Okay, first off I have to say, I have no voice left. Part of that is the fact I’m still recovering from a week of laryngitis, part of it is I think I talked more last night than I have in a month. Wow. What a night!
For those of you who couldn’t make it to the launch of my debut, STOLEN FURY, I’ll give a little recap:
The event was quite fun and a big success. The Blue Pepper is a really quaint little coffee house/internet cafe that also serves beer and wine. Antique old tables, brick walls, couches and generally just a comfy place to relax. When I got there I found a giant floral bouquet on the table from a friend of mine, Kristina McMorris, who couldn’t make the event. I was so touched, and started the night with a big smile on my face because of her. The local Borders bookseller ordered the books and showed up last night to sell them for the launch. My hubby was quite impressed with the way she displayed all 100 books on her table. She had this cool pyramid-type thing going. She had told me – and a good friend of mine, on different occasions – that she was afraid she’d ordered too many books. At the end of the night I think there were only 8 books left, which she had me sign for her store, so she made good sales for the night. (This is in addition to the 10 she sold in her store yesterday before the event.) There was food – appetizers and coffee – and a friend who manages the bakeries for all the local Safeways in the area had a cake made out of my book cover. The Blue Pepper sold lots of beer and wine, and people hung around and chatted while the signing was going on, which is what I wanted to have happen.
I didn’t read aloud from the book. The manager had called me before the event and asked if I needed a microphone. My gut reaction was, “What for?” For those of you who don’t know me personally, let me just say, reading aloud from my own book is akin to my own personal version of hell. I have a hard time being in the same room as someone who’s reading my book…can’t imagine reading it aloud to anyone. Honestly though, I have no idea when we would have had time to read aloud as I started signing right at 6pm and didn’t get out of the Blue Pepper until well after 9:30 and they close at 9pm.
I was thrilled and elated with how many people showed up. The place was packed. I was also very surprised with how many people came because they saw the article the local paper wrote about me. You can find that article here if you’re interested. When I got there at 5:30 to set up, a woman was sitting at one of the tables drinking a glass of wine and reading my book. She was about 3/4 way through it, and from the “local author” sticker on the front, I knew she’d picked the book up at the other local Borders store. My hubby kept nudging me to go over and talk to her, and I did (eventually…it was a very strange moment for me…the first ‘non-family/friend’ I’ve met reading my book), and she was very nice. She’d seen the article in the paper, rushed over to Borders and got their last copy, then came to the signing. Turns out she lives near me and loves to support local authors. And the best part was that she said she was really enjoying the book, which was a plus.
There were lots of family and friends there, lots of people I’d never met before. One of the highlights, though, was seeing two girls I went to high school with. We were all on the rally squad our senior year together (yes, I was a cheerleader…basketball only) and I hadn’t seen them in probably 18 yrs. I was so happy they came. They also saw the article in the paper, and one actually teaches English and mythology at our Alma mater. She asked if I’d come speak to her class sometime about being an author. Now that will be a strange moment…going back to my old high school (which I haven’t stepped foot in since graduating) to talk about writing.
My hubby said people were congratulating him all night long. He laughed and told me later, “It was weird because I didn’t do anything to deserve congrats…you did!” He played hostess-with-the-mostess and mingled because I couldn’t. My dear, sweet friend Becky emailed me this morning and said I didn’t look nervous at all, but rather content through the whole thing, and after thinking back, yeah, I guess I was. I wasn’t nervous at all, which, for me, is a big deal. I thought I’d really hate the entire signing process, but it was actually very fun.
Below are some photos from the night:
Today I’m back to a raspy voice, which is just fine with me now that the whole thing is over. Big thanks to everyone who came, who sent me congrats and well-wishes and those of you who’ve bought the book so far. I’m thrilled it seems to be doing so well.
Okay, off to drink tea to soothe my voice and clean up the pit that has become my house over the last week.
