enabling us to create something positive out of our tragedy.  The untimely passing of our treasured Lukey B will leave us always with sadness in our hearts.  It is inevitable.  Along side our sorrow we will cherish and revere the memories we hold of Luke.  The essence of Luke was fired with determination and tenacity to achieve his dream of being a published writer.  How proud we his family were at the launch of WHITE SUMMER 2006.  Little did we know he would not be with us for the launch of HEADING SOUTH in 2007. 

It remains so hard to believe we will never sit round a table with him again sharing a meal that he would have helped create.  Recounting stories of his days traveling, the people he met, the adventures he had.  All told with wit and exuberance.  He hid the depression he had struggled with for eight years.  He did not want to be a burden to others.  So it is with people who are victims of suicide. 

Thomas Joiner the Bright-Burton Professor of Psychology at Florida State University who has dedicated his professional life to becoming an expert on suicide - for the past 16 years, as a scientist studying, researching and seeking answers as to why people destroy themselves.  He is now one of the foremost authorities on the subject.  "There is an idea that suicide is a mode of death that stands apart from others, but there are clear reasons why people die by suicide," says Joiner.  "Just like heart disease, if you understand it, you can prevent it." 

I have shared this with you because as well as presenting a bursary for fledgling writers we also want to support suicide research aimed at reducing the rising figures for death by suicide in this country.  We have been privileged during this past year to hear from many families who have also been devastated by loss of a loved one in this tragic way.  Luke's fund will seek to help eradicate the stigma attached to suicide.  To speak openly about mental health issues allows the opportunity to support each other and learn which  gives the possibility to begin to understand better.  We know changes have already been made at the hospital where Luke died.

The Coroner's inquest will now not be until next year.  So far, we have not spent any of the money that has been donated.  We are at the building stage and we want to spend your money and Luke's royalties in the most productive way possible.  In my work as a psychodynamic counselor I have a golden opportunity to discover how we can be most effective and powerful. 

We hope you will continue to support Luke's fund in any way you can.  His books will make great Christmas presents and reading some of the hilarious scenes out loud would add to the Christmas cheer!!!  We have up-dated Luke's web site and will do this more frequently now.  Please continue to send us messages, e-mails, phone calls what ever is easiest for you.  Together we can achieve something amazing that we can all be proud of and we are enormously grateful to know you are with us on this special journey.  Thank you from Luke's family.

Elaine Hanson

You can buy White Summer and Heading South from both www.legendpress.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk

 

 

 

Despite spending at least the first hour of the morning fixed with an angry look and muttering darkly to myself (a trip to the bank, salary went in slightly late, £150 bank charges as a result, will avoid starting on that argument...) there has been lots of sales work going on for our books and in particular looking at the range of suitable where they can be stocked.

I was pointed in the direction of Scott Pack's blog yesterday as he has written about 'special sales' - read here. This is an area we have highlighted for a while and are constantly looking for new opportunities. With the vast portion of traditional outlet sales (chains, online etc) made by the few, it is vital to spread the net wider and there are some amazing stories of success.

For instance, I heard a story a while ago of a book in the US being promoted and sold with meals in a cafe and the book ended up selling over 40,000 copies. For a start, with little like-for-like competition, if the book catches the eye and is pushed, it's much more likely to sell. Better countertop in a cafe than one spine showing among hundreds on dusty shelf at the back of a shop.

Of course, we very much focussed on the traditional routes as that is where we want our books and where they need to be but a little imaginations can sometimes, if not always (try 100 things for three to work seems to be a general small publisher approach), work very well. Examples are that we sold copies of African-set novel Salt & Honey in African delis and giftshops, held a successul signing for White Summer by Luke Bitmead in a bar, and we're speaking to a number of music shops with the aim of them stocking The Well-Tempered Clavier by William Coles.

We're also speaking to the big chains, such as HMV and Virgin, and while it's a lot tougher to convince them to take stock, as Scott says, they have different ordering models and are often prepared to take on large quantities the bookshops would never risk.

So when you start that Christmas shopping, make sure you look out for our books in the chain bookshops and independents, but also keep an eye out for where else they may pop up.

Tom

Hi all,

Well -- I'm safely back from my week's holiday and had a lovely time. It was however a bit of the shock to the system, after having acclimatised very nicely to the Portuguese sun, to arrive back at Birmingham airport late last night in a temperature of 3 degrees amid thick fog. The drive home when I was only able to see about a metre in front of me certainly kept me on my toes! But I can't complain too much as I feel refreshed and rejuvenated (I even have a bit of a tan) and ready to tackle all the mountains of work we've got piling up.

