BOOK LAUNCH OF CALL ME LION

My fourth book, Call Me Lion is now officially out in the world. To celebrate I had a big launch party in the Sports Centre of 1Life Leisure Centre in Harpenden. There was readings, book signings, laughing and chatting. It was fabulous!

As the book is a celebration of dance I ran a competition for book launch dancers. To enter dancers finished the following sentence: I love to dance because...
Below are the names of the winners all of whom came and danced at the launch. Take a look at the photos of the dancers and see if you can match the name to the picture.
Molly Fox
I love to dance because… It makes me able to express what I am feeling and Is a fun hobby that I love to do. I makes me feel unstoppable 
Imogen Stow-Hazell
I love to dance because… it expresses my emotions without having to speak. Not only does it make you feel better but it brings joy to people around you.
Kamilla Antaeva
I love to dance because… I dance all my life. I remember how it was exciting to take part in the ballet performances. I love to dance to the classical music. 

More Winning Entries!
Sienna Harlow
I love to dance because… It can calm me and it’s my passion, I think if other people try and join in they would enjoy this just as much as I do.
Amy West
I love to dance because… I love the freedom of moving and just having fun
Isabella Navapalan
I love to dance because...It expresses my feelings and thoughts and I don’t care what people say about my dancing and I’ve all ways wanted someone to see my dancing.
Chanin Friedlander
I love to dance because...I love music and I love to move.
Georgia Kennedy
I love to dance because… I feel free and I know there is no wrong way to dance so I wouldent be judged. I can’t ever imagine a time when I was not dancing, when ever the radio turned on my feet tapped to the music and I just got carried away. 
I also love dancing because it helps me relax and clear all the commotion. 

It wasn't just the winners who danced...

The fabulous dance teacher, Andrea, not only choreographed and taught the disco routine to the winners, she also taught some of the more basic moves to everyone and anyone at the launch who wanted to join in.

There were lots of impressive moves!

There were some very special dancers too...

Sisters, Bella-Rose and Molly Patel performed solo dances to everyone at the launch. This was particularly moving as both sisters, like Lion in the book, have a diagnosis of Selective Mutism which means they find talking extremely difficult and sometimes impossible. 

​As you can see from Molly's pictures they were both exceptional dancers and it was stunning to watch them perform

At the beginning of the launch both girls hid behind their mother, Louise, but by the end of the event they were smiling and it was wonderful to witness how dancing obviously helped them both feel more confident and relaxed.

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It wasn't just dancing...

I was very busy at the launch, signing lots of copies of Call Me Lion (and occasionally some of my previous books), for all the people there, chatting to everyone I knew and meeting people for the first time.

I also did a couple of readings from Call Me Lion. One of which made me feel very emotional because as much as the story is about friendship and dancing at its very heart is a little boy who is trying to deal with something that feels impossibly huge at times. Selective Mutism maybe rare, but it is still very real.

Lots of people came a long way to celebrate

I was very touched by the effort people had made to make sure they were there to celebrate the launch of Call Me Lion. 

Leonie, Penny and Karen from my wonderful publisher Firefly Press, came all came all the way from Cardiff.  

I had writing friends from London, university friends from Sheffield and family from Norfolk. 

My daughters, their friends, my husband and his family were all my helpers, doing a fantastic job of shifting and sorting and directing and selling. Not one dad complained about being there even though it was father's day!

It was a tremendous launch, powerful, memorable and fun.

I want to give an enormous THANK YOU to everyone for making it such a special launch. 

I'll never forget such an incredible afternoon. 

And it ended....in the pub!