BOOK LAUNCH at the Huntington Public Library

That was the first reading and it went pretty well.   The turn out for our tiny village was immense!  Thirty or so people, which I suppose includes the three of us in our family and David and his wife Lindsey. I had counted twenty-five, which is exactly right if you subtract us.

 I introduced David and he charmed his audience reading from The Faulkes Chronicles -- told collectively by the children whose mother is dying of cancer.  Of course, there is sadness, but there is also an inordinate amount of joy as the family do all they can to make their mother's last days happy and comfortable ones. 

So then it was my turn and I was introduced by my former fellow library trustee and dear friend, Pam Kellogg.  I read from the beginning of the book to page something-or-other because try as I might I haven't figured out what shorter passages I can read from here and there.  I also panicked and decided that I must have forgotten my reading glasses and so had to read holding the book as far from my eyes as I could.  I don't know if I charmed anyone exactly, but I did, after the first few minutes get more involved in reading the story.  I suddenly fell out of the story again after about fifteen minutes, I suspect because my eyes had had it, so I stopped rather abruptly.  Lesson learned?  Checklist with GLASSES on the top of the list and to see if I can't somehow find some shorter bits to read from here and there. 

Then there were questions from the audience -- How did I get published?  How long did it take me to write the book? Did I plan it or just let it happen?  

My next blog entry is about that last question because it is the one that interests me the most and triggered some thinking.

Afterwards we ate cake and lemon bars and deviled eggs and sold a few of our books and milled about chatting the way one does.  Then we cleaned up and went home. 

All in all a great experience for me and I hope also for everyone else!