In the press today

Yes, I am in the local press today. I am in the South London Press local paper on page 8 I believe (have yet to see it but will at lunch). There is a whole article all about getting children to eat healthily and I am at the end of it with my book. It says who I am and what the book is about and what I have been doing with it, promotion wise. I will be buying several copies and so will my mum to give to friends and family, and for promotion reasons. As I am in the SLP today then I think I will be in the Mercury next Wednesday as they are based at the same address with the same reporters. Watch this space...

Another signing?

Promotion yesterday went quite well. I first went to another library who took some promotional material and a book from me. I asked them about possibly doing a signing and whether it was worth it asking them as I'd already organised one with another library in the area. They said yes it is worth it as they all are doing promotion for healthy eating. I left my business card with them and they will get back to me on what they can offer me. I said it will have to be late June or July. Then I went on to a local bookshop. They also took some materials from me and a book but were too busy organising an arts festival to offer a signing but would display my promotional materials and book and hope it would sell. If it does then they might stock the book on a sales and return basis. I hope so. Next week I will visit another library.

Today I read a few chapters of Allie, revised the synopsis and revised my talk on cholesterol and strokes. I hope to get the synopsis finalised by next week to send to Pegasus. Meantime, I am due to be in the South London Press paper on Tuesday, so if you live in the south London area and see the paper pick up a copy. I am buying dozen or so for family, friends and promotion purposes, and one for my promotion folder.

Be back next week after I've been in the paper.

Definite talk and signing

Well, the talk and signing is a definite now. The library phoned me at home yesterday, so my mum phoned me then I phoned them from work. I asked a lot of questions and it has been agreed that I give a talk about healthy eating and living followed by a Q&A session then a book signing. I will talk about one thing that high cholesterol levels can do to you if you eat too much fatty foods. It will held on Tuesday 23rd June at 4.30pm until 5.30pm and I am excited and nervous about it. The library have said that they will send out press releases to all the local schools and papers about it and one to me. Hopefully more books will be sold there.

It appears that Rosie is now sold out on Amazon as it now says 'Usually dispatched within 1-3 weeks.' Apparently one of my cousins has tried to buy it on the web and she was told that she would have to wait until June. Oh my, what is going on? Sold out!!!

Well, must get back to work now. Will be back end of the week to let you know how I get on tomorrow at another library and a bookshop. See you then.

In the press

Well, things are happening fast for me here. If you remember back in March I went to the Vitality Show and put my name down as a case study for York Test. Well, they phoned me last week and had a long chat with the man about food intolerances and how I've been doing. Then I mentioned my book. At the end he said he was going to contact somebody in my local area about it. And that happened yesterday. A man from the South London Press phoned me and chatted about my book, what is what about and why I wrote it and food intolerances and said that he would be writing a piece on me and my book and wanted to take a photo of me and it could they send a photographer to me. I said yes, and today at 11.45am (my lunch time) a photographer is coming to meet me here at work to take a photo of me, which is why I am now dressed up a bit at work. Pegasus said this is excellent and I will be sending them a copy of it once it's out, as well as family and others who may want it.

Oh yes, nearly forgot. I also found out yesterday that there is only one copy left in stock on Amazon, so if you want a copy now act quick.

That's my news for now. Be back later this week when I've been visiting other places. Back to work now.

Possible book signing?

Well,I went on the promotional trail again on Saturday, this time to Catford. I went to Holland and Barrett and the manager couldn't have been so different to the one at Lewisham. He was nice and friendly, and even took a couple of flyers from me. One success. Then I went to the library and they were very happy to see me as they said that I'd come at the right time and was bang online with what they were doing. They are currently promoting healthy eating in youngsters so my book was perfect. They took some promo stuff from me and a book, and then I asked about either doing a talk or a signing. They said that was fine, I gave them a business card, with my home no on the back, and they said their marketing people will get on to me about doing something. I am getting known. Hurrah. So, in case I have to do a talk, this afternoon I drafted a talk about high cholesterol and what it can cause, stroke and how strokes can affect you and your family, mainly about what happened to my dad and how it affected us. I haven't quite finished it yet, there's still a last touch to it so I get the audience to participate. Next week will be another library and the bookshop. Will let you know what happens there.

