Kate's Blog

Agatha Annotated's first outing at an author fair will be Saturday, August 19, at the Elmhurst Library. If you're in the area, stop by to say hello and meet almost 60 other area authors!

Already by page four of her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha Christie has her characters sitting down to afternoon tea. It’s certainly not an unusual event since the entire world is familiar with this cherished English stereotype, but it is amusing to count how many times Christie’s characters meet for tea.

I have always preferred “news release” to “press release” because that helps me keep the purpose of the release top-of-mind and gives my release a better shot at being picked up.

We first see Tommy and Tuppence when they bump into each other at the entrance to the Dover Street Tube. Agatha Christie describes Tuppence as “elfin” with “black bobbed hair,” a look that was extremely popular in 1922 when the book was published.

You may have had the same author daydream I have had. When your book is about to be published, your agent will have set up a grand launch event with crowds, a brief book-reading, and maybe finger sandwiches.