Janis Hill

Okay, so on Saturday night (March 2^nd) I had my very first ever book launch in the Atrium area of the SA Writer’s Centre. The following blog is a quick run through of it all and a few snap shots. We had hoped for more shots, but as I really don’t like having my picture taken, and I’m in most of them, this is all you’re getting. 🙂

The first shot is of the Atrium as we’re setting up. It is a big, beautiful space, with a great atmosphere. I love old buildings so really enjoyed having the opportunity to get to play in this one.

 So, with Clipsal, the Fringe, Adelaide Festival, other Writer’s Week functions and various concerts and what not… well, it was a small group that turned up. We all settled down and I talked about Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. I answered some questions about my eBook and read some of my favourite bits. Like when we meet Sylvester and my favourite scene with the car in the shopping centre car park.

They really look interested, don’t they?! 😉 We had some laughs, and as it was such a small group we were able to discuss other things, like writing techniques and ideas. After that, I was asked where my ideas come from, so tried to explain it and ended up talking about my current manuscript Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! instead. Heck, it was a win, win situation for me.

This one is a good one. It’s my husband sitting up the back being the bouncer and not wanting any bother. 😉 Actually the group we had was really small and lovely, and he usually sits like this at the back of a crowd. I just thought it looked a good ‘Bouncer’ moment.

Although no pictures of it, we then enjoyed some lovely produce supplied by Georgina’s Fine Foods of Mount Barker, drank some local yummy juices and bubbles and ended the evening chatting about all sorts of things while sharing some Haigh’s chocolates.

I would really like to thank Andrew of Hague Publishing for giving me the opportunity for holding the book launch, as well as the SA Writer’s Centre for organising it all, getting me included in the Adelaide Writer’s Week program and being their usual encouraging selves.

If there were downers to the event, and they would be little ones, it would be that the turn-out was low and I got little to no support from the actual Adelaide Writer’s Week people. (Except for my volunteer helper Margo, who was just fantastic!)

Now, I know I’m a new and emerging writer and that I obviously don’t know the right people. Plus I am launching an eBook, not deemed by some a real book, and it’s not released until June… so I understand the lack of assistance, to a point. But when a gal sends you a polite tweet asking for a shout out for her launch; that is actually in your program… Was it really polite to ignore the request when others saw it and retweeted it for me instead?

But, oh well! I seriously don’t mind too much. Yes I am a new, emerging author of an eBook and pretty much unknown outside of my small circle of friends… but you know what? I had a simply fantastic time and only really regret so many others missed out on being a part of it.

There’s always the launch in June at the Mount Barker Library I guess. 😉

Have a great week!

Janis.

Okay, so we’ve made it… almost! My first ever eBook launch is happening this Saturday for, you guessed it, Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics.

As you know, if you’ve been diligent in reading my blogs, the launch is happening at the SA Writer’s Centre, which is: Level 2, 187 Rundle Street. In this blog I’ll be trying to give you the best directions on how to get there. Please note that, except during my first trimeseter of pregnancy where I am a navigating Master, I am severely directionally challenged. No, I refuse to get pregnant again just to find my way around. Google maps was created so I don’t have to. 🙂

Now, using some artistically borrowed Google maps, I hope to get you all there. Finding 187 Rundle Street is really not that hard. What is even easier is there is a huge parking complex right next door, if you need a place to park. To get to that complex through the road closures for Clipsal and everything…. Well, as I don’t know where you’re all coming from, all I can suggest is get onto Frome, heading towards North Terrace, and then turn left onto Rundle Street and you should find it easily enough.

There are two ways into the Writing Centre. There is a door to the stairs from Rundle Street as well as the lifts at the back. You can either get to the lifts from York Street entrance (which is easy to get to through the car parking complex). Or, as a tease to your taste buds, you go come through Cafe Brunelli’s on Rundle Street to a passage way at the back. You’ll then need to go through a door on the left marked ‘Disabled toilets and lift to upper levels’ or something like that and then you’ll find the old lift. Yeah, now isn’t that as clear as mud?