Sorry this blog is a bit later in the day than usual -- the day has flown by at an alarming rate. Wonder how long I'll continue feeling refreshed and relaxed?!! I've been catching up on all the happenings of the last week and it brings it home more than ever how much is developing and progressing all at once at Legend Press at the moment. As you will have seen from Tom's blogs The Well-Tempered Clavier is attracting attention wherever it, or its author, goes -- which is fantastic. Let's hope it's going to be in lots of peoples' stockings this Christmas...

The customer reviews have started to come in on Amazon now too -- I've put a link to them here on our company news page. For those of you who have already ordered or got your copies, why not add your own review too? It is always great to get as much word of mouth going as possible.

Right, would love to stop longer but I better go and carry on trying to grovel to Tom and make up for having left him in the lurch last week!

More from me on the blog soon -- there's something else exciting which we were notified about on Friday that I can't tell you about yet, plus maybe I'll post a couple of holiday snaps just to make Tom even more jealous!

Emma 

PS -- happy bonfire night!!! Remember to give lots of TLC to your poor cats and dogs who might be scared out of their wits with all the bangs and wooshes. We saw some fireworks last night from the plane window when we had begun the descent somewhere over the midlands. It was a very topsy-turvy experience viewing them from above. Pretty awesome actually -- then the fog came and ruined our view. Typical.

More coverage revealed for the hotly-tipped Well-Tempered Clavier by William Coles. Not only was it featured today in the Daily Express paperback reviews but a full 1,000 word extract is to appear in this week's Sunday Express. The novel, 'Eton's first love story', is receiving a great response and we're very excited by its potenial major success.

Not only this, but I, like a true professional, will brush off the weekend sleep to attend a book signing for Bill at Windsor Waterstone's tomorrow morning (starts 12 noon - if you're in the area come along, should be a great celebration and a chance to meet the always entertaining author). We like to have someone from Legend Press at all our events to support our authors and to help and organise where we can to make them as huge a success as possible, so pleased to be able to be there.

So, even if you wouldn't normally (and I've had to forego my personal principles at times to see copies of great coverage), buy a copy of the Express on Sunday to read the extract and of course, if you haven't already, you should order your copy of this express train of a novel.

Have a great weekend.

Tom

It must be the season for awards. Following my surprise, and I will admit my enjoyment, at being shortlisted for UK Young Entrepreneur (which followed shortlisting for Young Publisher of the Year), just been told that I was longlisted for the Enterprising Young Brits Award, a national competition sponsored by Vodafone and the Daily Mail to recognise 'young people who have turned their ideas into reality'.

Maybe engrossed in all the work no one has told me I'm the only young person left, but assuming not I see it all as recognition for Legend Press and what we had tried, are trying, and to some extent have so far achieved in publishing. It can be tough particularly at this stage and starting out with no capital at all, usually tougher than it should be, but award notes like this are quick reminders that we are hopefully doing a lot right and positive within the big challenge.

Being shortlisted for the entrepreneur award with four other candidates who are or no doubt will shortly be millionaires and foremost in their industries did highlight certain frustrations with publishing. I'm not at all money-orientated but, for its great aspects, it does sometimes feel like publishing battles firstly not too accept anything new, and also young. People from outside are astounded when they see our list of achievements to date and I tell them it is still a ongoing struggle at this stage. But I love what we do and feel confident that the work will pay off with a hugely positive present and future for the company.

Although just missing out on the shortlist, they have kindly said they were particularly impressed and would like me to attend the award event on 13th November, which I'll look forward to. It's nice for us to get these positive responses and acknowledgement and since the award is part sponsored by Vodaphone I will have to finish with 'the future's bright, the future's [hopefully] Legend Press'!

Tom

After promising a full report from the launch of The Well-Tempered Clavier by William Coles, afraid this is going to have to be a short one - after finally making sure eveything has gone back where it should from last night's venue. I have just about an hour to get everything done that should be complete today.

Was a great evening and the gallery was packed out with guests enjoying the banter, a drink or two and having a first look at the hotly-tipped novel. Bill is always fantastic value on any stage so it was great to hear him say a few words about the novel and his time at Eton. He also likes to keep me on my toes so had to make sure I was ready with any responses!

Copies were then snapped up with Bill enjoying signing away for the long queue of keen guests. A group of us went on to a nearby bar afterwards (a moment when I usually like sitting down and taking a deep breath - main responsibilities over for the evening). As is often the case we were there for longer than planned and although tired today it's always a nice feeling looking back at a successful launch.

We Emma and her top team away I also realised exactly how much they do at events and how good they are - it was amazing the amount to remember and arrange beforehand. Many pictures were taken and I will arrange uploading some shortly.

After a great night, and with very high hopes for the success of the novel, I am also looking forward to my sleep tonight!

