First, a client at the salon--after drying her nails at the drying table (of course! she wouldn't dry them at the polishing table, would she?) where my book is conveniently on display--approached me at the desk and congratulated me on my book. I said, "Thanks!" She asked, "You wouldn't happen to have any with you so I could buy one, would you?"
And I said, "Lady, are you kidding?" and then I opened up my trenchcoat where I had sewn about six copies into the lining as if they were watches.
Just kidding. Just trying to add a little bit of spice to that story.
The truth is less exciting: I just ran out to my car to grab a book. She asked me to sign it for her sister, which I did, and she said, "I'm going to give it to my sister because she's a grief counselor."
YAY! YIPPEE! WOO HOO!
There I go with those mixed emotions again. Should I really have been mentally cheering about a grief counselor? It's such a serious (and might I add VERY IMPORTANT) job. I guess what I was really cheering about was the potential for more people to hear about my book. As she was walking out I grabbed some of my business cards and asked her to ask her sis to pass them on.
THEN the really, really thrilling part of the day arrived. Another client came over to me about an hour later on her way out, and said "I saw the little blurb about your book in West Suburban Living magazine, congratulations!!"
I screamed "WHAT? Shut up! Are you kidding me???"
She said, "They didn't tell you it was going to be in there?"
I had sent them a book for review (along with my press release) for their "Local Authors" page but didn't think of checking the new issue because I didn't anticipate such a quick inclusion.
I asked her if the blurb included the cover graphic, and she said she didn't remember seeing it. I was really hoping so, because I believe that Julie's awesomely designed cover is what would draw people to the blurb first.
Needless to say, I was quite anxious to leave work and go get a copy of the magazine, so as soon as I was able, I hopped into the car and rushed over to Borders. I frantically glanced around the magazine racks and finally saw it, grabbed it, and madly flipped the pages.
And there it was.
On page 42.
With the cover graphic.
A joyful moment!
This magazine gets distributed to almost 27,000 households each month!
I called Julie right away and we shrieked together on the phone.
I love today.
