Self-Publishing Diary

The books are starting to arrive in the bookshops – Sarah Austin from the Kilburn Bookshop asks me to go and sign their copies which I do willingly. Gardners send me an order which I redirect towards Central and My Travel Companion arrives at Central. I get a text from my sister to say that…
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I took a copy of the book round to Colin Thubron – his quote on the front has made a lot of difference.  Do a telephone interview with the Observer (there should be something in the Escape part of the paper this Sunday). They need a colour photograph – luckily I remembered I had had…
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Get some very nice letters from old friends and in the evening a wonderful bunch of flowers. Send out a bulk e-mail to many friends alerting them to the book and telling them where to buy it. Do live interview with Radio Cambridge and the first question takes me completely unawares – the interviewer asks…
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My sister rings to say that there is a review in the Sunday Times. It doesn’t appear to be in the on-line edition – so here it is in full: ‘In 1957, aged 10, Anderson’s childhood was abruptly brought to an end when she was diagnosed as having cancerous lumps in her arm. A prominent…
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Another day of not being able to concentrate as various repercussions from all yesterday’s publicity. Guardian Unlimited put that I had written the film Notting Hill (I wish) – it has now been removed but was there due to some editor’s ‘imagination’. Hugely embarrassing – since it has already found its way onto other sites….
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I had a hunch when I woke at 7am that there might be something in the Telegraph, so I rushed downstairs to look online – and yes there it was – I then rushed out to see that it was in the paper Telegraph too. Different photographs – MUCH better online but big piece and…
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Ring around more bookshops in the morning – again nothing but friendly and positive responses. I preface my telephone calls with ‘Hello my name is Sarah Anderson and I used to have the Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill’  – it helps. Do the monthly accounts for the company – soon I must do the end…
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Decide to release the books – the Mail’s contract was only until last Saturday – so the shops might as well start selling them. But how are people going to know about the book until I get something in the press? I take 5 huge grey mail bags to the post – over 150 books…
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Spend most of Saturday writing about wilderness books for Guardian Unlimited – rather enjoyable although I would like to settle down and read in more detail. On Monday I send off my copy to the Guardian and I ring round more bookshops – again all very positive. Do a large e-mail to people in my…
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Do more ringing round of bookshops – they all seem very positive – however when I get the weekly figures from Central Books – very few shops have ordered this week. Disappointing. The Mail ring to say it won’t be in on Saturday or Monday – maybe Tuesday … I no longer expect it –…
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