Ah, the book-signings. I’m beginning to see why authors might not be interested in doing them. I mean, unless you’re famous and readers flock to your signings hoping for an autograph and just a few moments in your presence, well then maybe, but for those of us newbies…it’s just kinda awkward. I could tell you some stories…

We drove to Florida (from Houston), and mid-trip, I forced my family to stop for a signing at the Barnes & Noble in Pensacola. Veeery interesting. Gotta love those B&N employees…one bought four copies of my book for various family members. Then there was the lady who almost succumbed to the pity-buy. For the record…I discourage that kind of thing. And then…there was the guy who stopped by the table and asked if I believed in ‘Life Everlasting’. I wasn’t sure what to make of him, particularly after the discussion continued for a good five minutes beyond that, but I tried to keep my face from revealing the many emotions careening around in my brain: ‘Is this a joke?’, ‘Are these trick questions?’, ‘Is all this leading up to specific questions about the sexual content of my book?’ ‘Is there any chance that this discussion will lead to a sale?’ Finally the manager stepped in, and he drifted off, and with a whole new perspective, I realized you just never know.

Where, I ask you, are all the romance readers??? Don’t they shop in stores like the rest of us? Unless people are a lot more coy than I’ve given them credit for, they’re not actually looking for romance novels in the bookstores. The moment a person comes in, I try to peg them as a possibility or not (it passes the time). Sometimes I’m right, but usually I keep an eye on a few of my ‘targets’, wondering if they are cautiously interested in my book but circling the signing table, not certain whether to risk coming closer. They’re always looking for literary fiction…or thrillers…or mysteries. I hardly ever see anyone actually carting a paperback romance to the check-out counter. Not just mine—anyone’s! Is this just because the readers of romantic fiction come out covertly during the work week or under cover of darkness? Is it just coincidence? Little do they know that I’m not just signing books, I’m conducting a fascinating anthropological study of ‘the romance reader’.

I wonder if signings would be more successful during the week rather than on a Saturday afternoon… Difficult to know. Anyway, I digress. Following our arrival on Sanibel at 3:30 Sunday morning, I journeyed back across the causeway at 10:15 the following morning on my way to the Borders in Naples. Whew! That was just painful. Very few people even approached the table. Evidently they sold a few books before I arrived, and I sold a couple right off, but then virtually nothing happened for a good 2 hours. The moment I left the table, I saw two separate people step up and read the back cover of my book. Go figure.

Well, I’m back. I was gone for a week, off to Florida for my son’s Spring Break, but I’ve been back for days, and completely forgotten about blogging. Too many things to do I guess, and my house is still a sty. I have things to unpack, a huge pile of things to return to various stores, and just the general messiness that comes with a family of four (three of them being male—although I certainly do my share). This morning I managed the dishes, and that made a big dent, but I’ve a long ways to go before my house is fit for company (coming Sunday). Vacation has definitely come and gone. We were on Sanibel Island, visiting family, and it was lovely. Sunny, 80-degree days, cool breezes, and island views. Pink houses, palm trees everywhere, bikes prevalent along the main thoroughfare, the riders just back from the beach, just going, or thinking about it. We hit the beach four days out of six, my sons five out of six. And we stocked up on shells! I was kind of surprised that my sons weren’t much interested in the shells—they wanted to play in the sand and surf, just being loud and rowdy boys. It would be great to have a beach nearby to visit every afternoon or evening, but I think the sand and crushed shells might deter me. What a huge mess. We’d have to have an outdoor shower! We were rinsing off in a bucket of cold water that was full of sand and shells and filthy after the first aqua sock was dipped. And then, the boys were wisked upstairs for immediate baths before they touched anything.

It was as relaxing as it could have been with a four-year-old and a six-year-old. I’d imagined that I’d get some writing, or at least some brainstorming done. I made absolutely no progress. I did start reading Sanibel Flats by Randy Wayne White (a book set out on the guest room nightstand), and got right into it. I’ve yet to finish. Now that the break is over, I have two months of school days to savor before I have both boys home seven days a week this summer. Yikes. My mantra, I’m sure, will be ‘Serenity Now’

I’ll save my Florida book-signing experiences for the next blog…

Well, evidently I won’t pursue Amazon for e-book distribution. I was informed in an Amazon customer service form letter that I need not bother applying if I have fewer than 100 e-books to submit. Well one is definitely fewer than one hundred. On the bright side, they did encourage me to check back, saying that they would be unveiling a scaled down version of their program for those wishing to submit in smaller quantities.

I’m happy to say that my Amazon blog is now appearing on my book description page, and I’ve posted my contest and Florida signings, but right now I don’t know what else to say there. Sometimes I don’t even remember to come post here!

If you do happen to be in the Pensacola or Naples area next weekend, please come by and visit me at one of my two signings. Or…if you’re really industrious, come for both!

On March 11, I’ll be at the Pensacola Barnes & Noble from 1-3pm, signing–you guessed it–my one and only novel Unladylike Pursuits. And on March 12, I’ll be at the Naples Borders from 12-2pm. I could use the company!