24! books sold that is ...

Here's a quick update on my day at The Aboyne Games on Saturday 1st August 2015.

outside the FOCUS crafts marquee

Apart from one long very heavy shower of rain, the day was fine one. The drive of around an hour to reach Aboyne was lovely as early morning blue sky reigned the whole way and it was an easy task to find the FOCUS marquee on entering the park. The drawback of being a stallholder at a large event like the The Highland Games is that you don't get the opportunity to wander around and enjoy the events, unless you have someone to cover your stall in your absence. 

I had a wonderful day talking to many people who didn't buy and to those who did buy. I went home a delighted author because I sold 24 of my novels. That is my very best day, so far, and will be a difficult one to beat. The browsers were in the marquee from 9a.m. onwards to around 5.30 p.m. Those 8 and 1/2 hours were a longer duration than a normal FOCUS Craft Fair which is 6 hours. I sold 7 of my novel The Taexali Game for Teen/ YA audience and the remainder were mainly my Celtic Fervour Series of historical adventures. 

The benchmark will remain as my target! 24 and upwards...

I managed to pop my head out of the marquee door when the massed bands were marching up the 'avenue' between the stalls. 

The sounds of the bagpipes and drums right outside as they passed by was fabulous and incredibly lifting to the spirits. 

A fellow crafter was delighted when this band stopped to perform close to our marquee since this is her local band from Newtonhill.

Just after I had set up my stall, I went for a very quick wander around the site. At 8.15 a.m., the area was still quite empty but this little girl was practising her dancing. I asked her mum and dad if I could take a photo of her to put on this blog to show her 'Aboyne Dress' outfit. She was new to the competition circuit and was in the novice section of 2 of the dances. I hope she did well because she was a lovely little girl.  

Note the crocs keeping her highland dance pumps off the still damp ground.  I saw a lot more of the dancers wearing slightly oversize crocs like this during the day! 

Can you see the massed bands? Nope? Neither could I. This is when I wished it wasn't so busy outside. 

Before the rain came...

It's now Monday morning and I need to get on with my week. Look out for my Monday Moments feature coming very soon...

Slainthe!