Tom

No, I'm not Matthew. But I can sneak you into the launch. (Sorry for that horrible start – couldn't resist and since I have the blog all week thought as may as well try out a few new voices. I do have to read some similar-styled covering letters from time-to-time…not from Matthew Kelly, I mean, sadly.)

Anyway, back to what I was saying – the launch of the much-hyped The Well-Tempered Clavier by William Coles is taking place with a champagne-fuelled reception at Foyles Bookshop Gallery on Charing Cross Road in London. Starting from 6.30pm, it will be packed with writer, publishing, media types (as well as numerous friends and half my football team who like to drink at my expense).

I have been told by Foyles that's it full but I like the challenge of sneaking some more people in and it should be a great evening, so if you're free, can be in the area and would like to go, just email me – tomchalmers@legendpress.co.uk - and I'll get an invite sent your way. Though (brief sensible moment), it will have to be on first-come-first-serve basis.

After my six annual haircuts and our other launches aside (realise most the authors read this blog and it's too close to Christmas to be knocked off card lists), this should be Event of the Year. Whether you're there or not, will report all (well, nearly all).

Tom

Having got the 6am train back this morning (not wanting to lose the working day – dedication for you), I am back at on Legend Pres home turf and have a list of a million things to get through as quickly as possible.

In additional to personal highpoints of having haggis for the first time as part of a memorial full Scottish breakfast and being offered a student snapfax on the high street (still must just be clinging on to some youthfulness in looks, although the fact I was bypassed on my return suggests I had already aged somewhat in the hour rushing around all bookshops), there were quite few positives for us and in particular the fantastic, hot-off-the-press Well-Tempered Clavier by William Coles:

- Great launch on the Friday night at the brilliant Valvona and Crolla.
- Was another 'coup' to be part of the Edinburgh Independent and Radical Book Festival, seeing new customers on impulse discovering our books and purchasing them, and I enjoyed the event on the Sunday with Bill talking to the audience about his book (despite having to be on my guard with 'witty' retorts to the stick he likes to test me with…)
- A feature in the Edinburgh Evening News on Saturday – view here – which was shown to all the bookshops to encourage them to promote as much as possible with interest so high
- Following discussions, at least 2-3 more events are likely to take place shortly in Edinburgh for the hotly-tipped novel
- The email from afar saying that OK! magazine want to cover tomorrow's London launch – really hoping this one comes through, will be great publicity and demonstrates the interest around the book
- A great idea, after a couple of late-afternoon drinks with Bill, for nationwide book promotion and discussion – will hopefully reveal it very shortly…

A lot fit into a few days but also very enjoyable. Launch tomorrow approaching very fast and had better get on ticking off items from this list. If you haven't already (and overseas is now no excuse!), you can order your copy of The Well-Tempered Clavier right here

Tom

Just taking a few minutes out of a busy time in Edinburgh as wanted to mention that after chatting to Luke Bitmead's sister this week, she reminded me that's it's a year today that Luke passed away. In fact it was first thing on the Monday morning that I found out (having felt strangely uneasy over not hearing from him for a a few days) and so no doubt there will be a few very sad moments this Monday morning.

Luke was the first novelist I signed up for Legend Press when it was just me and the company was completely new. Although I probably stubborn-headedly wouldn't have admitted it at the time, his complete faith in me and Legend Press and his level of enthusiasm for promoting the novels show positive characteristics that are rarely found in people, very special, and made a huge difference. Legend Press would probably not be where it is today without them.

Luke also wliked to live live to the absolute full and I have many stories from our time together that will always be unique memories. As well as the excitement of signing and discussing his fantastic novel White Summer, there is one example from a signing he did in Chippenham. Just as we were packing up he started chatting to a woman who had bought a copy, next thing I knew she had phoned a friend to get him to come in and buy a copy, then we were heading to the pub after for a drink. After many more than planned I insisted I had to get the train back with Luke trying in vain to persuade me to stay - one of the few people to make me look unusually sensible.

There are many other great memories, our enjoyment of stealing 3for2 stickers and putting them on the books after a signing that an unnamed chain branch that had gone out of its way not to run the signing well, and Luke telling me I always use the word 'definitely'.

Luke was also a fantastic writer and had such talent he would have made  mark with anything he wrote. If you haven't already, go and buy his books now - here - they'll be more than worth it. Luke's family have also recently updated Luke's website and are undertaking fantastic work with the Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund. For more details, see www.lukebitmead.com 

The one comforting thought is that Legend Press can repay Luke's faith by creating the success his writing completely deserves and that he'll be looking down smiling, probably while having a pint with the others he has got together.

Tom

PS as Bitmead loved telling me to 'get on with it', I will fill you in on lots of new developments when back - including an email involving OK! planning to cover next week's launch...very exciting. Emma is away so I'll the blog to myself all week, sure you can't wait!