Well, to try and stop your eyes glazing over at it all, here are those pictures! The first one is an overview shot of the whole situation. The lovely labels, also provided by Google Maps, pretty much explain it all.

As you can tell from the lovely little A, that’s where the Writer’s Centre is. Rundle Street is the street the A is pretty much sitting on, York Street below it.

The next image is a zoomed in version where I’ve added some of my own Paint Shop wizardry showing the two ways to the lift at the back. Why am I showing you how to get to the lifts? Two reasons really: firstly because the front doors to the stairwell will be closed and locked after the launch has started, while the lift will be open until the end of it all. Secondly, I find the stairs at the front rather narrow for my great clodhoppers, so use the lifts. 🙂

Okay, so does the zoomed in picture help much? The red writing (which originally didn’t look so blurry) says “Writer’s Centre lift via Cafe Brunelli (off Rundle Street)” while the green writing says “Writer’s Centre life from York Street)”.  I hope I’m not sounding much like a bossy, fretting mother, I just want to ensure you all get there okay. With all the other fantastic things happening in Adelaide on Saturday night, you may get easily distracted and wander off on me.

So, shall we discuss the actual launch too? As it’s my first launch I really don’t know if I’ll be doing it right. And please don’t take the times as precise and exact, as I am not that pedantic, honest. Basically, the doors open at 6:30pm and that’ll be mingling time for you all to check out the gorgeous atrium, grab a drink and some nibbles and say hi.

Then, from 7pm the front doors to the stair will be shut and locked as requested by the Centre. All late comers, please feel free to use the lift at the back. I’ll then be giving my greeting speech and have a little chat about the book, how I came to write it and so on. We can then have a bit of a Q&A and I’ll read the first chapter of Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. I will do my best to not send you off to sleep, though freely admit my reading to a crowd tends to be bedtime stories to my children. This may become obvious if I ask if you’re all sitting comfortably before we begin. 🙂

After that, as this launch is for an eBook not officially released until June, I sadly won’t have anything to sell you on the spot. However, if you feel like it, I am more than happy to sign either flyers for the launch, or the Bonnie Business cards.

Phew! And after all that we can really get into the nibbles. Being a bit of a foodie and a supporter of local producers, we’re in for a treat. Platters from Georgina’s Fine Foods, fruit juices from Besa, ‘pink bubbles’ sparkling wine from Bird in the Hand wineries, chocolate squares from Haighs… what can I say, I plan on enjoying myself with food and company. 😉

Okay, so I think I’ve nagged your ears off enough about this launch. The only thing left for me to do is to remember to turn up, not stress out and have a good time.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Janis.

Yes, here it is! The official cover for Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s guide to Mathematics. And how wonderful does it look? Huge thanks to Dean Harkness for his fabulous work. I wanted something in this style, due to my liking of said style, after seeing it used on the covers of some of my favourite author’s books. Does that make sense? Hope so. Anyway, I got it. Yay!

And with the cover done and officially out there for all to see, more fun and exciting things are happening. Not only will my eBook be appearing on Goodreads and other online ‘booky places’ soon, but we will really be getting into publicity events and putting Bonnie’s Story out there for people to see. If you are a book reviewer, and would be interested in giving my eBook the once over before its official launch, please contact Hague Publishing and discuss with them.

In other fantastic news, not only does it look like I will get a Launch for Bonnie’s Story at Adelaide’s Writer’s Week, but my local (and much loved) library, the Mount Barker Community Library, has offered themselves as a venue to the official eBook is released on June 15th! Call it a Local Launch maybe? As a supporter of all things local, and a lover of the Adelaide Hills and its glorious community, I am very honoured to be given the opportunity to have a launch in my ‘home’.

