My LBF Frankie Gray
Nearby watering My London Book Fair Frankie Gray
This is my sixth LBF, and I can’t wait. It’s second only to the Harro- gate Crime Writing Festival as my favourite publishing event—and Harrogate has the benefit of beter weather and more authors! I love LBF’s sheer scale, the energy and buzz of so many passionate book- lovers and the opportunit to talk all day long (albeit in regimented 30-minute intervals) about books. I like the spontaneit, the conver- sations that happen in snatched moments between meetings and the possibilit of hearing for the first time about a book you’ll go on to publish.
I always look forward to seeing editors and agents with whom I share authors. It’s the very best kind of book club—a chance to share our love of their novels but also talk about how we’re going to trans- late that passion into sales to the widest possible audience.
I’m looking forward to talking about a début novel called Perfect Liars by Rebecca Reid this year, which my colleague Darcy Nichol- son is publishing in 2019, and for which we hold world rights. It’s about three friends who commited an unspeakable crime years ago, and have been bound in silence ever since. When one of them threatens to talk, they call a crisis dinner. Three women walk in, but only two will leave. I’m also looking forward to seeing Shari Lapena’s international publishers and talking about her fantastic third novel, An Unwanted Guest, which is out in July.
A top tip is to leave Olympia as often as you possibly can. If it’s sunny, I occasionally escape to sit on the wall outside and some- times take meetings there. It’s not the most glamorous of locations, but it always liſts the mood and makes for a relaxed meeting.
Preparation is key, whether that’s carefully planning your sched- ule, ensuring plent of sleep the weekend before, or thinking about what your priorities are for each meeting. Also, amid the glorious deluge of submissions in the run-up to the fair, I always try to read a book purely for fun the weekend before. I visit Waterstones, see what catches my eye and dive in. It helps remind me that I’m a reader before all else, and that pleasure is the perfect way to start the week.
Eating and drinking at the fair is tough: in the midst of back-to- backs I’d say it’s less about favourite places and more about proxim- it. Outside the halls, I do love The Cumberland Arms for a chance to catch up with UK publishing pals I may not have seen in the course of the day. And you can’t beat Pizza Express for ease and, well, the dough balls.
My most memorable LBF is perhaps yet to come. I’ve had some wonderful years thus far but I like to think there’s much more in store. Maybe 2018 will take the crown...
www.thebookseller.com
hole The Cumberland Arms is a post-fair favourite of Frankie’s
Publishing director, commercial fiction, Transworld
Shari Lapena’s third novel is among Frankie’s fair tips, as is Pizza Express for ease and, naturally, the dough balls
WORDS Tom Tivnan 15
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