Had a Seriously Wonderful Time at King’s Books

 

Had a seriously wonderful time at King’s Books last night. Several people bought two copies (one as a gift), one friend brought her own copy for me to sign (Yolanda Red Smith Markle) and all but two others bought a copy. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better time at an event of this kind. DeForest Kelley fans are De Best!

 

Thank you to personal friends Yolanda Red Smith Markle and Sandy King for coming out to support me. It has been a long time between hellos–we have to get together more often! Let’s get dates on our calendars!!!

 

Leigh Stone, Judy Grover, Jill Ater, Eric Wirsing and Heather Archuletta, it was wonderful meeting you. I hope this won’t be the last time we see each other! I’m already contemplating a play date with Jill Ater, so that’s good! Iwould love to have lunch with each of you individually if you can find time after the first of the year. (I know this is the holiday season and you have plenty of other “to do”s right now.

 

And to the lady who had to fly out almost as fast as she flew in, thank you, too, for getting my book! Lisa Twining Taylor will be posting some images in a day or two…

 

I also want to thank those who wanted to attend–two ladies (from Midland and Parkland), plus Ed and Peggy Kyllonen, Joyce Elder, Matthew Hargis and others. You have a rain check! I look forward to seeing you at another event.  In case you can get away, my next event is a shorty–at B Sharp Coffee House in Tacoma on November 21st. This event starts at 7, but I’m the last reader (there will be four others). Each of us will have five to seven minutes to read…  so if you can’t get there right on time, you can still probably catch me if you get there by 7:20 or so. Yes, I will have some books on hand… (a black and white version of DeForest Kelley Up Close and Personal–they’re $20 each, signed–and I’ll inscribe it to you, too, if you want–and an audio book version. Read more about these options (and other options if you live farther afield) from the BOOKS link right here on the site you’re on…

 

I thought I would be anxious before lat’s night’s event, but after Tuesday’s hours’-long, anxiety-provoking POTUS election result, I reckon my anxiety glands were completely wrung out these past few days while processing “what it all means” and “where we go from here”.  Another factor was that the audience trickled in one-by-one in most cases, so I was able to meet everyone personally and chat with them for a time, so by the time 7 o’clock rolled around I felt like I was among friends, new and old.

 

The King’s Books lady who helped me out couldn’t have been nicer. Although the turnout wasn’t large, she said it was larger than most first time events for authors, and since way more than 40% of the attendees bought a book (40% is average) she considered the event a success.

 

I read four or five excerpts from the book, which everyone enjoyed. (I know because I asked Lisa. She said everyone was “enthralled”. I wasn’t able to look up while reading, but when I did, everyone looked engaged and happy…or stricken…or thoughtful, depending on what it was I was reading at the time. So that was good. I was eliciting the desired effects, and based on what the attendees put on their Facebook pages afterward, I feel very good about everything. Lisa said my reading rate was perfect. (I always have to be conscientious about not rushing through the copy. Just because I know what’s coming next doesn’t mean the audience does, so I have to allow sufficient time for them to process and appreciate what they hear.)

 

After I read the excerpts (which took about 50 minutes, I guess, interspersed with commentary as I transitioned by explaining how my friendship with the Kelley’s was proceeding between excerpts), I opened the event up to questions from the attendees. Every time they asked a question or made a comment, that tripped a synapse and reminded me of additional anecdotes, so I shared those.  It all felt very organic and easy-going. I would do this a few nights a week if I could find the venues–it was that much fun!

 

I want to AGAIN thank my sidekick and BFF, Lisa Twining Taylor, for your ever-present help.  I simply don’t know what I’d do without you.  You’re a champion!!! Not only do you ride herd on my websites (creating them, tweaking them, rescuing me when I can’t upload an image, etc. etc. etc.), you also  help me with social media outreach and keep me on an even keel (sane!)…not to mention being my wheels when my SUV goes on strike and going grocery shopping with me, which makes it a helluva lot more fun than it would be otherwise. Oh, and you’re my movie pardner, too! There are times (as you well know) when you’re the ONLY “wind beneath my wings”.  Without you, I’d be lost!

 

If you have a friend like Lisa, you are blessed indeed!