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Marisa Parker
a book bubble about
Ciao! We’re In Africa
Biographies & Memoirs
Author Insight
Taking it to the Next Level
It seems to be that we have to go that extra mile for most things these days. It’s a competitive world, isn’t it? For any author, the responsibility does not stop once your book is published. It’s been four years since my first one and I still have to identify and make the most of opportunities to share my family’s story. I don’t mean pushing it like a car salesman (!) … it’s more about honing my pitch which produces—if I’ve done it right—that tilt of the head and a spark of interest as someone says, ‘What’s your book about?’ Emerging authors should consider it as a voyage of opportunity; as pioneers for our book’s journey which we are guiding. We don’t have to do this every day if we don’t want to. Yet, each new person we meet doesn’t know about our book or our writing background and that 30-second pitch may identify an opening. My mum and dad were explorers in a distant land back in the 50s … and they too kept searching for ways to attract the public’s interest.
Book Excerpt
Ciao! We’re In Africa
With a patient tone, my husband expands on his idea. “If we’re going to sell haute couture, we need to provide an unusual setting for the models to be able to show off all the beautiful clothes. La passarella sara qui! The catwalk will be here!” Turning in a circle with his arms wide open, he grins at me.
I’m looking around the space he’s indicated. I can’t really see what he’s so obviously excited about. But, then it’s my husband who is the visionary.
With the same tolerant tone, as if I’m a two-year-old, he explains. “Look, at the moment, it’s just a big open space. But, if we cut out a walkway from right back here and go all the way along in a straight line and stop a few metres short of the wall, it’ll be long enough. What’s that, about ten metres? We use thick, strengthened glass, say, a metre wide to replace the wooden parquet we’ve cut out. The glass will be flush with the floor, so you almost won’t see it until you are on top of it. And underneath the see-through length of flooring we place tube lights, all the way along on both sides. When switched on there will be a streaming pathway of light. It will be out of this world—an astonishing and magnificent effect!” Eugenio’s voice has risen dramatically and he’s now looking at me eagerly.
“Well, it’ll certainly be unique.”
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