Had a fun weekend going on a mini-book tour at Barnes and Noble stores!
Friday I hit the Barnes and Noble in Scottsdale, the one on Shea and the Loop 101. It was a really busy store, and people were coming in and out with their kids after school. Everyone there was in a great mood, happily buying books to read, chipper and friendly. The staff plunked me down at a table right next to the front door so I could accost people coming in with my “Can I tell you about my novel?” line. Luckily, lots of people stopped to listen to my spiel:
“It’s the story of this guy, Buck Cooper. He’s huge. He’s fat. He’s Texan. He goes to Japan and accidentally becomes the first blond sumo wrestler.”
And with that, voila, the customers let it sink in and then everyone cracked a smile. It was funny to watch the identical reactions. A woman who purchased a copy also took a stack of bookmarks to take to her book club and see if they’d like to have it as one of their reading selections. Yeah!
Best of all, some really cool friends made the drive to the North Valley. I had writer friends come. Friends who used to live in our town but who’d moved to Phoenix came. Political friends. And even my awesome friend Tory from my freshman year of college. I have to say, without Tory, there might not be a Buck Cooper. Tory decided to go on a mission and her example and encouragement made me think I could do it too. And I ended up in Japan.
Tory and moi at the Scottsdale Barnes and Noble. We’re both wearing her scarf design!
Thanks, Tory! Oh, and thanks for the very cool scarf. Tory’s making these and they’re beautiful. And washable. And they’re her very own design. She has apatent.*I* have a friend with her very own patent. I think that makes me pretty much cool by association. Check out her scarves here.
The next day I bombed on up to Flagstaff. Do you know, it’s actually cool there? I mean, weather cool. Like 73 degrees. I felt like I’d fast-forwarded the calendar by three months or something. And I got to eat lunch with my niece Kendle and her cute beau, Mike, at Chipotle. Giant burritos with delicious rice and salsa in them. Very cool. It was great to see Kendle. She’s a total doll. And my friend Kimberlee stopped in with her two cute boys–who had both been born since Kimberlee lived near me, so that was really fun.
Good times!