Meanwhile I am writing up the reference section for the back of Allie. Had a minor panic when I couldn't find some papers I needed but found them in another folder. I am practicing reading from Rosie for the launch. If it comes after the library thing then it will be good practice for me later on.

This is it for now. Be back later on in the week.

Working in the dark (nearly)

Well, it's been rather weird, and a bit boring, here at work the last day or so. Some of you have probably read about the flood in Tooley Street, well that is right next to us here at Guy's, and it has caused massive power failure. One building is shut, half of another building is shut because of no power and the hospital is now working on a generator, which means that we here that do have power have had to use as little energy as we can. So I am now working in semi-darkness, with all but one light off. Yesterday was the boring day because the flood effected the connectivitity to our computers and we only had access to email and the internet, and ended up either doing lots of filing, reading emails and surfing the net. There is only a certain amount of filing you can do in one day before getting bored with it. Today is better because we now have connection to other programmes on our machines so we can do a bit more work. Hopefully, all will be back to normal on Monday as they are receiving a new generator at the hospital.

Will blog about writing over the weekend.

The proomotional trail

I am still trying to promote myself. I have started to phone local bookshops, after being told by Waterstones in Greenwich that for new authors book signings don't do well, and that is in any of their stores. You have to be a big name like Darren Shan. I phoned one local shop yesterday and spoke to a very helpful lady who told me what Waterstones did that signings are hit and miss for any author. She said that they could do a big display of my book and promote hugely as being written by a local author and asked me to pop in to chat about it. I then said that if I had a signing then I would advertise it widely including contacting the local press and she said, well. I will be visiting them on Saturday 23rd May to chat about what they can do for me. I phoned another bookshop today and the man I spoke to said that my book is on their list but they want sent to them info about the book so they can decide whether to stock it or not, no mention of displaying. So I emailed Pegasus if they could do that for me and they have replied they will do so. That's all I can do for now. I will be visiting another local area at the weekend where another bookshop is and if I can find it will possibly pop in and ask them what they can do for me in the way of promotion. Watch this space...

Promotion success

Well, I had some success with promotion over the weekend. Firstly I went to a library and they willingly took some of my promotional materials and a book, then I went to a Holland and Barrett's and the manager said no. He's not a nice person apparently and Mum told me not to let him put me off, so I'm not and going to try another store next weekend. Then we went to Greenwich and to the organic store we shop in and they took some of my materials and a book which I promptly signed for them. Then it was back to a health store we shop in weekly and I was allowed to post up a couple of flyers on their notice board. Success! Oh yes, I also went into a Waterstones in Greenwich and was brave enough to ask about book signings. Was given a name and number to phone today and will do so later.

Next week will be 2 more libraries and another Holland and Barretts.

The email invites to my launch went out last week and the postal ones I have been told probably last Friday, so people should have received them all by tomorrow. Can't wait. I am excited about it but my Mum is worried for me in case hardly anyone comes and it's a let down for me. I am trying not to think like that.

Must get on with some work.

Promoting myself

I have been busy promoting myself and my book Rosie this week. I got all my promo materials on Tuesday, which were bookmarks, flyers and posters. Yesterday I put some flyers out here in my area and on the floor below where I know, on the way home I popped into my clinic and dropped off a flyer there. They said they'll give it to the manager to have a look at and decide but was sure that it would be OK to post up. Today I went to another building here at work where I know the staff and the students walk through and put up 2 flyers and displayed one with a couple of bookmarks. Have 2 more buildings here at work to approach and will do that next week. I have also offered to do an interview with someone on a website and waiting to hear from the person for the questions to reply to.

Tomorrow I will be visiting one of my local libraries, a Holland and Barretts to ask about displaying my promo materials, then onto Greenwich and my organic shop and ask them. Will let you know over the weekend how I get on.

Well, get back to filing now. Watch this space...

Competition winners

Hi, Rosie here again. My, there was some competition going on esp on the last day. Right, I shall hand you over to Julie now and thank you for entering my competition.

