After two very popular and successful launches in Bologna (post to follow) for Faded Letters by Maurizio Ascari and in the hip city of Milan for Arcobaleno Rainbow by Sara Elena Rossetti, I will soon be travelling to England for four more book events.

The first is in the oldest recorded Roman town of Colchester and will be held in the admirably independent book shop, Red Lion Books on Saturday 26th April at 4.00 pm. Philip Terry, who had a poem published recently in London Review of Books, will be reading, as will performing poet, Mark Brayley and short-story writer, Emma Kittle-Pey. I will be making the introductions and reading from my contemporary novel, Clarisse, written under my pseudonym, Marianne Francis.

The next event will be held in my local village at the Mistley Kitchen on Tuesday, 29th April at 7.00 pm  (at the time of writing, I believe that this book lovers’ dining event is now fully subscribed). I will be hosting the supper but this time I will be discussing and interviewing three authors who aren’t published by me. They are: Kate Worsley (who lives in Mistley), Liz Fisher-Frank and Chris Harris. The plan is to make this a regular event and invite one or two authors to each foodie evening. I am also planning a similar event in London, but possibly not until 2015.

The next event is the main one and will be the general launch for Patrician Press. This is being held in Treadwell’s Bookshop in London on Friday 2nd May at 7.00 pm. Although I don’t publish esoteric books (as yet) it seemed an ideal venue for my launch. All six authors will be present and reading from their work, including Maurizio Ascari, Mark Brayley, Emma Kittle-Pey, Sara Elena Rossetti, Philip Terry and me. I will be reading a short piece from Zaira, my historical novel published under my own name. I am pleased to say that some new authors whose books I hope to publish in 2015 will also be attending.

The final event will be held at Islington Central Library Gallery (my home territory) on Saturday 10th May at 3.00 pm. I will be joined by Mark Brayley and Emma Kittle-Pey; and Ken Wilson-Max, who is helping me set up my children’s imprint Pudding Press, should also be present. He is a very talented author/illustrator and has just set up a magazine for primary school children called Chicken!