I’m excited! I have a book signing today! And it’s in my hometown, at the Preston Citizen from noon to two. Or three. Depending.
But to be honest, I’m also pretty nervous.
Shouldn’t this get easier by now? It’s been 10 years (well, nine years and eleven months) since I first ever did a book signing. This is my seventh book. Well, I’ll be signing my sixth book Immersed, but since it came out in May, I’ve added another (The Lost Art, which, incidentally hit THREE top 100 categories on Kindle this week. OH, my HECK. Thank you, gentle readers of Kindle books. If I could give you all a big thank you hug, I would. Seriously.) I should possibly think this is standard, right?
Wrong.
Maybe it’s the ongoing anxiety in me, or maybe it’s the fact that I watched Cipher in the Snow (that Church movie about the little boy who gets bullied and ignored at school, then dies at the bus stop, lying in the snow, and no one notices, YIKES!) one too many times and have a wild imagination of that being how the book signing will feel. Probably the former. Anxiety stinks.
Today has the added nervousness of a radio interview this morning on KACH at 9:00. Well, 9:04, after the news. What if I say what’s on my mind? I honestly think I have no filter. If I think it, it’s out there for all to hear, instantly. Oh, dear. I might end up mentioning … oh, geez. I’d better not even type it.
Deep breaths.
Bear with me while I psych myself up for this-thing-that-I-did-t0-myself.
One, the ladies who work at The Preston Citizen are very nice. I get to talk to them. They’re lovely. That will be great.
Two, it’s a bookstore. If worse comes to worst, there are always nice books to pick up and browse. I might find something to buy. (Okay, who am I kidding? I can’t enter a bookstore without buying something.)
Three, my friend Donna K. Weaver will be there signing with me. She wrote Second Chances 101, another book in the Ripple Effect Romance series, and we have only met once in person, so we can have a great time visiting about writing and books and our family members living in China and stuff.
All good things! Anxiety not necessary. At all. Seriously. Right?
It’s going to be fine. Deep breaths.
Shouldn’t this get easier by now?
PS – If you’re in the area and stop by to say hi, that’d be great. No pressure to buy a book! Just visit with me?