Lana Der Parthogh's Blog

First lesson after Book Launch: Be Patient!

AuthorHouse delivers first batch of books. Website goes up, personal Facebook is on, press releases to local media are distributed, bookshops put in tentative orders with a polite ‘will see how it goes’, Friends on Facebook are encouraging. And then nothing. For one week, then two weeks. Console myself that we are going through a harsh winter, nobody is going out of their way to pass by a bookshop.

Then a message from a friend abroad: ‘Got your book online. Loved it.’

The leading English-language daily, Cyprus Mail, gives the book a two-page spread with photographs and a thoughtful and intelligent write-up (see Reviews) in its Sunday edition on 12 February.

Local bookshops start putting in more orders. Someone I have never heard of leaves a message on my Facebook page saying he found the book fascinating. Slowly messages come in from people who have not just bought the book but read it and liked it.

Run out of my stock of paperbacks. After just two months send in a second order to AuthorHouse.

Book signings, speaking engagements, and other guest appearances by the author will be announced on this page.

Welcome. My name is Lana der Parthogh, author of SAMOVAR ON THE TABLE: A Family Memoir. I’m so happy to have you as a visitor to my blog about my new book. This project is very special to me, and I hope to share some of that excitement with you here.

I’ll be using this blog to interact with you about SAMOVAR ON THE TABLE, expanding on some of the topics in it and blogging on some of the ideas related to my book. This is a great place for you to get to know me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, too. What did you think of SAMOVAR ON THE TABLE? What questions do you have for me? How do you relate to my book?

I’ll be returning here frequently with new posts and responses to feedback from you. Until next time, tell me a little bit about yourself.