The Soul Heart Series by Ally Aldridge is a YA Contemporary Fantasy Series set in the UK about shifters. Ocean Heart is book 1 in the series.
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I’m not a salesperson. Every time I have to approach a bookshop to stock my book, I’m filled with nerves. There’s no way I’m even attempting to pitch if I have the kids with me, which happens whenever my husband has a weekend shift.
First, I waited until I had my copy of Sky Heart to check that there were no issues with the print quality. Then I had to wait for a weekend when I was free. When I finally plucked up the courage to go, I found the bookshop closed. A note was pinned to the door saying he was away on holiday. Nooooooo! But at least this explained why he’d not responded to my email.
,It had felt right to approach Stillwater Books first because they were the first bookshop to stock Ocean Heart. It was released during lockdown so I couldn’t have a traditional book signing. Together we managed to sort something out that worked within the rules allowed.
He should be back the following weekend so I braced myself to try again. Thankfully, when I entered the shop, it was quiet, so I didn’t have an audience. William was absolutely lovely. We got chatting about books, reading, genres, and stocking my books. He put my books on the shelves so I could take some pics and a short reel for social media.
It’s so silly that I get myself so worked up about approaching bookshops. From my experience, they have always been so lovely. There is this fear that they’ll say no, and I’ll have to leave with my tail between my legs.
I’m excited to return next Saturday, 8th February, around 10:45 am, with my signed books for his shop. There will be five signed copies of Ocean Heart and 10 signed copies of Sky Heart. If you want to make sure you get a copy, preorder by letting him know and he will put a copy aside for you to collect.
Visit Stillwaters Books website here: https://www.stillwaterfelixstowe.co.uk/
If you can’t get to Felixstowe, you can order a signed copy from my Ko-Fi shop, or order from any good bookshop.
I was reading a post on Linked by local author Rachel Churcher where she shared an article from the Bury St Edmund’s Flyer on recommended books set in Suffolk.
It was a lovely surprise to see my YA Fantasy Romance novel included. Ocean Heart is set in Felixstowe and the story is of a teenage girl that has no idea she’s a mermaid until her messy love life awaken her dormant dangerous powers.
If you know any local Romantasy fans that this might appeal too, there’s still time to get a copy for Christmas. Plus books are a nice easy shape to wrap.
If you’d prefer a different genre, then check out the article and see if you can discover a new local author today! https://e-magazine.flyeronline.co.uk/p/bury-st-edmunds/21-11-2024/r/11/20-21/6959/1717391
What a lovely surprise to discover a display in the library, showing me and my book, to promote WAM Fest happening next week.
WAM Fest is a celebration of Women in Arts and Music. I’ll be attending on Saturday. I will have a stall and be on the lunchtime jam panel with other authors.
You do need a ticket to attend this event. These can be bought from the WAM Fest website.
Posted to YouTube on 7th September 2024.
Here is a Bookshop.org list I created of the books of some authors from this YA Lit Fest, arranged as part of the Foreword Book Festival, at the Stowmarket Library. These are affiliate links and support local high street bookshops.
Published on YouTube on 30th June 2024.
Published on YouTube on 27 May 2024.
Here is a collection of the books of authors mentioned in my Hert Book Fest 2024 series that I could find on Bookshop.org. These are affiliate links that support local bookshops on the high street.
