Product placement is an interesting concept. I've often said (joking, I think) that I should hand out copies of ABBW to friends and family and ask them to read the book ostentatiously in very public places - trains, planes and buses and proclaim what a great read it is! A friend (who will remain anonymous because she is already totally incorrigible and needs no encouragement... you know who you are...) did precisely this at the local British Heart Foundation shop. Went in, brandished the book at unsuspecting volunteer, waxed lyrical about signed copy of book by local writer, and managed to get it in the window wedged between Kenny Dalgliesh's biography and The Boys Book of Military Aircraft. Something for everyone in there!
I walked past it for several days wondering how long it would be before I cracked and went in with my £2 and bought it just in case nobody else did. Then - it disappeared. Hopefully to a customer and not as a doorstop into the back office of the shop.
Only one niggle: had said friend even read the book AND what was she doing giving away a signed copy...!!!
