For all that I’ve been shameless in my promotions over the past months, there has been one task that I dreaded. I hate spruiking my book to bookshop managers. I imagine them silently resenting having to sound warmly welcoming when they’re under so much pressure these days from changes to the book industry.

But four bookshop managers have been extremely kind.

Lynda Carmody at the NLA bookshop in Canberra took copies and walked me though the unfamiliar paperwork. She gave me gentle and invaluable advice about how to price my book in ways that would be fair to both me and booksellers. Jessica Rowe at BookFace in Gungahlin seemed delighted to be supporting a local author; it was as if I was doing her a favour! James Redden at Harry Hartog couldn’t have been more warmly supportive, offering his space as a possible launch venue when I was getting nervous about fitting everyone into our own home. And Mark Rubbo at Readings in Carlton took copies despite me not being a Melbourne author or a regular Readings customer.

If anyone out there is looking for a copy of the book and lives in either Melbourne or Canberra, do visit one of these bookshops. I owe them.