Just to prove there’s “no such thing as a free launch” where educational textbooks are concerned, Edinburgh author Jane Cooper (from the city’s St Augustine’s High) has had to pay for the launch of her own book.
A parsimonious publisher informed her that publicity money for the new 11-strong How to Pass series was being used in other ways, such as press advertising and school mailshots.
Nothing daunted, Cooper (author of How to Pass Standard Grade English) decided to organise her own launch last week at the home of her principal teacher, complete with food, wine and white chocolate ice-cream (the recipe is in the book, as a fine example of jargon). At least seven guests were present (all of whose names have been outrageously plagiarised for fictional student exemplar material).
When contacted by The TES Scotland, John Mitchell of educational publisher Hodder Gibson told us: “Early sales would seem to confirm that the book has had an extremely successful launch.”
Mitchell added: “I’d have been more than happy to attend if anyone had invited me.”
We wonder why they didn’t.
