Endsleigh Salon, the books and the thank yous

Shameless begging letters from me had publishers being generous to a fault and just about every book was snapped up, browsed, talked about and taken away to be read and reported on over the next few months, then to be brought back and handed on around.
There were enough copies of The Extra Large Medium by Helen Slavin for everyone to take away a copy (thank you Long Barn) so I expect lots of chat about that to come, there was great interest and enthusiasm for it. It goes without saying that the other books from the well-known author at Long Barn went in a flash too and there was also a great exchange about The Various Haunts of Men. I had been recommending this to all and sundry and, as it was all and sundry who had gathered, plenty had read it. Everyone wanted to talk about the end without giving anything away.Of course I couldn't resist slipping in my "of course I've met..." piece but they all knew that anyway, everyone who knows me knows THAT.
The Pushkin Press books vanished in minutes, thanks Jonny and likewise the Snowbooks, thanks Em.I don't quite know how I let them out of my grasp but I did.It was a classic example of Em's ideas on the snowblog a while back, it's the covers and the feel of these books that matters before you even get to the contents.
Transita had also sent a boxful and there was much interest in this concept.Several people in very demanding jobs (Social Services, say no more) who just don't want to read anything heavy, homed in on these very quickly and were delighted.
Canongate had sent some pre-publication proofs and there was a great deal of interest in the chance to read a book before everyone else which isn't an opportunity offered much beyond the confines of the literary review world.It should be, what better people than readers to ask for an opinion?
A great selection of magazines for readers too,so thanks to PenPusher, The Literary Review, Slightly Foxed and The Reader who all sent copies down.
There was frantic scribbling as book suggestions flew around the room, we hope to draw in some more bookaholics, shouldn't be difficult.A piece went into the local paper and the phone hasn't stopped ringing since.