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 23rd December 2024
If you know me, you’ll know I’m very naughty when it comes to returning books. In addition, I lose books! And, my youngest destroys books. Library fines are common.
But, during the pandemic my fines got to a point where they barred my account! ?
I was a bit scared & embarrassed to go into the library to pay my fines. But, as always, the local librarians were lovely. We sorted it out and I can borrow books again.
When I released Ocean Heart last year, I approached my local library to recommend they stock a copy. And, they did!
It felt too good to be true. So, I searched using Suffolk County Libraries app to check it was really there. It was, but out on loan, with another Suffolk library!
A few weeks later, I checked to see if it was back. It had returned to Felixstowe but was on the Reserved Shelf.
When I paid my fines, I asked what the Reserved Shelf meant. It meant someone had requested it! My book is in demand! And, it had already been collected! ?
I must say I’m relieved. I love my library and would hate them to waste money on an unwanted book. As a new author building my audience, I worried I might be too unknown. I feared nobody would be interested in Ocean Heart. It makes me so happy to see it’s always checked out.
If you want to borrow the paperback, you’ll need to reserve it. It is in their collection, but there’s a queue. ?
For students of Felixstowe Academy, there are a few copies available from their school library.
Overdrive is an eBook app used by libraries. You can search for Ocean Heart and request a copy to read. I don’t think they’ve ordered the eBook yet but all you have to do is ask.
If you love reading eBooks, supporting your library, and supporting authors, get this app and start enjoying a vast range of eBooks for FREE using your library card.
It’s easy to find my book searching by title or my name, but to be certain you found the right copy, use the ISBN.
There you have it, Ocean Heart is available for you to read for free using your library card. If it’s not currently stocked by your local library, just ask them to order it in.
Below are some affiliate links for buying Ocean Heart. You can learn more about these on my Affilate Disclosure Page.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1092737?ref=Redfae
[kofi]
This was the first event of Felixstowe Book Festival I attended this year. I went last year too and loved it.
Parents with children aged 2 to 6 years old were able to drop in between 10am and 12noon to try out the Arty Mouse range. This is ideal for their age group.
This was a free event (no ticket needed). However, the books were available to buy at half price and I couldn’t resist.
Representatives of Arty Mouse (I think from Top That Publishing) and volunteers of Felixstowe Book Festival, had prepared tables with different activities for the children to try. The children were able to move freely between the tables.
Here is a pic of Noah trying out their Arty Flashcards. These cards enable children to practice their writing and develop their reading skills.
Afterwards, children were rewarded with a certificate and some Haribo sweets. Sadly, I left behind Noah’s certificate and drawing of a cat, although, I think I would have been in more trouble with him if I had lost the sweets (luckily I put them in my bag).
The Arty Mouse products are a little bit special and make lovely gifts (especially the box kit books). I told Noah he could have two for the summer but the box ones I’m saving for his birthday and Christmas. He was very good about me taking them away as I could tell he wanted them most.
Noah was excited to get started in his book right away and really loved the themes in the book. He’s very into anything with wheels and robots are trending with him at the moment.
As I mentioned earlier, I am already a fan of Arty Mouse after discovering the fabulous books during last years Felixstowe Book Festival. I can’t believe I haven’t written a review of those we bought last year and I will make up for that later this month.
This article has beautiful pictures, capturing a moment in time when women of the library took to horseback to deliver books to those in need during the Great Depression in America.
This article is by Ash D Solomon and I had to share it with you.
