Today, it’s exactly three weeks since the Book Launch for my eBook MAKING HEADLINES and life has been so crazy since I let it loose on the world, that I’ve only just got around to Blogging about the actual night.
Prior to the launch, I wrote a post about my indecision as to whether I should hold a party or not. Post-party, I can say without a doubt – I am absolutely thrilled I went ahead with the night and will hold it dear as one of the most significant events in memory.
Yep – that’s a big statement, so let me explain. To me, it was a celebration of a project that I was passionate about. So much so, that despite having many major hurdles and doubts along the way, I saw it through to the end, allowing it to absorb a huge part of my life. The ultimate goal was to have the book published, so I could share this story with the world and hopefully provide a tale that would engage, entertain and also offer a few insights into an unusual world. To have the book be given the tick of approval by a major well-respected publisher – Harper Collins – is, for me, a major achievement and something well worth celebrating. On the night, everyone who is an important part of my life and who was able to be there, turned up to celebrate with me and the room was filled with the most wonderful, supportive energy. So many people commented on what a happy evening it was – and that’s exactly how it felt for me too.
The venue, at HOTEL BRIGHTON, was perfect, with the upstairs function area providing a classy and intimate environment – as well as fabulous food and service. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to host a private function! There was also a screen so we could show my Book Trailer.
Big thanks to everyone for coming and helping to make it such a special occasion. Especially to my dear friends Brigitte Duclos and Mitch Catlin who took on the roles of MC and interviewer respectively, making it much a more entertaining night than if I’d been up there in front of everyone on my own!
As well, a huge debt of gratitude to our friends and Fletch’s NEIGHBOURS fellow cast members for coming along and helping garner media support – and for hamming it up beautifully for the cameras. Here are some of the best shots from these wonderful people:
Here’s some of my speech from the night, along with some photos from the evening:
———————————————————————————————–
“I could never have come this far without the help of an incredible writing teacher and she’s here tonight. Thank you SO much to Olga Lorenzo from the RMIT Writing course. Olga taught the Creative Writing unit and I studied with her for three years. I could not have finished this book without her invaluable input and guidance.
Olga is also herself an acclaimed and brilliant writer and has her second novel THE LIGHT ON THE WATER coming out in a few weeks, (TODAY!) so congratulations Olga – I can’t wait to read it.
A big thank you as well to all my fellow students at RMIT who gave me valuable feedback during work-shopping sessions in class. In particular, to my friends that grew from that course to develop our own writers’ group – to Ann Bolch, Lisa Bigelow, Kaye Holder and Clare Strahan.
An extra special thank you to Ann Bolch who also worked as the first editor of the completed manuscript and did a superb job. If you ever need a good editor, Ann is exceptionally talented and very, very wise.
As well as the Writer’s Group, two of my friends and my sister took the time and effort to read early drafts. Thank you to Jill and Rick Molinsky for your encouragement and support.
Also a huge thank you to my dear, wicked, gorgeous, talented, close friend, Rochelle Nolan, who is sadly no longer with us. Rochy was always my biggest supporter, read an early draft of the book and pepped me up whenever I was feeling negative about my writing. I wish she could have been here to see the book in its final published form. I miss her every day.
To my dear friend and stepsister, Sian Prior, another superbly talented writer, who inspired me to take up the RMIT PWE course in the first place.
To my wonderful friend and author Ellie Nielsen, who also not only encouraged me to take up the RMIT course, but inspired me with her own book ‘Buying A Piece of Paris’ and then invited me to that very apartment where we shared what was ostensibly a writing sabbatical but also involved plenty of champagne in the work-shopping of ideas, lively conversation and literary debate.
To my work colleagues at Smoothfm; to Jane Elliot for her help on the publicity front and to Mike Perso, for his amazing and enthusiastic on-air support.
To Harper Collins; for agreeing to publish this work; in particular, Mary Rennie for going above and beyond in managing to take this book to the next level from its original draft.
