What a landmark! The instruction to print up the book was sent this week. The book will have a high-quality cover (with front and back flaps) and will be embossed and UV spot laminated in parts. I believe it will be really eye-catching in bookstores. Along with great cover endorsement quotes (from Ken Loach amongst others), fascinating content that reveals a gripping story based on extensive, original and meticulous research and an attractive page layout/design, The Undoing of Polly Button should make quite an impact when it launches in August.

The week has also seen me busy with the drafting of marketing and promotional materials that will be used to support the publication of the book. These include posters, leaflets/flyers, a vinyl banner and display materials for some exhibitions and displays in September. I’m also involved in two Heritage Open Days events on 14-15 September, for which I have secured sponsorship from three local businesses – so expect an innovative and exciting quiz-based competition with some cracking prizes to be won at those events.

I also finished the presentation for my talk at Nuneaton Library next Monday (3 June) at 7pm. The talk will reveal the research I undertook to find out everything I could about the tragic life and bloody murder of Polly Button. The 34-slide presentation will be in two parts – first, the various resources and research methods I used, together with some fascinating gems of information that I unearthed. After a short interval for tea and biscuits, we’ll finish off with an overview of Polly Button’s story. Turnout should be a good one according to colleagues at the library.