today is the day that the bollywood beauty goes to the printers. in maybe four weeks time the first copies will come back, and i will get some to keep before anyone else does. then about four weeks after that it will be launched, and then hopefully it will stare out indefinitely from shelves in bookstores everywhere. so far i know that it will at least be at reader's feast - a friend of a friend works there and confirmed that they have purchased it. i seriously have to hold myself back every time i'm in a bookstore now, i am nearly always overcome with the urge to run up to the counter and ask the lovely lass/lad to search their catalogue for my own title. how sad is that? though i hope that big chains go crazy and buy mountains of books and do huge displays right at the front entrance of their stores that virtually scream 'hey look, we have indians here too'. now that would be grand. indeed.
the final page count comes in at 312 - not taking into account the non-story pages like acknowledgements and dedications and those blank pages at the end that are there because the binding happens in lots of 16 (or something like that). my publisher termed it (quite nicely, i thought) 'a healthy baby'. i told mark and he said something along the lines of four weeks being the longest labour ever. i'm going to leave that one well alone.
i can't wait - it all still seems so far off. but it's less than two months away now! i have to start planning what i'm going to wear. anyway, for those of you that are interested, whip out your diaries! i will be having a launch-week bollywood party on saturday august the 6th at the bedford hotel, 1 flemington road, north melbourne. everyone's invited!
i got asked in an email today whether or not i've been practicing my signature. i replied -
practicing my signature?? of course not!!*
*(by which i obviously mean 'of course'. please don't tell anyone)
Thursday, June 09, 2005
today... is the day
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8 comments:
I don't know how you can contain yourself. My tummy was doing little flips while reading this post. How wonderfully exciting!
I cannot wait to read this book, and will definitely nominate it for my family book club. Lots of Sri Lankan Aunties and cousins sitting around reading it over cups of tea. Can you imagine!?
Congratulations Shalini. I am so very very happy for you. How on earth will I get my copy signed!?!?
hey saff!
containing myself has become easier and easier because i'm actually a little happy to see the manuscript go. kinda like having a kid move out of home, maybe. i am excited, but i think the firecracker fuse will be re-ignited when the first copies come back in book form (did i tell you there will be embossed bits, and gold foil??).
ok, maybe i am a little excited.
as for getting a copy signed - is there no way you'll be able to come down for the bollywood party on the 6th? would be so cool if you could!
can i come? can I wear my pretty purple and gold sari my friend bought me?
hey kathryn!
you better, and you better!
xo
not a melbournite but congrats and have a great launch - very exciting and looking forward to seeing your book!
hey ova girl,
thanks! i can't wait till the launch - i've added count-down thingies to both my blogs - what a nerd, huh?!
xo
Hi Shalini, Congratulations! Being a Melbournite and a local-to-you one at that, I can't wait for August 6th to say "Hi" and show my support. What time are you kicking off? Do we need to register our interest (or just keep it in a child-proof enclosure until then?)?
I am so thrilled for you. Well done. You must immediately reward yourself with an mp3.
My boyfriend must be sick of hearing about "...you know,that blog that I keep telling you about and the book that she has written" but I think he will secretly be pleased to be a part of a launch -week celebration. I am looking forward to it. ;-)
Lisa
hey lisa!
thanks for your message. i'm glad to hear you're sharing my excitement - and i look forward to meeting you at the bollywood party. i will post more details here when they're confirmed, but i think it'll be from around 8ish onward. in the meantime, come and check a comedy night i'm running at the bedford with a mate of mine on july 13, 20 and 27 (wednesdays in july, bar the 1st one).
and just quietly - i bought the mp3 player!
xo
shalini
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