Thank you everyone for entering, esp on the last day as Rosie said. Here are the winners:

Day 1: Dulcie
Day 2: Jeanette
Day 3: Nell

Apart from Nell, whom I've already got the address for (took it off the back of the jiffy bag you sent me the other week), Dulcie and Jeanette, please could you email me your postal addresses so I can send you the prizes. Congratulations one and all.

Hopefully invites will come to everyone shortly for my book launch and see some of you there.

Back to work now.

Blog competition Day 3

Hi, Rosie here again.

Yes, I worked out what the cure is. It's purple and eaten with salad. Once I worked it out, I had to get everyone to find a way to eat it so they could get better. The teachers were quick to realise I knew the cure and I had to confirm it to them and what I intended doing.
Then, I found out who my mystery emailer was, and they had been testing me all along. But why?
First I had to get everyone better and announced to the school the cure and how I was to help them.
The end of the week I found out that it was going to be Monday when I'd be told the truth about why I was being tested. But then Mr Potter, my arts teacher, gave an idea for a last push to my campaign.
It was whilst chatting to my sister about what had been happening that I came to the conlusion about my school. Was I right?
Weekend came and I relaxed, shopping with my team and awarding them prizes. Then I had a scary thought - were my mum and dad involved in the plot to test me? So I had to keep secret what I suspected.
Finally it was Monday and the tests to really test my powers, but I managed to overcome them and beat them all. The end of the day I was congratulated by everyone and found out the truth. You'll have to read the book to find out what that is.
So, after reading that, here's my question: What colour is the cure?

Leave your answer in the comment and Julie will announce all winners shortly and ask for your snail mail addresses. Thanks for listening to me tell my story.

Blog competition Day 2

Hi, Rosie here again. There's my creator Julie above, holding book about me. So, where was I? Oh yes. Things were getting hot at school. In PE, I worked out a new merit scheme to get everyone involved in my campaign. Then I found out that my enemy was none other than my geograpy teacher, Mr Summers, and he had a helper who looked very familiar to me. I made her come to her senses with a power of mine. When Mr Summers turned the heat up, so did we and my team and I got together with the teachers.
At the weekend, my team and I went shopping and had a meeting to plan competitions, including getting my aunt Lucy involved.
The second week started with a war on the enemy and he took the challenge by trying to undermine my teams' consciences. I thought I was starting to win the battle but enemy told me otherwise by email.
Then after a lot of thinking about what we had all eaten, I believe I knew what the cure was.
So, it's all happening now.
Did you take all that in? Hope so, because here's another question: Who is my enemy?
Again, put your answer in the comment box and Julie will ask for your snail mail to send you my book and a surprise.
See you tomorrow.

Blog Party & Competition Day 1

Hi, I'm Rosie Sullivan (that's me above outside my school), and I have a story to tell you. I thought I went to an ordinary school, taught by ordinary teachers and no one but my family knew about my healthy eating plans, but I was wrong. It all began one Monday.

First, the hurdles were shrunk by our PE teacher, then my French teacher was nice to me, I got an email warning me about eggs in ICT, and then in maths I fell ill with a headache and burning eyes and got a premonition of boys coming into the classroom and throwing eggs. If you thought that was weird, then my math's teacher, Mr Holroyd, told me that it all be fine and it was my time. Time for what?

Then came Tuesday. My dad revealed it was my time for me to help others. Girls started falling asleep and having stomach pains, then I discovered I had powers as well as teachers, to help the sick girls. An assembly was held and our Head, Mrs Zabberwol, told me that I was the only one who could find the cure.

Wednesday proved more of the same. More girls fell ill. Then I heard Mrs Zabberwol tell my HE teacher to test me. I sorted out healthy eating plans for the girls I had taken under my wings and found skipping was a good exercise to get teams together. Then I discovered I had another power. The day ended when I found out that someone was interfering with my plans to help the girls, who were now part of my team of helpers.

Now, did you take all that in? You did, good. Then I will ask you a question. Who told me it was my time?

Give Julie your answer in the comment box and if you get it right, she will ask you for your snail mail address and send you a copy of her book all about me with a surprise. Good luck. I will be back tomorrow with more news and another question. Byee.