Apple iBooks Author Event – Mini burgers and Vodka cocktails

Apple iBooks have been great champions of The Sister since its release. Reading the blurb they had written especially for my story, and realising someone at iBooks had actually read it, made me glow as brightly as the Apple on my MacBook.

Last night was the iBooks Author Event and I was thrilled to have been asked. Having a disability it can sometimes be daunting going to somewhere new but the organisers were aware of this and they provided a car around London, and there was always a seat available for me at both venues which was hugely appreciated.

At the restaurant we ate mini burgers and sushi and drank wine. At the after show party we ate fish tacos, sweet and sour chicken and drank gin and vodka cocktails. 

We arrived at the restaurant (Michael Nadra) in Primrose Hill at six and were made to feel so welcome by Jessica and all the iBooks team. What really stood out was just how passionate they are about books. I’ve always bought books on my iPad and I did wonder whether publishers bought advertising space to be featured on Apple’s homepage but this isn’t the case. Every book promoted has been read, and enjoyed by the team.

It was an intimate gathering, with plenty of time to chat and meeting other authors was an absolute joy. Writing can be a solitary existence. I have to admit to feeling quite star struck meeting Katerina Diamond, Lisa Hall and B A Paris but I found it enormously helpful to be able to talk about my fears as a new writer and come away feeling I am not alone.

 

At eight we were taken to The Roundhouse for the Apple Music Festival where we had fabulous seats to watch Michael Buble perform. After the concert there was the obligatory after show party – another chance to chat and devour the mountains of food being brought around.

It was a phenomenal night and one I felt very grateful to attend. As well as the social side it was great to connect with other writers and realise no matter how successful everyone is we all experience a degree of self-doubt every now and then. I shall remind myself this is normal as I continue to edit my second novel.

This morning when I woke after very little sleep I was still buzzing with excitement for all of five seconds until I went downstairs and had to mop up a pool of dog sick. Back to reality with a bump, but it was a night I shall always remember.

Huge thanks to all at iBooks.