BOOK LAUNCH?

Forgive me for thinking incorrectly, but aren't book launches (held in bars or hotels) about getting tipsy.  Every book launch I've ever been to that started early evening and was held in a hotel did include a 'cocktail' of sorts.  However, the latest self published book by a wannabe journalist/author may have spent all her money on paying the printing house and could therefore not provide anything to tempt other than an invitation to be there.  The hotel she choose is an expensive one.  Way over priced at the best of times but historically interesting and atmospheric.

The main character of her book has another (but real) journalist a little narked.   Her name is used as the main character which could well be coincidence, but you would thought that if you were writing a book about a journalist then you would try to avoid the names of those you actually know?  And then there is the fact that the real journalist is about to bring out her own book.  In this case, not a work of fiction and not self published either. The wannabe author or is still authoress (perhaps being a 'writer' she can correct me on that) displayed her book for sale and pointed everyone towards the bar to buy their own drink.  I declined both as I needed to get out of there to pick up a bite to eat since I had been hoping for a few morsels to stave my appetite  having been hard at work all day.   I'm not sure how long the 20 or so people stayed but I hazard a guess it would not be long after they finished the drink they had to pay for.