Some women imagine their dream wedding... I imagined my dream book launch.

Guests, cake, dress, photographer... just a few of the things I've been dreaming about for my perfect book launch for the past few years. Well, probably seven years since I first started writing The Choice, or Class A Cake as it originally started out as. It felt like a dream, maybe less realistic than getting married, but today I went to Norwich Waterstones to discuss my book launch. A real, honest to goodness book launch for my real, honest to goodness book!

Dream. Come. True.

What's a book without a launch? And by launch I mean party!

I've imagined all sorts of launches, small ones, fancy ones, formal ones where I do a talk, relaxed ones where I make a quick speech and then get on with talking to everyone I know and love.

The only thing I did know was I wanted it to be in Norwich Waterstones because I've been going to the book club for years, I've attended events with "real" authors and wished it was me and it's always felt like a second home.

​I wasn't sure what Waterstones would expect for the launch but they've been lovely and said I can do what I want, so it's going to be relaxed and informal. With cake. Obviously. There has to be cake. If you don't know why, just take a look at the blurb...

'Eat the best, leave the rest! Remember Mother knows best.'

Olivia Pritchard lives in constant fear since Mother Mason came into power. Everything from healthy eating to exercise is controlled by the government, all in the name of health and happiness. Olivia hates being dictated to, but to protect her family she must follow the rules or face public judgement in the Shame Box - a transparent prison cell.

After Olivia witnesses an innocent woman being violently arrested, she is no longer able to ignore the injustice. The underground rebellion 'Cut The Apron Strings' is gaining momentum and for the first time in years Olivia has a choice: keep her head down or join the fray...
​

A sign?

Sitting in Cafe W, during the meeting, this was my view...

Hopefully it's a sign of things to come and then this dream come true becomes an even bigger dream come true.

I love party planning!

I've organised parties for years - virtual ones when I was bed bound and real ones when I was well enough. I love coming up with different ideas and styling the room and food to match the theme. There's so many things in The Choice I can use to bring my imagined world to life. Luckily, I have a very talented friend who is going to help make props to transform the shop. It's going to be a night to remember and I can't wait!

Thirsty work...

​I celebrated with my first ever bubble tea -  iced lychee tea with strawberry bubbles. It was amazing, really refreshing and the bubbles were so unusual. I've wanted to try bubble tea for years so it was the perfect combination of two incredible experiences.

Just wow!

I keep having pinch me moments when I wonder if I'm daydreaming, if I'm really still bed bound and desperate to escape, wishing my life was different. Then I realise that no, this is my reality now and it's just so exciting!

Photo by Luis Tosta on Unsplash