I was simply staggered by the generosity of everyone who came to Hitchin Library last night to celebrate the release of 'The Dancer's Ghost'.
Hitchin Library did me proud, I have to say, and the turn out was amazing. Many thanks to all of you who came along. The free feature cake was delicious and the chocolates and drinks seemed to go down a treat.
When I was a little girl, my parents took my sisters and I to the library. Surprise, surprise, I was hooked. At one time I even said I wanted to work in the library when I grew up. Of course, as so often, life takes us down an unexpected path and I ended elsewhere, but that doesn't prevent me from enjoying the library.
My little niece celebrated her fourth birthday recently. When my sister picked her up from pre-school, she said "now little miss, we can go anywhere you like, the pirate adventure land, the giant soft play arena, the beach even, where do you want to go?" Little birthday girl didn't hesitate, and assertively insisted that she wanted to go to the library.
Hurray - success, a new reader has been born! Of course it may help that Aunty Jayne's books are on the shelves and she knows she has a copy of her own (waiting safely until she's old enough to read it, naturally).
My niece and nephew have been to the library every week without fail for the duration of their young lives, and the pattern looks set to continue. This is the future, the way to secure a new generation of literature lovers, and it highlights the benefits of the library; a community place.
If you see anything to help 'save the library' anywhere in the UK (or even the world) please add your name to the cause. It really is a magical place where words come alive, which brings me back to last night's launch party. Without the library, the party wouldn't have had a venue. It's quite simply a great place to be, whatever the occasion.
I've had to work very hard to get this far into my writing career but every tiny bit was worth it when I looked out at the crowd waiting to hear me speak about my third novel. I still can't quite believe that people actually took themselves out of their nice warm homes on a dark November evening, just for me. It just goes to prove that if you really want to achieve something, and work hard enough, you can do it. Nothing worth having ever lands in your lap!
If you take anything from my blog site, let it be this: whatever it is you want to achieve in your own lives, make it happen. You'll be pleased you put in that extra effort, when it all starts to pay off!
Keep watching for the photographs of last night's party.
Find me on Twitter: @JayneMarieBarke
