From trepidation to elation to exhaustion: The life cycle of a book signing

My husband snapped this photo when I wasn’t looking. It’s a safe bet I’m agonizing over how best to express my gratitude for having such supportive fans of Henry, Jay, and Alice.

Having no idea what to expect from my first book signing, I kick-started my day with two hours of sleep, a boatload of nausea-inducing nerves, and the absolute certainty that I would manage to misspell my own name before the day was done.

A writer’s imagination is a wonderful thing, except when it’s a terrible thing.

A...