Last night was the Big Event at Waterstones in Manchester. It is a huge Waterstones branch, for anyone who has never been there. Spread over three floors, it is truly massive, so the fifteen authors were lost into its top two floors. Initially I was in the SF section (as you might expect), but passing trade proved to be quite thin on the ground so I was moved to next to Rich Holden, the footballer. It made for some interesting conversation and it is strange to be given accountancy and tax tips from a footballer. But alas the weather and the television (apparently 13 million people were at home watching a live anniversary episode of Coronation Street which has to leave a dent in anyone’s passing trade) conspired against the event.

It was a strange result, in that few people actually got signed books from any of us, but we were all asked by staff to sign a large number of books each which were then stickered up as “signed by the author at Waterstones” for selling over the coming weeks. Including those sold on the night, that makes it another record number, even if it felt a little like cheating. So if you are in Manchester over the coming weeks and want a signed copy then Manchester Deansgate Waterstones has them in stock – get them while you can!

This weekend I shall be in the North East at Durham Waterstones on the Saturday and Darlington Waterstones on the Sunday. These are all day events and should be busy, so see me there!