On our special day out in Carmarthen our second stop was to Waterstones to attend the launch of “Gaslight” by Eloise Williams. My full review of the book is coming soon but here’s what we got up to at this launch:
As we left the Ab Fab Vegan Fayre we passed Waterstones on Guildhall Square. Guildhall Square is home to the Boer War Monument and the very place where one of the Rebecca Riots demonstrations took place in 1843 (Carmarthen is full of interesting history). I looked at my watch and decided we were too early to go in so we took a stroll. As it was a warm day we bought a drink and went to have a sit down on a bench. I glanced at my watch and found that time had raced forwards and we were now actually late for the launch. We had to run back towards Waterstones and run in with red faces. Thankfully, although we had missed the reading (sorry Eloise!) we could still meet our favourite local author and get our book signed. I don’t think I will ever be an early, organised, composed person.
We arrived to refreshments, a beautiful Gaslight cake and of course copies of the wonderful shiny new book waiting to be read. Gaslight is Eloise’s second children’s novel. We loved “Elen’s Island” and have been looking forward to the release of Gaslight – the cover looks so tempting- I always enjoy books that take me back to a different time, the gritty Gothic Victorian years being my favourite.
We joined the queue to meet the lovely Eloise. We have been lucky that since reviewing Elen’s Island we have had the chance to meet Eloise lots of times. She led our Night Out Young Promotors (with Springboard) Group, when we promoted The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and also held a Roald Dahl Workshop at Oriel y Parc when she was the Writer in Residence and we have even spotted her at the cinema (don’t worry, she hasn’t put out a restraining order yet!).
We had our book signed and also picked up another copy for an end of term gift (maybe I can be organised after all?).
If you can’t wait until our review, here’s a little more about Gaslight:
“1899. All Nansi knows is that her mother disappeared on the day she was fished out of Cardiff docks. She can’t remember anything else. Now, with no other family to turn to, she works for Sid at the Empire Theatre, sometimes legally, sometimes thieving to order, trying to earn enough money to hire a detective to search for her mother.
Everything changes when Constance and Violet join the theatre, both with their own dark secrets. Nansi is forced to be part of Violet’s crooked psychic act. But it’s when Constance recognises her, and realises who her mother must be, that Nansi’s world is turned upside down forever. She is soon on the run for her life and she will have to risk everything if she’s going to find the truth.
In Eloise Williams’ wild, desperate world, with its unforgettable cast of characters, Nansi is a brave, complex heroine who will break your heart and make you cheer. ‘It’s hard to drown when you are as good at swimming as I am…’ “
You can buy Gaslight at Firefly Press, Amazon and lots of lovely independent book shops.
Gaslight is also very deservedly top of the Welsh Books Best Sellers English Titles for Children list for April- well done Eloise!
The next signing of Gaslight is taking place on Saturday 13th March at Victoria Bookshop.
Keep an eye out for future events on Eloise’s events page and another eye (well you have two!) out for our review coming soon!
Concluding our day out, Rebecca and I then went to Vue to watch Beauty and the Beast and took the train home with a bag full of delicious vegan fare and new signed books! Perfect!
Wouldnt mind reading this myself and then passing to my neice Sounds lovely