Lauding in London - The Manhunting in Manhattan Book Launch

As members of the Troubador team who worked closely on the book Manhunting in Manhattan, Holly Porter and Raisa Patel have co-authored the write-up of their trip to London after they were invited to celebrate the release of Saoirse Cussane and Amy Killingbeck’s debut novel at their launch event, hosted at Housman’s Bookshop in London.  

Manhunting in Manhattan tells the story of a woman at the edge - both literally and figuratively – as Lilith endeavours to explore her newfound sexuality in the big city through the liberation she experiences upon leaving her long-term marriage. The authors came to us with this novel, hoping that we could bring Lilith’s story to the world professional and attractive way, and that is exactly what we did. With Holly, one of our Production Controllers, managing the production of the physical book and Raisa, a member of our Marketing team, handling the trade marketing, the authors were keen to have representation of their publishers at their event to commend all that made the novel a reality.   

Cussane and Killingbeck were intent on celebrating the theme of female empowerment and the launch was a great opportunity to do this. Holly affirmed that ‘the bookshop was bustling with people who were there to support the authors, along with, perhaps, some of the ‘characters’ from the novel which did make things interesting!’ Throughout the night, they were treated to readings from the authors, with Raisa also given a chance to speak on behalf of Troubador which she did with confidence and enthusiasm, all whilst admiring the effort that everyone had put into their masquerade persona (per the authors’ chosen theme). Both Holly and Raisa mentioned how there was a great feeling of togetherness and encouragement felt by everyone who attended, and that many of those in attendance walked away with a copy of Manhunting in Manhattan by the end of the night.

Holly and Raisa on their way to the book launch

How a successful launch can market your book

A book launch is a fantastic way of generating buzz around your book and can create excitement, anticipation and interest amongst potential readers. It provides an opportunity to connect with readers, media, and industry professionals and can help build relationships with bookshops that are there to promote and sell your book. Hosting an event is also a great way of increasing the visibility of your book and, in our monthly trade marketing webinars hosted by Raisa and our Sales and Marketing Manager Jonathan White, we discuss how it can attract attention from potential readers. 

A successful book launch can lead to immediate sales as attendees will usually purchase copies. Troubador can arrange to have your books sent to the bookshop directly, so you won’t have to worry about discussing terms, retailer discounts or invoicing. If you do choose to supply the bookshop yourself, it is important to think about retailer discounts (most bookshops will expect a retailer discount between 45-55%) and usually on a sale or return basis (an arrangement by which the bookshop pays only for the books that are sold, returning those that are unsold). 

A well-executed book launch can help establish you as a credible and serious author, enhancing your reputation and increasing the likelihood of book reviews. The Troubador Marketing team can help create promotional materials for your event such as banners, posters and leaflets and these are just a few ways that you can enhance the professional atmosphere of the launch.

Things to consider when hosting a book launch

Give the bookshop an idea about how many people they should expect at the event. Remember, not everyone at the event will purchase your book and we would encourage you to take between 10-20 copies with you. It is also better to wait until a book has been purchased before signing any copies as signed books make it harder for the bookshop to return. 

Finally, wait until the copies have arrived in the warehouse before planning and organising any kind of event. You want to avoid any complications with the bookshop and your attendees if, on a very rare occasion, your books are delayed or have printing errors.