One More Signing

Wow, it looks like there's a lot of interest in the Non-Conformist Novel Writing Month in January, so let's give it a shot. I won't come up with a lot of rules, but I'll think about how to work this to give everyone the support they want -- like either doing it here or maybe creating a Yahoo group -- and possibly even see if I can come up with some prizes.

I've now survived almost all my big book-related activities for the year. I just have one library event in December. Otherwise, I'm back to the mostly private part of the job. Yep, it's back to sweats, ponytail and no makeup time.

Today's event was the Barnes & Noble booth at the Tyler Junior League's holiday bazaar. The booth was next to the main stage, where I had a great view of all the little baby ballerinas from the local dance school. Toddlers in tap shoes are adorable. I also have "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Jingle Bell Rock" stuck in my head, which is downright evil. I sold a few books to people I didn't even know and also ran into a high school classmate and a distant cousin. Best of all was seeing people who'd already read at least one of my books and who were pleased to meet me in person. One person working at another booth ran out to the car to get the book she was already reading for me to sign.

Aside from the event itself, this turned out to be a great time for visiting East Texas. The fall color is spectacular this year. I was in a weird mood yesterday, a mood that had me, for some very odd reason, wanting to drive across country while belting Melissa Manchester songs at the top of my lungs. Yeah, I know, I'm strange. But her voice falls right in the middle of my ideal belting range. Unfortunately, my tape of hers, a relic of my freshman year of high school has pretty much died. The side that had "Don't Cry Out Loud" (the anthem of emotional repression) still worked, but the side with "Come in From the Rain" was almost inaudible. It may be cheesy, but I love that song, and I think there's a story in there somewhere. Even without the exact music I wanted, the drive was fun. On some of the back roads, the trees formed a colorful canopy over the road, with leaves falling like ticker-tape. Very cool.

I discovered that at times I can get WiFi access at my parents' house, but alas, whichever neighbor has the wireless network seems to have turned it off, so I'm back to dial-up. Bummer.