To my parents and step-parents; Mum and Ken, Dad and Margot, for their never-ending encouragement and support.
And lastly, to my immediate family – my husband, Alan, and two children, Veronica and Tom. I am very much indebted to you all for putting up with my absences while I was holed up in my office, writing. For understanding that when I disappeared into ‘Book World’ I should not be interrupted.
To Alan, for his patience and love throughout; to Tom for actually reading the first few chapters and proving to that me he will one day be the best writer in the family; and to Veronica for finding great words to replace the rude ones.
My beautiful children Veronica and Tom, with Tom’s gorgeous girlfriend Carrington Hannah
————————————————————————————————-
So that was my night of nights! Again, thank you to all who came and to all who have since bought the book online. Thanks also for the continuing social media support. If you forgot to post something on social media on the night, please retweet this Blog to help get word out about the book. The more it sells, the more chance I have of it being printed as a hard-copy book!
I can’t believe the Melbourne newspapers didn’t make more of a fuss. Australia’s leading lady of Hollywood has, for the FIRST TIME EVER, signed on to represent an Aussie brand and it only made page 21 of the Herald Sun?? Yet it’s front page news in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. It seems a change in management ranks means we’ll be getting a much more serious and less tabloid Herald Sun in the future – which is fine, but why ignore a major entertainment story that also ties in with a brilliant and audacious business strategy by Australian company, Swisse?
And it is BIG news for Swisse because going global and competing with the big multi-nationals is no small feat. And if you’re going to take on the world markets, why not do it properly and sign on the nation’s queen of style? Swisse couldn’t have produced a lovelier photo of Nicole too – the perfect picture of grace and good health.
Kidman will be ambassador for the brand when Swisse rolls out its international campaign, starting with the United States in January. Then they’ll march on into the U.K., Europe and Asia. The TV ads and photos for the campaign will all be shot in Australia.
If you want to argue about who IS Australia’s leading lady of Hollywood, just look at the statistics. Nicole has been nominated for 8 Golden Globe awards, winning three, and is Australia’s only Best Female Oscar winner. But it’s not only her artistic achievements that make her a good fit for the brand. Her lifestyle and values give her exponential value as the total package. Being involved in international issues means she has also been honoured as a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2007 and is a global ambassador for UN Women that promotes gender equality and empowerment of women and girls worldwide.
Kidman chose Swisse because she likes the idea of being part of a small Australian family-built company (about to get a whole lot bigger!) that is commited to good health and well-being. ‘I joined Swisse because I wanted to help bring awareness to the importance of living a healthy lifestyle in a busy, often stressful world,’ she said.
Only last week, Swisse was announced as BRW’s winner of the most successful Australian private business of the year. (with a turnover of $100 million plus)
Part of their marketing success relies on rolling ad campaigns using famous faces. They sponsor top TV shows and are also a major presence at Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival.
On Thursday night, they kicked off their racing season with a launch party at South Yarra’s newest and coolest restaurant, Mama Baba. Swisse CEO Radek Sali spoke about how they’re expanding the brand to release a skin care and body range, and will soon be unveiling protein bars and sports supplements.
And Sali is thrilled about their new partnership with Kidman. ‘Nicole Kidman is a much loved Australian overseas and we know that Swisse will be Australia’s most loved health and wellness brand overseas in coming months and years,’ he said.
Swisse have also become famous for their amazing parties and the Mama Baba event was a stand-out. Finger food from Masterchef George Colombaris’ kitchen was superb and French champagne, Laurent-Perrier, flowed freely. The guest list read like the who’s who of Melbourne, and you can understand why. If you get invited to a Swisse party, you’re guaranteed quality food AND company. Here’s some of the people Fletch and I ran into on the night:
To give the guests a taste of what’s to come from Swisse, Goodie Bags were handed out when we left the party. (yay!) I’m yet to try the creams, but I can assure you, those sleep tablets work a treat.
