A most agreeable day

I'm aching. Getting home after today's first skirmish into the world of author event marketing, and having a glass of Cabernet was bliss. I've been on my feet all day. No time even for lunch.

There at 9.30am to set up. I had a long table onto which we put a cloth and then my leaflets, order forms and excerpts, trying to arrange them to look pretty. The doors opened at 10am, and my talk on 'Researching the Regency... and lady soldiers,' was at 11am (the written version will be up on www.jenniferlindsay.com soonish).

Between 12noon and 2pm was the main rush of people, so I was stuck behind my table, taking some pre-orders for the book, but mostly chatting to people and trying to give out the excerpt (people were reluctant, not realising it was free). After it got quieter I had some time to go around the fair myself and meet some interesting people, especially from the re-enactment societies, and learn things. I got to handle some of the replica weapons used in the Sharpe TV series, and also picked up an excellent looking book on 1806-7 Poland campaign. (One day my Polish Napoleonic story will find itself!)

I was interested to meet Mick Crumplin, Honoury Curator of the Royal College of Surgeons, who has advised on the surgery in Master and Commander, and to author Allan Mallinson, and who gave a lecture which everyone seemed to be bowled over by on Napoleonic surgery. Unfortnately I couldn't make his lecture but did get a chance to see his fascinating display of original artefacts and surgical instruments. Shudder.

Photos below.