Thanks for a gallery of memories!

Wow, what a launch party at Glaskins Gallery! It’s taken me three days, but I finally get to stop and draw a very deep breath..

Friday night was amazing – so many smiling faces, so many good wishes and so many wonderful friends! I felt as though I air-kissed everyone and talked to no-one. I signed a stack of books and wished I written something more meaningful in each and everyone of them. My voice decided to disappear and I wish my tears had done the same thing… (You all know I have weak tear ducts…)

Jenny Gibbs, Garry Glaskin, Andrew Brown and me!

Garry Glaskin, his family and staff were superb. The drinks flowed, the canapes kept coming and the evening ran smoothly. Thanks to the whole team – you’re fantastic!

Kerstin and Andrew (but you always be Peter to me!) from Collins Booksellers at Smithfield were sensational. They’d only just returned from holidays, and it was also Andrew’s birthday, but they came and supported Border Watch. Then they lugged home what didn’t sell and set up a wonderful display in the front window of their bookstore! Thanks guys!

Jenny Gibbs from Hachette did a great job of keeping me calm, organising things in the background, helping to set up and providing general all round support. Bernadette and Fiona, you have a wonderful employee – treasure her!

Collins Booksellers, Smithfield

My brother, Graham, and nephew, the gorgeous Andrew, ran my blog for the night and Skyped Mum in Brisbane so she and my nieces, Sophia and Libby could watch the proceedings. Unfortunately we didn’t manage to patch through to France where my sister, Bron, hubbie Terry, my niece, Rebel, and nephew, Wolfie are living. Instead they gate crashed with an email (which started the tears)and followed that up with a stunning bunch of flowers.

My nephew, Andrew

My ever patient husband took a day off work to lug eskies, fridges and food, to pick up visitors, top biscuits with salami (and he did very well to not eat every second one…) and run endless errands. Thank you – you know how much you mean to me.

Then there were the guests! You came, you chatted, you made my night! Thank you – put March 4th, 2011 in your diaries and we’ll do it all again next year for Beyond the Borders!

xxx

Helene