Faux Book Tour

Whew! Am I glad that's over with. As promised my interpretation of my book reading and signing in Eastern Oregon.

On the way to Baker City, I ran what I would say before I began reading over in my head. When I was satisfied the words were flowing, they were coherent and eloquent, I poked the button turning off George Strait's crooning and tried it out loud. I stammered and couldn't remember half of what I wanted to say.

I replaced George with Shania Twain and worked it all out in my head - again. Poked the button - again. When the upbeat tempo faded, I started repeating it out loud- again. I painfully reached into my brain to remember what it was I wanted to say and stuttered out a sentence. I looked over at Tink reclining in the passenger seat and said, " This is impossible. I'll just hold you and let everyone gush over how cute you are and I won't have to say anything." She raised her head from her sprawled position and blinked twice before going back to sleep. I decided at that point I was on my own.

At Baker I went to the book store to deliver books and speak with the owner, Carolyn. ( A really nice person!) When she asked if I had any questions, I informed her I'd never done a reading before, but someone (Thank you, Wavy) gave me some advice. I explained that I planned to read a section that was just under ten minutes. She paused and said a few weeks earlier someone had read too long and lost the audience.

So being paranoid, I raced to my daughter's house and read several shorter passages to her, asking which she thought was more entertaining. And ended up using a passage completely different from the one I'd been practicing for two weeks!

That evening, my daughter and I arrived at the quaint coffee shop promptly at 6:30. There were three men and a barrista. I ordered mint tea to settle my bouncing stomach. Carolyn arrived and we helped her line up chairs and set up "the microphone". I'm glad I had the tea to settle my stomach! The other writer, who was also reading, arrived and Carolyn informed us I would be FIRST!

I sat at a table and waited for the around twenty-five or so people who drifted in, to get their drinks and the event to start. To keep my mind off what I was going to do, I had a wonderful conversation with two women who were part of the local writing group.

Then Carolyn approached the microphone and introduced me. I picked up my books, gulped, grabbed my glasses, and made my way through the potpourri of people, chairs, tables, and overstuffed sofas and chairs. All eyes were on me as I approached the microphone from the wrong side, bumped a chair with my wide hips, and nearly toppled the avante garde podium made of steel pipe and a piece of plywood. I steadied the podium, looked out at the faces and swallowed. I spouted something about being pleased to be there, where I was from and my connection to the area. Put my glasses on, explained the set up to what I was going to read and began.

Fast! After several sentences, I slowed down, used some inflection and by the end had generated some chuckles and smiles. Whew! I asked for questions- Had some great ones asked, ones I could answer like - when did you start writing, why do you write historicals. Subjects I could talk about forever! And my passion for history and my stories must have come through. I had several people afterward come up and say they enjoyed the reading and my comments afterward. Carolyn said I did an excellent job for it being my first time reading. Not only did I conquer reading- I sold seventeen books! It was a great night- one that had me up half the night grinning! Thank you, Wavy for all your wonder insight about how to make my reading a success!

Now Saturday, was a whole different experience. I thought more before hand publicity was done. Since it was my home town and all. I had three people show up in three hours! One said she didn't realize I was going to be there until someone else called and told her, and if she had known sooner she would have called others! It was in the paper and supposedly on the radio! But no one connected my married name with me! But I had a wonderful visit with a man, who heads up the writing community in Wallowa County. He came to see me because one of the people in the audience the night before called him and said he needed to meet me because my presentation was so awesome! That, my friends, made Saturday not be a total bust!