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The launch of Melinda Salisbury’s latest novel THE SLEEPING PRINCE! Waterstones Piccadilly, 3rd Feb 2016.


On the 3rd February at Waterstones Piccadilly we attended the utterly fantastical launch party for ‘The Sleeping Prince’ – the latest novel by the magical, hysterical and very sparkly Melinda Salisbury!

‘The Sleeping Prince’ is the sequel to Mel’s first epic fantasy novel ‘The Sin Eater’s Daughter’. The story takes us back to that magical world, and back to our beloved Errin, who is up against all kinds of terrible things trying to save herself, and her family. All of this with the added nightmare of the vengeful Sleeping Prince, finally awakened and on a rampage…

Upon arrival, we were excitedly led down those infamous (endless) marble stairs to the ground floor where the crowd was already buzzing in the secret room that adjoins the beautiful and extensive Travel section of the store…

The first thing that struck these bookish folks was Mel’s perfect outfit!!  The jewels, the gown, the shimmering gold face paint…and she wasn’t the only one who had been daubed with glitter, oh no!

The wonderful Katherine Webber, the delightful Lucy Saxon, Miss Nina Douglas, plus gorgeous Benjamin Hunt were all rocking the face paint last night. Apparently it’s called being ‘Salisbury’d’…

Had a fantastic night at the launch of The Sleeping Prince by @melindasalisbury ? glittering gold everywhere ? A photo posted by Benjamin Hunt (@enjahunt) on

Before long we heard the tapping of a glass, and all eagerly spun to gawp at the gorgeous Mel, taking to the stage – or y’know, standing on a chair – and speaking most elegantly and excitedly. Mel was totally in her element, her smile was wicked and infectious! When speaking to us she was hilarious and down-to-earth, while also elegant and coherent, putting her sweet words together so perfectly (how do you do that, Mel? Teach me…?!).

‘The Scholastic World Book Day was THE event when I was at school…so being published by Scholastic is quite literally A DREAM COME TRUE!’ Mel shouts, all of us in the crowd cheering.

Oh, then at one point Mel may or may not have stood over her publishers with her cake cutter and shouted ‘everyone be quiet! I have a knife!!’

That speech, that knife-wielding moment, was a definite highlight for me. It’s up there with the moment I high-fived Holly Bourne because we realised we’re both Ravenclaws…

So, Mel was on top of her game signing copies of The Sleeping Prince after the speeches…not just shimmery gold pen, oh no. A magical seal, too!

Definitely a fitting party for this exciting release. And it wasn’t just Mel who had the best time last night…

Grace Latter on Twitter

TheSleepingPrince launch last night was fabulous. Congrats @AHintofMystery, you sparkly beauty! 💫 @WaterstonesPicc

It’s safe to say it was impossible to have a proper chatter with absolutely every awesome person in that room…but we gave it a darn good try!

Thank you Mel, and your excellent team, for the best party in February thus far!

Now everyone, get your copy of The Sleeping Prince! You will NOT be sorry. In fact, you’ll owe us for bringing the magic into your life…