Wednesday 5 July 2017

Triskele book launch: the power of writing communities to create connection, promotion, celebration

Jill Marsh and Catriona Troth
of Triskele Books
We’re stronger together

Phew! As I look back at June, I wonder what happened – it went by in the blink of an eye. What I want to do with this post is celebrate the power of friendship in this often challenging world (see the heading above this paragraph). Whether we’re writers or readers – or, indeed, both - it’s an absolute joy to make connections and discoveries, to support and celebrate one another’s successes.


Alison Morton, Antoine Vanner,
Anita Chapman and you know who
My June started with a book launch in London on the 3rd, at The English Restaurant in Spitalfields. An amazing group of writers got together to send their books out into the world. After my rather hermit-like winter it was good to see so many old friends all gathered together.

The party had been organised by the Triskele book collective (see my blogpost on the last launch of theirs I attended). A nicer, more professional, more sickeningly productive bunch of women you are not likely to meet!

Jane Dixon-Smith aka JD Smith
Here’s the list of their new books:

JJ Marsh was launching the last in her successful Beatrice Stubbs series of crime novels, Bad Apples.
Gillian Hamer – the latest in her Gold Detectives series set in Wales, Sacred Lake.
JD Smith – The Rebel Queen is the fourth in her series about Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra (exotic or what? Who could resist such names?)
Liza Perrat – who sadly could not be with us on the day – was launching her suspense novel, The Silent Kookaburra
Gillian Hamer

Jessica Bell
Plus, the Triskelites had invited two more writers to join the launch. Alison Morton had just published Retalio, the latest in her Roma Nova series of alternate history thrillers, which have been a huge success. Jessica Bell was launching her powerful memoir, Dear Reflection: I Never Meant to be a Rebel.

Every single book looked absolutely gorgeous, with excellent production values and brilliant covers. 

Readers, we had a ball! Catriona Troth very ably compered a series of readings and interviews, there was fizzy wine, lots of food, and the chance to meet other friends again – Roz Morris, Rohan Quine, Clare Flynn, Glynis Smy, Anita Chapman, Jane Davis, Helene Halme, Antoine Vanner, Debbie Young (who had just published her latest, the brilliantly named Best Murder in Show), Carol Cooper and Karen Inglis - plus Jessica Bell’s amazing mother, musician Erika Bach.
Erika and Jessica

After such an afternoon of fun on a very hot London afternoon, I took the train home and came back to earth heavily when I heard the London Bridge terrorist attack had just taken place, so the end of the day was spent checking Facebook to make sure everyone was OK and texting my son to make sure he hadn’t been in the area (he wasn’t – but he had been just 22 hours earlier …)

It was a salutary reminder of the preciousness of friendship and of celebrations on warm, free summer days, of the freedom to write what we want and share it. Let’s cherish it all.

Glynis Smy and Clare Flynn
I’ll be blogging again soon about this year’s Winchester Writers’ Festival, but in the meantime, Clare Flynn will be guesting on Literascribe tomorrow, talking about her fifth novel, The Chalky Sea, an exciting wartime drama – don’t miss it!

You can visit the Triskele website and their blog here, Alison Morton's amazing Roma Nova website here and Jessica Bell's multi-dextrous website here. Is there nothing these people can't do?!

Ros Morris



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