Playground Duty

 So, its off and running and so am I! Wonderful launch in Sydney following a chat with Richard Glover on ABC 702. A room full of friends, ex colleagues and ex students gave Playground Duty a great send off.
 But now the work begins. I know. I thought I'd done the work but like Mr Polly in The History of Mr Polly I am wearing out shoe leather (runners actually) going from bookshop to bookshop in search of my book. It's been an education. A steep learning curve. The thing I've VERY quickly discovered is that if I don't go from bookshop to bookshop then no-one will know Playground Duty exists. It's not like the theatre where the company promotes your play. In this world you promote your book. On your own.
 I was lucky to have an interview with Jon Faine on The Conversation Hour (@774 Melbourne). He was awesome and so nice about the book. I left the interview full of confidence and headed off to check out the bookshops. It started well. The Hill of Content had it prominently displayed and asked me to sign some copies. Same at Dymocks and The Reading Room. I had a list of new shops to visit so cycled off to Coventry Street Bookshop.
"Do you have a copy of Playground Duty?'
"No."
"I'm the writer."
"So?"
"Oh, well one of the people at another bookshop suggested..."
She looked pained.
"I thought...he said...you like writers to drop in and..."
"Its not preferred."
"Pardon?"
"Writers are always coming in."
She rolled her eyes.
I thought of replying but decided against it. Fancy, writers going to bookshops! Weird. I was more bemused than chastened. Fortunately the folk at Avenue Books were way more friendly. But I can see it's not going to be all beer and skittles.
That's what I mean by saying I thought I'd done the work. The writing is only the beginning!