The official flyers cum invites are also now being finalised with the hopes I can start distributing them soon. They are for the Launch ‘do’ during Writer’s Week and, as it’s nearly a month away, I am getting a little nervous about it all. Very exciting.

Okay, well, that’s enough enthusiastic waffling from me for now. I just wanted to show off the gorgeous cover and pass on my latest bit of news. Once we have more things finalised, I will once again be posting here.

Have fun until then!

Janis.

Hello again everyone,

So, while we’re still awaiting the big Launch book party for Bonnie’s Story on March 2nd at the SA Writer’s Centre, what exactly am I doing?

What’s that? You had no idea I was having a Launch of the eBook? Well, I am. Basically, during Adelaide’s Writer’s Week this year, I’ve been lucky enough to get the opportunity to show off Bonnie’s Story. However, as the eBook isn’t actually out until June this year, I’ve been a little creative in getting it Launched in March. I simply couldn’t miss the chance at being part of the Writer’s Week festival, rather than just a spectator. So! If you want to come along to an evening of me discussing Bonnie’s Story, do let me know. Alternatively, you can RSVP to: contact@haguepublishing.com.

What else? Last week I sent back my response to the first edit of Bonnie’s Story. There weren’t as many red corrections as expected, which was good. Now just awaiting the Official Proof Reader’s verdict, as well as the fine tooth comb edit my Publisher has given Bonnie’s Story to see if I need to make any more changes. Meaning, there could still be red corrections to come. Oh no!

What else has been happening? Have you seen my Author’s profile is up at Hague Publishing’s website? If not, you can check it out here.

And we are near the completion of the cover art to Bonnie’s Story by the very talented Dean Harkness. I am in awe of how he has cleverly taken my obscure suggestions and instructions and re-created the image I had of the cover in my mind. It may not be exactly the same, but it is so darn close it’s scary how clever he is. Once the cover art is completed and ready to be shared, never fear – it’ll be posted here!

Once I have that glorious cover art completed, I will be using it to post an official invite to my Launch for one and all here on my blog. I can’t promise chocolate at the Launch, but I can assure you’ll get information on how to be one of the first people to be able to buy a copy of Bonnie’s Story.

Do you like the re-decorating I’ve been doing to the blog? Why the chocolate theme? Well, there is an underlying theme of chocolate throughout Bonnie’s Story that, as a confirmed chocoholic connoisseur, I felt should be shared. The only problem I have with it is, if I spend too much time working on my blog, I get a desperately huge craving for the fancy choccies on display. Damn!

So, that’s you updated. Excited? As I am! Not long now until it’s all happening. Time to go brush up on reading in public I think.

Janis.

Well hello again!

I’m excited to be tagged in the fantastic ‘The Next Big Thing Blog Hop’ and would like to thank the very talented Cath Staincliffe for tagging me. Isn’t she the best? I absolutely love her Blue Murder series.

The basic idea to TNBTBH is a writer with a Work In Progress or an up and coming new book is sent 10 basic questions and we then reply to it in relation to said book/ WIP.

And so, below you will find my 10 questions and their answers. I hope you enjoy and don’t snicker at them too much. 😉

What is the working title of your next book?

It’s called Bonnie’s Story with the subtitle ‘A Blonde’s guide to Mathematics’.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s an idea that’s been rattling around inside my head for over 10 years now. I can’t remember if the origin was from a dream (as a lot of my stories are) or just somewhere my mind wandered to on long journeys on public transport while reading street signs.

What genre does your book fall under?

It comes under the newish genre of speculative fiction and, although it has been compared with Young Adults books, really isn’t specifically aimed at this age group.

I’ve had adults who don’t normally read YA read drafts of Bonnie’s Story and enjoyed it, so I guess any age from 16+ is good! (It has swear words, despite also having a swear jar.)

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

I have always freely admitted that Sylvester is strongly based on Damian Lewis’ steely blue eyed, passionate and mildly insane Soames from the Forsyte Saga. Though I admit he’s probably too old for the role now in real life. He was still the person whom, unintentionally, came to mind the more I wrote about Sylvester.

