Coffee Shop Chronicles — What a Wonderful Launch!

Well, we did it!

On Saturday, 1st August, Coffee Shop Chronicles officially had its book launch at Coldside Library in Dundee, and although I couldn’t be there in person, modern technology came to the rescue and allowed me to join everyone through Microsoft Teams.

There was, however, one tiny drawback to attending a book launch taking place on the other side of the world — the alarm clock!

While everyone in Dundee was gathering at the perfectly civilised time of 11:30 in the morning, I was getting myself ready at the crack of dawn, with the event beginning at 6:30 a.m. my time. Anyone who knows me will understand that getting up at five in the morning deserves some sort of literary medal all by itself!

But do you know what?

It was absolutely worth it.

The moment the screen came alive and I could see all those wonderful people who had turned up to support Coffee Shop Chronicles, I forgot how early it was. Seeing a room filled with people who had come along because they were genuinely interested in my stories was quite emotional. I wish I could have reached through the screen and hugged every one of them.

The event was hosted by my publisher, Graeme Parker, and I want to put on record just how grateful I am to him for the enormous amount of work he has put into this book, the launch and everything surrounding it.

Graeme, thank you. You truly are a great friend and a joy to work with.

There is so much work involved in bringing a book into the world that readers never see, and Graeme has been there throughout it all, helping to turn Coffee Shop Chronicles from the stories in my imagination into a real book that I could actually see people holding in their hands.

And there were plenty of books in those hands!

It was especially lovely seeing the hardback editions around the room. There is something rather magical about seeing your name on the front of a physical book, but seeing somebody else holding that book is another feeling altogether.

I gave several readings during the launch, which thankfully seemed to go down very well. Reading your own work aloud is always slightly nerve-racking because suddenly the words you have lived with privately are out there in the room, belonging to everybody else as much as they belong to you.

There were laughs in the right places, which is always reassuring!

Graeme also interviewed me about the book, my writing and the inspiration behind some of the stories before opening the floor to questions from the audience.

And what wonderful questions they were.

I was genuinely touched by how interested people were, not only in Coffee Shop Chronicles, but in me as a writer and in the whole process of creating the stories. The audience was predominantly women — which perhaps isn’t entirely surprising given some of the romance, relationships and rather lovely men who occasionally wander through my pages — but I was delighted to see a couple of gentlemen there too!

It became much more than simply promoting a book. It felt like a conversation between people who love stories.

That meant a great deal to me.

I also want to give a huge thank-you to everyone at Coldside Library and especially to head librarian Kimberley, who was absolutely wonderful. So much organisation goes into an event like this, from arranging the room and setting everything up to making sure the technology works when an author is appearing on a screen from thousands of miles away.

Thank you for making me feel so welcome, even when I couldn’t physically be in the room.

I sincerely hope that one day I can travel over to Dundee and do an event there in person. I would love nothing more than to walk into Coldside Library, meet everyone properly, sign some books, share a few stories and perhaps even have a coffee or two while I’m there.

Until then, appearing on a screen is the best I can manage — and after Saturday, I certainly can’t complain.

The whole experience has left me incredibly excited about what comes next.

Coffee Shop Chronicles may have been the reason we all came together that morning, but I have realised that this launch wasn’t simply about one book. It was another step in something much bigger for me.

Writing.

Writing really is my life.

There are more stories I want to tell, more characters waiting impatiently in my imagination and, I suspect, considerably more coffee waiting to be drunk while I write them.

And there is already something new brewing.

I’m working on a cosy crime novel featuring some familiar characters from the world of Coffee Shop Chronicles. I’m having enormous fun taking people readers already know and love and placing them in rather more mysterious circumstances.

Romance, friendship, coffee… and now perhaps the occasional murder.

What could possibly go wrong?

Saturday reminded me why I do this. Meeting people who had read my work, hearing their questions and seeing their enthusiasm gave me an enormous boost. It made me want to write more, dream bigger and see just how far these stories can travel.

So, to everyone who came to Coldside Library, everyone who bought a copy, everyone who asked a question, everyone who laughed during a reading, and everyone who has supported Coffee Shop Chronicles along the way…

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This feels like a beginning rather than an ending.

And I cannot wait to see where the next chapter takes us.

Big Kiss,

Diane XX