It's my party ...

Gorgeous cover, gorgeous flowers. The cup cake didn't last long.

Last weekend I did something I haven't done for a while - went to a launch party. I don't know whether the absence of parties is to do with the increasing tendency for e-book or e-book first, or whether it is a comment on my sad social life - but whatever it is, it was a pleasant change and I enjoyed it. It was a celebration for Ella Griffin's third book, The Flower Arrangement.

Penarth's indie bookstore, Griffin Books, had arranged a lovely afternoon of cupcakes and tea, beauty products and Welsh gifts for sale, a talk and a reading from Ella and, of course, flowers - from Sweet Peony, also from Penarth. I liked them so much I came away with one of the table decorations. And a book, of course. The cupcake is gone, as you might have guessed, but I did briefly save the sugar plaque with the picture of part of the cover on it. (How do they do that?)

Anyway I had fun, everyone else also seemed to enjoy themselves and many books were bought and signed. I'm looking forward to reading my copy.

But ...  There is always a but. I have enough rejection letters from publishers to know this. It started me thinking about launch parties in general and those for romantic suspense in particular. How do you do a theme party for that? The next book I have out of the starting gate - it will get there, I keep promising myself that - is not a problem. The first of a series (I hope) that at the  moment are known helpfully as 'the Riviera books' it's much lighter than my usual stuff. Flowers and cake would be quite appropriate. I have toyed with the idea of reproducing the party that is held in the book - but hero Jake is filthy rich and I'm not going to be able to provide Kir Royale, smoked salmon canapes and a string quartet, much as I would like to. Always nice to dream though.

But what about romantic suspense? How do you chose something appropriate? What is appropriate? Serving red wine only? Raiding the Halloween recipes for suitable looking nibbles? Venus flytraps as table decorations?

Actually, I think I'd rather have the tea/wine and cake. A big one, with the cover reproduced as one of those sugar paste plaques. I'll save the scary stuff for the inside of the book.