Elizabeth Dougherty's Blog, page 3

book tour report: stop #3

My table at Northboro's Applefest was a huge success! I sold 15 books!!

Unbelievable. I'm so thrilled. Some of those copies went to friends, but I also sold to people in the Northboro book club, who will be reading the book in November, and I sold to several strangers. And several of those strangers also have book clubs and were excited about the idea of picking the book and having me visit.

It did not hurt that it was an absolutely gorgeous day out and everyone was feeling the apple-y love...

book tour report: stop #2

Last week I attended the Haverhill Public Library's annual book signing and sale. About 50 local authors attended. And about 20 visitors. Based on my experience with promotional events — for example, the 1997 Las Vegas InterOp tradeshow — this seemed a little slow. But according to the other authors, this year's turnout was great. "Better than last year."

I arrived with 18 books in my box. That's all I had left and my new order hadn't arrived yet. I was pretty nervous, thinking that I might...

showing up

Who was it that said 80 percent of success is showing up? Woody Allen, I think. Well, I showed up this morning, yesterday afternoon, and once last week. I'm on a roll! For me, showing up means opening my laptop, firing up Scrivener, and writing.

What I notice is that I have to be in it to be in it. That is, I can't just show up once a week and expect to get any kind of flow. It's like running. Here I am with the marathon comparisons again. But it's true. If I just went out once a week and ran ...

long live the sticky buns!

This from a friend of my aunt and uncle down in Florida. She just read The Blind Pig, enjoyed it, and decided that my grandmother's sticky buns would definitely not be approved by the NArc. She's probably right. They really are incredible. Gooey. And if you cook them right, a little crunchy and carmelized, like candy, with lots of cinnamon and raisins. And the pastry is sweet and light, stretchy and chewy. Ok, so if you eat three of them, which you probably will, they don't feel very light...

it's a dangerous business going out your front door…

"You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." Ah, Bilbo, who would know better than you?

I stepped out the other day, as promised, and dropped The Blind Pig off at the library. Then I decided to wander by my local bookstore Jeannie's Book Emporium. There I found Jeannie, doing what bookish people do:  reading. I asked her to consider stocking my book. She declined. Business isn't great for bookstores these days. All the benefits ...

come on in, the water's just fine!

Yet I still haven't gone in up past my ankles… (In case you aren't from around here, the ocean really is cold in New England.) Once you jump in, it's fine. You stop tip-toeing  and squealing. You also stop waving your arms in the air like a chicken.

But instead of jumping in just yet, let's go back to the beach blanket and do a progress report. Those always make me feel better.

First, my book club read my book! We had the discussion this past week. I was terribly nervous, but the meeting went w...

And so on, and so on, …

Last day of work today! It's bittersweet, of course. I will miss my friends and I will definitely miss that regular paycheck. But I'm also excited — I landed a gig with a new client today, met another potential client, and got a lead on a third. So I'm on my way.

But what about the book? you ask. What about The Blind Pig? I haven't forgotten it! I have sold over 100 copies so far. I'm curious to see how that number will grow. Several people have said "maybe it'll go viral" to me in the last...

leap and the net will appear, part deux

I left my job today. About two weeks ago I learned that I had the option to go full-time or to take a layoff. I'd known this was brewing for months, so it was no surprise.

In fact, for most of that time I'd been planning on going full-time. You know. The safe road. Security. But when I received the letter I saw it for what it was: a gift. A chance to go out on my own and become the writer I set out to be when I quit my old, safe, secure engineering job. My heart knew what to do.

Of course my...

book tour report: stop #1

I'm going to declare the promotional event in Ithaca at my college reunion a success! Thanks to Chris for helping me work the table and showing me how it's done. And thanks to Luke, again, for the postcards.

And thanks to Mike for shopping with me and encouraging me to buy good wine. The wine claimed by the wine store owner to be "the best red wine in the Finger Lakes" was damn good (2007 Goose Watch Lemberger) and so was the white (2008 Six Mile Creek Seyval Blanc). Makes me think the scene i...

leap and the net will appear

Several friends have tested this recently. Guess what? The net really does appear.

It's good to know. I took a tiny leap the other day when, on a whim, I signed up to promote The Blind Pig at my college reunion. I'm terrified of falling flat on my face.

But I can already see the strings knotting beneath me. My college housemates will be there and one has promised to be my "booth babe." (Tempting as it is, I will not force him to wear a tight shirt and short shorts.) Just knowing my friends...