Up until last summer, I spent nearly every weekend in a
bookstore signing books. I did that for nearly three years. It was hard on the
feet and the back and I put a lot of miles on my car, but I met some incredible and often very funny people.
The following is an experience I had at Barnes & Noble
in Palm Desert one weekend.
A woman and her mother came into the store. The mother, I would guess, was at least in her 70's, maybe more. When I asked them if they read mysteries, the older woman shook her head, made an "icky" face, and said very adamantly, "Oh, no."
I had just handed them each a bookmark and the daughter realized I was the author. She said to her mother, "Mother, you're insulting her. She's the author."
The mother said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me see your book."
They walked over to my table and started reading the blurbs on my books. The mother said, "Oh, my daughter, Wendy, would love these. She loves books about legal stuff."
"Is she an attorney?" I asked.
"Oh no," she said again. "She works for an attorney. She does all the work, and he gets all the money."
I smiled and said, "That's the way it should be, right?" When she frowned at me I said, "Sorry, I'm a lawyer."
Her daughter turned to her mother and said, "Now, you've insulted her twice!"
The mother said, "Would it help if I told you I'm not from this country? I'm Canadian."
They bought two books, and we were all laughing about it before they left. A while later the older woman came back to my table to apologize one more time. I said to her, "I thought you came back to insult me again." Of course I explained to her that I wasn't insulted at all. She gave me a big hug. I love those hugs.
A woman and her mother came into the store. The mother, I would guess, was at least in her 70's, maybe more. When I asked them if they read mysteries, the older woman shook her head, made an "icky" face, and said very adamantly, "Oh, no."
I had just handed them each a bookmark and the daughter realized I was the author. She said to her mother, "Mother, you're insulting her. She's the author."
The mother said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me see your book."
They walked over to my table and started reading the blurbs on my books. The mother said, "Oh, my daughter, Wendy, would love these. She loves books about legal stuff."
"Is she an attorney?" I asked.
"Oh no," she said again. "She works for an attorney. She does all the work, and he gets all the money."
I smiled and said, "That's the way it should be, right?" When she frowned at me I said, "Sorry, I'm a lawyer."
Her daughter turned to her mother and said, "Now, you've insulted her twice!"
The mother said, "Would it help if I told you I'm not from this country? I'm Canadian."
They bought two books, and we were all laughing about it before they left. A while later the older woman came back to my table to apologize one more time. I said to her, "I thought you came back to insult me again." Of course I explained to her that I wasn't insulted at all. She gave me a big hug. I love those hugs.
When was the last time you hugged an author? How about an
attorney? They need hugs too, you know.
Teresa Burrell, Author, Attorney, Advocate
www.teresaburrell.com
What a fun post! Thanks for sharing. I feel your hug right now. Thanks for taking my spot today. I'm putting in final copyedits on my thriller, and I will finish today if it kills me.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain...
DeleteL.J., you realize there's a plot there: the killer copyedits - the comma that strikes in the dark, the semi-colon out for vengeance; the exclamation mark! that leaves its mark. Etc.
DeleteI hugged three other authors last Sunday. It was nice. And the next time I see my attorney granddaughter, I'll be giving her a hug so I'm pretty well covered.
ReplyDeleteFun post. Have a terrific long weekend!
Great story, Teresa! Authors probably need more hugs than average, since they spend so much time alone on the computer, then take a huge risk by baring their souls for the world to see (and maybe pick at) in their books!
ReplyDeleteFun story, T. I'll save you a hug for the next LATFOB if I don't see you before (maybe San Diego - not sure if you're going). Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteYou can never get too many hugs!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story! I love hugs from my readers, both the physical and written ones.
ReplyDeleteIt helps to keep me writing when I want to give up.
DeleteVirtual hugs to all my blog partners!
ReplyDeleteEchoing the great story sentiment feeling. When you meet an author, don't give ughs, give hugs. I have a brother who's an attorney. I hug him whenever I see him. Thanks for sharing. (I guess your filling in for L.J. counts as a hug.)
ReplyDelete