The crowd gathers at Smiths Alternative Bookshop.
Book launches and the like are fun, there’s no questioning that. For the lucky guest, the only drawback could be the predictability of the whole affair. Too frequently, these kinds of events lack the tension and delicious uncertainty which make life spicier. When I signed on as one of BLOCK’s editors earlier this year, I didn’t realise that emotional investment could generate such excitement. In fact, as a virtual stranger to BLOCK and the zine and self-publishing world in general, I knew little about the sense of accomplishment which rewards every do-it-yourself effort. And it is worth it.