Book Launch Party: Outside the Lines

My 2016 book, Outside the Lines called for a book launch party. I held the event in the clubhouse where I live. Since half the book takes place in my home country, England, we had a Brit-themed book launch party for around sixty people.

See Suzanne Sweets‘ gorgeous dessert display below. Those morsels were as delicious as they look. The table of British foods came from Rosie Lee British Imports in Ventura. The board had pictures of scenes from the book. Prizes, great food, lots of fun.

Sheila, showing off the new book

Launch party

Suzanne Sweets’ gorgeous deserts

British foods from Rosie Lee’s Imports, Ventura

Launch Parties

Book launch parties are great fun because it’s a chance to give back to the readers who support me. When Poison Pen came out, I held the first launch party in the patio of a haunted hotel. Unfortunately, the owner and I had a misunderstanding about what he would provide (almost nothing) and what he would charge for it (a lot!). I learned from that mistake. From there, I went big and had a party or two at the Wedgewood Banquet Center with Written in Blood and Dead Write. More fun, food, and prizes.

The next couple of launch parties were held at the home of Martha Jaffe, my wonderful travel planner, in the Ventura Keys. She shopped for finger foods with me, cooked for me, and made everything perfect. What could be better than hanging out on a deck in the Keys in August with fifty of your good friends and readers?

Last year, 2017, when Written Off was released, I decided to host the launch party at Mimi’s Cafe in Ventura. Fellow author, James F. Gray, co-hosted and helped foot the bill. No wonder he’s one of my favorites! We had around 70 guests. It went so well, I think we’ll do it again when Proof of Life comes out in 2019.