How do you measure success when you are an author?

I was in Port Melbourne today, for a reading of ‘A Nest for Kora‘ in independent bookstore, ‘Readings’. Judith Rossell was there too, with sketches and original artwork from Kora.

We only sold one book.

So was it a success or a failure? How do you measure?

Readings have a great mail-out, and website, both of which featured Kora. They have signs up in the store, lovely eyecatching signs advertising the reading. Athina, children’ book buyer, and our ‘looker-afterer’ looked after us royally. And there was a para in the ‘kids & activities’ article in the A2 section of today’s Age newspaper.

We had a good turnout and children and parents seemed to enjoy the stories (asking for more, so I read my other picture book, ‘Ebi’s Boat’). It was a fun thing to do, share the story with a new audience. A couple of parents lingered and Judith and I spoke about the process of a picture book.

Because we will be there again on Tuesday, Kora stays front and centre in the children’s section of the bookshelf.

It’s all good.