".......just a dear little room for you and me"
Found myself humming this as I, along with Simon of Stuck in a Book and Karen of Cornflower, mounted the steps of 50 Bedford Square wherein dwelleth Bloombury Publishers. They were hosting a Bloggers Tea Party and sod the Booker Prize and the Litterati, I tell you the Bloggerati were out in force. As well as the aforementioned three we had the bloggers of Lizzy Siddall, Farmlane Books, Dovegreyreader, Litlove and sure there were a few more I missed. Several of us knew each other and had met before but some we had not and there were all sorts of shrieks of OH How Super to meet you and O MY God which put me in mind of an early episode of Friends when Rachel greeted her old school mates with similar shrieks. Still, no matter it was fun.
The publicity team was out en masse and could not have made us more welcome plying us with tea and scones and cream and carrot cake et al and I had a few rushing up to me and saying Oh YOU are Elaine from Random, I love your blog which is all excellent for the ego and made me feel as I would soon be gracing the pages of Hello...
We then had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne Joinson whose debut novel A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar is out in July this year. Set in 1923 tells the story of Evangeline English who joins her sister Lizzie at the ancient Silk Route city of Kashgar. Eva's motives for leaving her bourgeois life back at home are not clear cut but we are soon going to find out. Sounds fascinating and am in an Indian mood at the moment as two books recently read by me are set in this area, so another goodie to look forward to.
Kate Summerscale, author of the number on bestseller The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, then arrived and talked to us about her upcoming book, Mrs Robinson's Disgrace; the private diary of a Victorian lady who was at the centre of a scandal when her husband found her diary and discovered she was having an affair. Or was she? Very interesting to hear Kate tell us the ins and outs of all of this and cannot wait to get my hands on a copy.
And then in walks William Boyd. I have written my review of Waiting for Sunrise which I think is a simply stunning book and had promised my daughter Kathryn that I would pass on her message to him that he was her 'favourite modern author'. I grabbed my copy of his book, swep across the room and accosted him immediately and told him I was about to gush. He didn't seem to mind, dare say he is used to ladies of a certain age doing this, but he was charming and took it all very well and he then personally signed a copy for Kathryn which I am posting to her this week and know she will be thrilled. Would have quite happily pinned him to the wall for the rest of the afternoon but aware that a queue was forming behind me, took myself back to my cup of tea and half eaten scone and gloated.
Bloomsbury have a new imprint coming up soon, Circus, and Alexandra Pringle spoke to us about this and also about other titles and it was clear from her chat to us that she simply loves all the wonderful books that are going through her hands and the Autumn list is already sounding pretty sumptuous to me. I do remember a very doom laden article in a paper a few years ago predicting the demise of Bloomsbury once J K Rowling had finished her Harry Potter books. Nothing could be further from the truth and things are sounding exciting at this publishing House.
We were then told 'Oh do help yourselves to books, to whatever you like' from the piles of books and proofs all around the room. Total carnage then ensued as we fell upon them like the wolves on the fold and were handed bags to carry our booty away with us. Among the books I acquired was Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding. Her novel The Spy Game which I reviewed a year or two back here is one I am very much looking forward to reading.
A simply splendid day and I staggered off Tubewards with book-bags slung over my shoulder and squashed on to the Central Line where I used these are battering rams to force my way into the heaving carriage as I made my way to Liverpool Street for the train home. I had remembered to put my iPod in my bag so was able to sit back listen to Schubert and look at all the reading treasures awaiting me.
THANK YOU Bloomsbury for a lovely day.
