The Public Eye

After I confirmed the date with the Vroman's Bookstore events team, I spent about two months obsessing over what to wear, what if no one comes, what if the other presenting authors are Keira Knightley lookalikes?



All ridiculous. I found an outfit that I liked, that I was comfortable in, AND got a new pair of boots that I love wearing.



When I arrived (you know me, 90 minutes early), the other author was there with her mom. She had decorated her half of the display up front with a bright blue tablecloth, a purple treasure chest, stacks of her book, and a map of the land she had envisioned. "Twinkles" is a book for 8-12 year old girls. Cassandra Black has done a number of readings and events. She soon put me at ease, helping me to feel like we were a team of presenters, not competitors.



The events' lead came out to explain the time-frames (which I had called about at noon so I could mark my book passages for length).



Then, in walked my childhood friend, Denise, and her husband John. It was just what I needed to have someone I know so well to talk to and welcome to our part of Southern California since she's from San Diego (Chula Vista). John and Patrick hit it off, and they were talking about dinner after the event.



People began arriving. My former student Jill Grigsby Roberts with her daughter (12), followed by Annalee and Daniel Davis. Annalee had been my student and then my student teacher. I am proud she has gone on to teach. Many of my writing cohorts,Marianne Wallace, Anita Swanson, Jeannie Bloom, Helen Meek, and Sarah Freifeld arrived. What a surprise! And what do you know, but a Saugus grad from my last teaching year, Steven Wright. I was so happy to see him.



We gave people time to settle in. Others joined the audience. Cassandra read first, with such comedy and good humor, in her sweet tale of an insectland where one firefly doesn't light up. She talked about growing up in Tennessee. She answered questions from the smitten audience, and it was my turn.



I read the beautiful poem that opens my book, "For Your Daughter," by LA poet, Yvette Johnson. I was sorry she wasn't there to hear her words ringing out. I read part of the opening chapter, the part about the Newfie dog and his owner, and Zoozle's despair. I moved on to read the chapter that I turned into a flash fiction story, about Grandpa Joe eating M&M's with Zoozle, day dreaming about chicken and dumplings. I ended with his good advice, "Ah honey. Today's as important at forever."



Wild applause. I handed around a basket of M&M's. I answered great questions, some things that I had been prepared for and some from out of the blue. I had a chance to talk about "Some Rivers End on the Day of the Dead" in answer to a couple questions.



The Vroman's coordinator took it from there--showing people the nearest cash register to purchase books before signing. "Stairs of Sand" sold out! I could have sold another 10 of them.


Patrick took us out to dinner across the street at Roy's (delicious!) We had a couple of hours of talk and sharing with Denise and John, Jeannie and Helen. It was an unforgettable evening, though we did come home to two cranky dogs--they are not used to our being out at night.



Thank you all for coming, and if I left out your name, please remind me because, like a wedding or other big event (oh, and I had two Hawaiian martinis at Roy's), the whole thing is a blur! (pictures tomorrow)