Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Soupy Signing



Yesterday was the official pub date for Soupy Saturdays with the Pain&The Great One and I was as anxious as ever. Had stomach pains before my book signing at Bunch of Grapes, the great independent bookstore in Vineyard Haven. I'm not going to write about my publishing anxieties again but for anyone interested you can read more than you want to know by clicking on Anxiety Diary. Some things never change.

But once I got started, or maybe once I
realized people were going to show up -- and I'm sure this goes back to my first book signing in 1969 when no one came except my mother with my two small kids -- I was okay, even excited. Because a lot of people showed up. Lots of parents who grew up with my books and lots of kids. What could be better? Or sweeter?

I started signing at 4pm and somewhere along the way they cut the line because they knew I had to leave at 6pm. Here's a video George took at 5pm - halfway through. I'm demonstrating how to avoid writer's cramp. Lucky for me my injured shoulder is my left, and I'm right handed. The crowd was so patient and lively, even after standing on line for an hour. I wish I'd had lemonade and cookies for them. Next time...