HAPPY EVER AFTER – empowering people through words

Last week Naa Otua and I had our first meeting in our new HQ – the cafe in our local Debenhams. Following a brief foray over to the perfume counter, where we took perhaps a little bit too much advantage of the testers, we ordered two extra large cappuccinos and got down to business.

En route to our new HQ

Following the success of the launch we now have to get stuck into the nitty gritty of raising funds and awareness. Whilst we brain-stormed away, our good friend Prince took some photographs for the website – much to the interest of our fellow cafe inhabitants, who must have wondered who the hell we were. Perfume barons perhaps – owing to the cloud of Dior, Stella and Cartier that mingled over our heads.

Anyway, I came away with a rather daunting ’to do list’ including: send out a press release to national press and media, set up a Facebook page, contact companies with interest in Ghana with a view to some corporate sponsorship and think of other fund-raising ideas.

After our brainstorm we stopped by the perfume counter for yet another squirt and then popped in to the Harrow Observer to thank the lovely Ian Proctor for the piece he wrote about Happy Ever After. I’m amazed he didn’t pass out from the reek as we posed for the photo below!

Happy Ever After pose with Ian - and a cloud of Dior!

Let me tell you how I felt on the day of my book launch. With the weather forecast making it clear that it will be rain, rain and rain again, I prayed for a miracle and yes, I got one! Blue skies and real summer on the day made me realise that we were in for a successful launch, and we got nothing short of that. I was so happy to see all of my friends from the Harrow Writers’ Workshop proud to be part of the launch. Members of my church also came, with my pastor casually dressed and looking just like one of us! As for the book itself – well it flew off the table. The joy of that day will live with me for a long time and as someone who had very little education it was such a proud occasion to see my novel, The Dancing Tortoise on display in Waterstones. It makes what we are doing at Happy Ever After all the more important. If I can help provide other people with the gift of writing, as I myself have been helped in the past, I will be truly blessed indeed.

Naa Otua in WH Smiths - and Writers' Forum Magazine!

The launch was fantastic – Naa Otua sold loads of books, we collected loads for Happy Ever After and we didn’t have a single second where we weren’t joined by friends or family wishing us well. The staff at Waterstones were very welcoming too – so thanks, Tom and the gang, hope you enjoyed the wine!

Waterstones Launch - with 'The Professor'!

Here we are with my dad, who Naa Otua has named ‘The Professor’ – due to the white beard and glasses ensemble – despite his protestations I think he rather liked it! All afternoon we talked to people about the charity and it was so encouraging to get such a positive response. There are moments in life where you know without a shadow of a doubt you are on the right path – Saturday afternoon in Waterstones, Harrrow – just a few yards and a few weeks from where it all began – I had one of those moments.

Now we have to plan Stage Two – a publicity and fund-raising drive prior to our trip to Ghana. We have decided to move our meeting place from Costas to the coffee shop in Debenhams for two reasons. Firstly to avoid the embarassment of being barred for over-enthusiasm (see previous post) and secondly for the chance of a free squirt from the perfume counter en route!

Waterstones Launch

Well the past week has been hectic to say the least. Interviews with the local paper, visits to Waterstones to put posters up and make last minute arrangements for the launch there this Saturday. Tomorrow!! Another brain-storming session in our adoptive HQ – Costas – where some grumpy old codger actually complained about us for making too much noise! I actually took this as being a very encouraging sign. Not only does it demonstrate the enthusiasm and passion Naa Otua and I have for this project but it is also a little bit rock and roll, don’t you think? I don’t think you can say you have arrived as a charity organiser until someone has complained about your enthusiasm and tried to get you thrown out of a coffee shop.

And talking of enthusiasm – on Tuesday I went round to Naa Otua’s for a bit of photo shoot for the Harrow Observer (see Articles page for more). When we had been interviewd the reporter had told us he wanted a shot of us at a desk surrounded by books and a map of Ghana. So Naa Otua’s daughter had spent hours lovingly painting us a beautiful map, only for the photographer to arrive, take one look at the blank white wall on the other side of the room from the book laden desk and say, ‘A white wall, great! Let’s have you standing in front of that.’ I don’t know – these David Bailey types!

Anyway, after he had gone, our good friend Renee came round for a pre-launch, celebratory lunch. One or two bottles of champagne later and the carefully arranged desk was trashed, and we had been transformed from dynamic women determined to change the world to giggling school girls determined to laugh our heads off. I tell you what though, I don’t think I’ve ever felt as fulfilled work wise as I have done this past couple of weeks.    Siobhan.