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My book has led to an all expenses-paid trip to Sweden
My book "Railwaywomen" (it's the history of women working on the railways from the year 1830 to 2005) found its way somehow (perhaps Amazon?) to the State Railway Museum of Sweden.
They tracked (pun!) me down and yesterday the director invited me to go to Sweden to give a presentation on the history of women working on British railways. Flights, hotels, expenses, interpreter during the conference all provided, plus a personal fee of £500.
When I read the email I almost fell off my chair. Hey - I'm going to Sweden!
A rather "gobsmacked" Helena
Comments
From the sublime to the ridiculous ....
In October I gave a talk to a local history society, agreeing to a measly fee of £30 because I know they don't have that much money. They've never paid me, so today I rang the secretary to ask if maybe the cheque was lost in the post. She said (and you will laugh at this!) "When the talk was finished, you dashed off before we had a chance to pay you." Oh, well that's a good reason for never paying me, isn't it?
Ho ho ho.
This is wonderful news, well done.
Do let us know how the trip goes. It all sounds like an exciting time for you.
Aegean: the museum is in Gavle, north of Stockholm. I've now decided to make a mini-break out of it and will stay in Stockholm for 3 or 4 nights.
Neil: what can I say? I desperately need you here by my side at all times to point out where I am constantly missing opportunities. I have problems with "blind spots", I have problems with being too shy to put myself forward, and I know that is really stupid for a self-publisher, but getting publicity has always been a struggle for me. Not because people won't give it to me, but because I cringe at the thought of soliciting it.
It's never crossed my mind to "solicit" speaking engagements; every one I've had was the result of people finding/chasing me. But you are absolutely right: I ought to be trying to do more of this kind of thing.
I've never even offered myself to our own Railway Museum at York! I'm giving a talk to London Transport head office next month, that's quite good: £200 for 40 minutes and they're paying my travel. This came about after the Commissioner for Transport in London, Peter Hendy, bought a copy of my book (imagine my astonishment when his Paypal payment arrived, out of the blue ----- gawp!)
>>>Poland, for example, still has one of the largest timetabled services using steam; there is a museum, I think, in Warsaw.
<Sobs> I went to Poland for two weeks in September! Didn't cross my mind.
So, Neil, please do share more publicity ideas with me: as I say, it's my blind spot. If you've got any good ideas and are prepared to share them, please do email me!
Lots of love to all
Helena
That truly is wonderful news; very uplifting.
And it proves that your writing is on track (that is a pun!) and you've arrived (another) at your station (!).
Now the key is to both enjoy it and not get derailed!
:D
I've started a punning thread!
HELP!
PS Does she hate being called Helen, too? I even put that on my internet profile page as my pet hate.
Delighted for you Helena - hope you both have a wonderful time. :)
Going off at a tangent here, just in case some of you find these little things interesting .... Searching for flights I found nothing from Gatwick worse luck, only Heathrow which is a good 3 hours by train from here - plus a two-hour check-in for European flights. Then spotted a much better option: flying from London City Airport, 15 minute check-in.