Meet the Author

To all you wanna-be hapless writers….

Yesterday I reacquainted with my past for a few pleasant hours. My past, being B.C. (Before Covid), and the event – a Book Launch at my local library.

It was publicized as ‘Meet the Author’, but having attended quite a number f amilar events as both writer and reader, I know it to be a thinly disguised attempt to publicize and promote sales of a new book.

Way back, when BC still meant ‘Before Christ”, supporting local writers was a regular social activity for me. My calendar would be full of opportunities to buy a book from the fountain head of its creation. Indeed with most of my friends equally involved, we had already decided whose turn it was to purchase a book, which when read, would be passed along our chain. When it had completed the rounds, we would then discuss its merits over a cup of coffee in some cosy little cafe mutually convenien t to all of us. A simple pleasure, costing little but time, and giving us all collective pleasure, while providing the author with a reason to return to the keyboard and begin another literary offering.

Yesterday’s event was a little similar insofar as our local library is a pleasant one, keen on providing light educational events that would encourage regular patronage to its environs. . While being modernized to acknowledge the advent of our digital world, it retains enough ambiance to encourage Mums with their kids, to attend StoryTelling time, and begin their offspring’s adventure of living in worlds of literary creation.

About 20 of us turned up yesterday, mostly women, and listened to an enthusiastic Events librarian ask the why, where, when and how the book had been formulated from an idea to the finished page. The four-book author was pleasant, not overly polished in her replies, but nevertheless honest and engaged in response, and after 45 minutes we were also told that for the sum of $20.00 the author’s ten-year-old son Joshua was more than happy to sell us not only the new addition but any one of Mum’s other books. We all smiled, applauded, and were invited to have a ‘cuppa and a biscuit.’

At this point everybody got up and foregoing this final pleasure of a “Cuppa” or purchase of a new book, dispersed their various ways into the library, obviously with no intention of buying even one book. Bein g a little more virtuous, I took out a $20.00 bill, then, thinking of my full shelves back home, checked with the librarian that the new book would soon be available as an mp3, and in the meantime, took an earlier book by the author out on loan. Not entirely satisfactory for her – but excellent for me.

I guess there is a moral to this story – or at least an observation on changing values, but as the Australian Bush Ranger Ned Kelly is attributed to saying – “Such is Life”.

This Post is also available on G’Day From Oz Downunder on An chor. fm. -along with some appropriate music.