Rachel Caine ([info]rachelcaine) wrote,
@ 2008-03-17 12:08:00
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Current location:Turret o' Writing Looooove
Current mood: chipper
Current music:"Electrofog" - Le Charme
Entry tags:london, uk release

Quick question for my London friends (or those who know the place)
So. I'm strongly considering taking a trip to London in May, because Ill Wind is coming out through the fantastic British publishers Allison & Busby for its first official UK release. And Waterstones is apparently doing a promotion for it.

So I'm considering taking a week in London, doing some book signings, dinner with editors (I have several in the area) and film/TV people I'm working with, and of course FRIENDS!

So ... two requests. If you're in the London area, could you please tell me the following:

1) What would be the best Waterstones for me to pick to hold a signing, if they'll have me of course?

2) You guys probably know the cool hotels, too. Suggest away!

3) If you'd like to have a meal, hoist a pint, etc. while I'm in London, let me know that too. I'd love to meet up with people.







Also, fear not, they're already working on Heat Stroke and Chill Factor.

Also: Glass Houses is ALSO on A&B's release schedule for later in the year. I'll share that with you when it's closer!

Cool, eh?

All this forward planning is subject to budget disasters or me not being able to find my stupid passport, which is not where I left it, I swear.

-- R.


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[info]wedschilde
2008-03-17 05:42 pm UTC (link)
okay, i have to pimp the waterstones [info]persianfire works at ::::grins:::

damn... she's in burntwood, staffs. a bit outta london :::grins::

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-17 05:47 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]wedschilde, 2008-03-17 06:06 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]persianfire, 2008-03-21 08:07 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]music_lover3
2008-03-17 05:49 pm UTC (link)
Oooooo, pretty!!!!! And congrats on the books!!!!!!

(Reply to this)

[info]karenkay
2008-03-17 05:53 pm UTC (link)
This is just a random comment, but I heard someone comment on NPR the other day that a hotel room in London now runs about $500/night. (This is someone who regularly goes to London on business.)

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(no subject) - [info]rynanne, 2008-03-19 12:17 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]karenkay, 2008-03-19 12:31 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]rynanne, 2008-03-19 12:34 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:08 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]queenoftheskies
2008-03-17 05:53 pm UTC (link)
Congratulations on the British release!

That cover is beautiful.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:08 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]goth_huntress
2008-03-17 06:00 pm UTC (link)
Now I'm going to have to get my friends to get me the UK editions. I LOVE that cover!

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:08 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]pith
2008-03-17 06:10 pm UTC (link)
Argh! Why couldn't it have been May 2007? I was vacationing in London then!

(No authors I like ever come to where I live.)

Congrats, though! :D

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:09 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]kazdreamer
2008-03-17 06:17 pm UTC (link)
BEAUTIFUL cover!!! :)

Re. which Waterstone's to go to... I'd suggest the big 'flagship' store, Waterstone's Piccadilly. Six floors of books, wonderful bar (!) and they put on some very cool events. The sci fi/fantasy/horror section is pretty huge.

Second choice would be Waterstone's Trafalgar Square - much smaller, but they have a GREAT fantasy section. It may be small, but they seem to get lots of US imports (including your books) in there. Also, they shelve the Morganville books in YA, like it's supposed to be! ;)

Are you guessing so far that, (a) I used to be a bookseller/librarian (b) I used to work for Waterstone's and (c) I'm from London... LOL!

Hotels? er... Sorry, I really don't know. I've never stayed in a London hotel before.

Would love to buy you a drink/coffee, though. Rachel Caine in MY CITY in May and Melissa Marr coming in June?? *faints*

Cheers,
Karen

p.s. Oh! Forgot to mention, you should take a trip to Forbidden Planet bookstore while you're in town, too (if you DO come), as it's the Mecca of all things sci fi/fantasy...

(Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:11 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]kazdreamer, 2008-03-19 05:40 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]jennclack
2008-03-17 06:26 pm UTC (link)
The cover is gorgeous! Congratulations on the British releases. I haven't been to London since I was 16 (and I won't say how long ago that was) so I'm no help there. But I wish I could go. I guess I'll have to catch a signing in DFW.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:12 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jennclack, 2008-03-19 06:38 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]yamazakikun
2008-03-17 07:10 pm UTC (link)
When I'm in London, I like City Inn, which is adjacent to Thames House, a short walk from Westminster, and on the (24/7) #3 bus route to Piccadilly Circus for all your theatre needs. And there's free WiFi, whereas most hotels here haven't figured that out yet.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:14 pm UTC (Expand)
I would suggest getting an
[info]dragonet2
2008-03-17 07:10 pm UTC (link)
apartment broker. There are apartments to let for vacations, they aren't as plush as staying in a hotel and you have to do your own minor housekeeping and if you want, cooking. BUT they're cheaper, and we got one off of Victoria Street on Buckingham Gate. It was five minutes walk from Victoria Station and right in the heart of things, there was a good pub really close, a Sainsburys grocery store on Victoria Street in short distance, etc. The other neat thing was that we felt really safe because we were near New Scotland Yard and the police just kind of hung out on the street.

Margene made the arrangements, email me at dragonet@kc.rr.com, I'll forward it to her and she can give you the name of our broker.

