November 9th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! It is going to be another gorgeous day again today, and a few degrees warmer than yesterday. It isn’t much, but I’ll take ever degree I can get. Come 4:00 yesterday, when the sun set behind the buildings, it got dang cold. You would think with two pairs of wool socks and boots on, I would have been fine, but nope. Standing on that slate walkway all day, the cold just seeped in through all the layers. The long johns and my jacket kept the rest of me fairly warm, and sitting on a blanket definitely helped, but I need to figure out something better feet-wise. The cold actually made my feet ache, and it took almost an hour, rubbing my feet on my heated mattress pad, to get the pain to stop. I’m old, I admit it.

It was another great day at Canterbury Tales Forever Book Shoppe in Peddler’s Village. I met a ton of wonderful people, and sold quite a few books. One woman, Murielle (I hope I spelled that correctly), was originally from Belgium, then lived in Canada for several years, and now resides in Pennsylvania. The two of us chatted for quite a while. She too is an author, but her books are only on e-book at the moment, so we discussed her getting her books out in hard copy.

Another woman, Diane, was there with her granddaughter Ella. We actually took a photo together, and if she sends the email with the picture to me before I post this blog, I will include it. I met Sheri, a musician, and Donna who is visiting Peddler’s Village with a bunch of her girlfriends. Donna and friends will be there again today, so I hope they will stop by to say “hi” again before they have to leave.

Actually, I hope a lot of people stop by to say “hi”, because I think I may be the only author there today. I’ve done signings alone before, but they are much more fun when I have other author’s with me. It makes the day go quicker when you have someone to chat with during the slow times.

I also met some lovely ladies from Mary Kay, and a gentleman, Anthony, who is a web designer. I got to love on a gorgeous Husky, a Lab, and a standard Poodle who was a major mush. It’s so funny, I come home from these book signings and Colby is none too pleased with me when he smells all the other dogs who have garnered my attention while I was away from him. He’s so jealous. LOL.

He also didn’t take too kindly to me refilling my doggie treat bucket this morning from his stash of Milk Bones. I bought this huge case of Milk Bones, and honestly, Colby doesn’t love them. So instead of letting them go to waste, I bring them to the book signings for all my four legged visitors. My stash was running low, so I refilled the container this morning. Mr. Jealous had his nose in the box while I was filling the container, so I gave him one. He took it, brought it into the living room and then came back for seconds, the piggy. I didn’t give him a second one because I didn’t think he would even eat the first one, but when he saw me put the filled container out in the garage, he rushed into the living room and started chomping on the Milk Bone I gave him. Crazy dog!

So many people asked about Faerie Tale Queen. One woman even told me to “get my butt in gear, and finish it”. LOL. I’ve said it before, the cover for Faerie Tale Queen is my favorite, and I guess others like it too, because everyone asks about it. Corporate Blues, the one where my friend Linda Rawlin’s daughter was the model, runs a close second.

I did get a few surprises yesterday, and at this point I should be getting used to it, but I’m not, and not sure I ever will. It still surprises me when people tell me they recognize my books, have them already downloaded on their Kindle (one woman showed me because SHE wanted to prove it), say they saw them in an e-mail from Amazon or as a suggested read.

While one woman was reading the “Note to my readers” in Corporate Blues, I was greeting other passersby, when one said, “I am very familiar with your work. When are the next books due out?” I assured her soon, and joke I can’t write them as quickly as y’all read them. Then the woman who was reading Corporate Blues hands the book back to me and asks if that happened often. I admitted it’s been happening more and more, and that it surprises me every time. The passerby didn’t know it, but I think her comment made a sale. The woman went in and purchased a copy of Corporate Blues for her daughter.

I had one uncomfortable surprise as well. A middle school teacher recognized one of my books as well. It seems a bunch of books were purchased for the advanced readers at her school, and A Second Chance – with the old cover – was one of the books purchased. I was mortified. A Second Chance is NOT appropriate for twelve and thirteen year olds. With the new cover, I doubt there is any chance in this happening again, but O-M-G! I PRAY someone screened the book before they allowed the kids to read it. Good grief! I’d be quite content to never have that type of surprise again.

The signing doesn’t start until eleven today, so I still have a bit of time. I am going to use that time to throw something together for dinner, because I know, after day two in the cold, I am not going to want to make anything when I get home.

So, on that note, I hope you have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge:

You find a bracelet, obviously made by a child, on the sidewalk. What is the story behind the bracelet, or what happens after you find it?

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.