And, although I never had a real person in mind for Rogan, I did stumble across a photo of Dimitri Leonidas in torn jeans and a red flannel shirt (semi grunge) that has since made me think of him as Rogan. He’s perfect for the role, if he can pull off the right level of French accent. In the picture in question Dimitri is a little younger than what I feel Rogan is… but this is a daydream cast here so I can adjust, right? Make Dimitri Leonidas older to be Rogan, while making Damian Lewis younger to be Sylvester.

As for other characters, no idea really. Bonnie is very loosely based on me when I was young, blonde and could pull off those South Australian short shorts that are almost more a belt than real clothing. But not anymore. Get someone younger, cuter, who’s still blonde, and who can act.

Clara and the rest of the gang? Well, as most of them are also loosely based on people I grew up with, I haven’t quite met their movie star doubles.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Discover Maths that isn’t boring, as it can take you around the world with a picture and through solid walls to the Moon.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Bonnie’s Story is currently under contract with Hague Publishing and will be released by them in early 2013 as an e-book.

I, however, am unrepresented as I have found Literary Agents don’t want to touch an unknown these days. Instead, if you’re in Australia, find your local state based Writing Centre. They are awesome and so helpful in assisting you find your feet as a prospective author.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Well, if I go from when I started it to when I finished (and include the huge gaps of inactivity) maybe 3 years. If you just go on actual time spent working on it, probably more likely just under 1 year.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I’m really not too sure as I’ve not actually read much Speculative Fiction and haven’t read a lot of Young Adult for a few years. My Publisher has likened it to Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. I’ve read that book; sort of see the similarity, sort of don’t.

In the same way you could say it’s like YA books The Riddle of the Trumpalar by Judy Bernard-Waite, or maybe even We are Tam by Patricia Bernard as they are about the adventures of travelling to different places through everyday things.

Bonnie and her Gang are actually older than the kids in these books, which is why I feel YA may enjoy it, keeping in mind that Bonnie’s Story is really aimed at an older audience. Both books, however, were huge favourites of mine growing up so of course will have had some influence on me.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I really don’t know if anything really inspired me. I breathe, therefore I write and pretty much have done since I learnt to eons ago.

As mentioned, I do remember being bored on many long bus trips to and from work (before the days of e-books, MP3 players and when your mobile phone’s special feature was a calculator) and really just got to thinking “What if you could make portals where the name on a street sign took you to that place?”

Example: I wanted to go to Adelaide (when living in Brisbane) and so thought “How cool would it be to use that street sign as a point of reference and ‘POP’ be in Adelaide.” And really I just worked it out from there and made it more plausible.

Yes, there even was a Moon Street that had me thinking ‘What would happen if you used that point of reference?’

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Perhaps by how it opens up the possibilities of exactly what maths and science could do, if we lived in a weird enough world. Instant global travel, doors in walls found with ‘Hidden Logic’, and something useful to  do with all those used pizza boxes?

I’d also like to think Bonnie is someone people can relate to. And who else wouldn’t want to be able to whip up some ‘Maths That Stays’, dial up a picture of the Eiffel Tower and go spend the weekend in Paris without the expense of travel or the time it would take to get there?

Got a craving for something that you can only get from that little cafe you found in a different part of the world? Maths baby!

And, please, hands up who doesn’t think a half hour round trip from Australia to Belgium for decent chocolates isn’t such a bad thing?

***

Well, that’s my 10 Questions and Answers for you. I hope you enjoyed them. All I can really say now is – Tag! You’re it Leonie Rogers and D. A. Meyrick!

Leonie is the author of newly launched book Frontier Incursion, also through Hague Publishing. While Denzil’s fantastic new crime novel Whisky in small glasses has recently been released by Ringwood Publishing.

If anyone has any other questions they’d like to ask me on it, feel free. I hope you enjoyed these ones.

Janis.