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Re: I would suggest getting an - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:15 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]melissa_writing
2008-03-17 07:18 pm UTC (link)
I stayed in the Copthorne-Tara in Kensington last year. (http://www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornetarakensington/index.html) It's nice, spacious, clean, etc. The check-in staff is a little disorganized, but aside from that it's a fine choice. It's near a cute little tea shop that has great breakfasts (the hotel breakfast is too greasy, but their dinner is decent). The Tube is convenient (get the 3 or 7-day pass for efficiency's sake), & the area is very nice for roaming. The bars right there weren't very present, but btw the Tube & taxis, it's not a giant obstacle. I'm doing The Rubens (http://www.rubenshotel.com/) this time, but it's kinda an indulgence.

My travel person does get good rates & square everything away if you're interested in not messing with the details. She specializes in Ireland & Scotland, but she's done a stellar job on our London trips too. If you're interested, email me & I'll send your Judy's info, or just go thru the site (http://www.celticjourneys.us/).

M Marr

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:18 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]melissa_writing, 2008-03-19 05:06 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]potthead
2008-03-17 07:42 pm UTC (link)
Whooooa, that cover looks AMAZING!! *_* And congratulations on the British release(s)!

Also, I'm thinking of showing up at AggieCon around 10am or 11am on Saturday, March 29th, but I want to take you for a coffee or something! Do you know if somewhere around that time would be good for you?

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:19 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]potthead, 2008-03-19 08:15 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]ecogryff
2008-03-17 08:10 pm UTC (link)
That is an excellent cover! Congrats on UK your releases!

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:19 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]lesley_w
2008-03-17 08:16 pm UTC (link)
Hope you make it to London. I would love to come to your book signing. :)

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:20 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]lesley_w, 2008-03-19 04:44 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]difrancis
2008-03-17 08:56 pm UTC (link)
I think I like the cover better than the US one. It feels more . . . ominous in a weathery sort of way.

Congrats!

Di

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:21 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]difrancis, 2008-03-19 03:25 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]circe_tigana
2008-03-17 09:00 pm UTC (link)
Bookstores

The most high profile is the Piccadilly W! It's the one we attended the David Thewlis signing!

Oxford Street W is mainstream for the JKR-type crowd.

Gower Street is small, and an academic bookstore, but a great student mix.

Hotels

Depends on your price range.

Drinks

Don't be silly. Get your ass over here :)

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:23 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]circe_tigana, 2008-03-19 03:54 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]shui_long
2008-03-17 10:16 pm UTC (link)
The Waterstones in Piccadilly would probably be the one to go for - said to be the largest bookshop in Europe, on several floors in an Art Deco building which was built as Simpsons (at the time a well-known quality supplier of men's clothes).

I don't think Waterstones is the same since it was bought by the HMV Group, which used to be a major record company before it focussed on retailing. Waterstones does still try to behave like a bookshop, rather than a generic High Street store, and still has some staff who actually care about books, but the ordering is centrally managed by the computer system, and heavily geared to the latest best sellers and "3 for 2" offers.

The best London bookshop I know for SF, fantasy and horror is Forbidden Planet (Shaftesbury Avenue), which is usually good for imported US editions and for keeping a good range in stock (as well as the comics and other stuff). They'd probably be very happy to arrange a signing - they do these regularly.

Hotels? Can't really help there. I live not much more than half-an-hour by train outside London, so have no occasion to stay overnight - and the prices of the London hotels we use for business visitors would give you a nasty shock.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:24 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]lalam
2008-03-17 10:43 pm UTC (link)
Geez, I was a fanatic about having both british and american harry potter books, NOW i'm gonna have to have both versions of yours! :)

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:25 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]jslinder
2008-03-18 12:51 am UTC (link)
Well, its PRICEY, okay VERY pricey, but check out www.hotel41.com. If you want to pamper yourself. Just a warning, given the exchange rate, London on a budget is not an easy proposition right now :)

Someone mentioned the Rubens, hotel 41 sits above that! :)

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:25 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jslinder, 2008-03-19 04:49 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]hoosier_red
2008-03-18 01:01 am UTC (link)
The Piccadilly Waterstones is da Bomb -- if you can get in there, you'll have a great time.

As for hotels, check out Premier Inn -- http://www.premierinn.com/pti/home.do. If you stay in central London, yeah, you're going to be paying beaucoup bucks. BUT -- London has great public transport, so you can easily get a cheaper room on the outskirts and just take the tube or a bus to your desired location.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:27 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]dracschick
2008-03-18 01:21 am UTC (link)
good luck with planning your trip to London. I'd love to see the city someday:)

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:27 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]askani
2008-03-18 01:26 am UTC (link)
the cover is very nice. I find the uk covers to usually be more pretty than the usa versions. :x

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:27 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]annathepiper
2008-03-18 02:18 am UTC (link)
Ooh, congrats on a new market to conquer! Neat and different cover, too.

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:28 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]annathepiper, 2008-03-19 04:32 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]naomi_jay
2008-03-18 08:15 am UTC (link)
That's a hot cover. Kind of makes me want to buy it despite already having a copy...

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:28 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]rynanne
2008-03-18 10:31 am UTC (link)
One of my favorite restaurants there is called Maroush. Here is a link telling a bit about it: http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/109120

Also, if you get a chance, go look at the stores on Portabello Rd. They've got some of the coolest stuff.

I'm so jealous. I want to go back so badly. You don't need a personal assitant to go along with you, do you? *grins*

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(no subject) - [info]rachelcaine, 2008-03-19 03:30 pm UTC (Expand)

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