Just a Few Kibbles and Bits This Morning

Some updates on book progress today, but not much is happenning:

1. To answer my most-asked question of late: No, I have not heard from Ellen or Ross. I may never hear from Ellen or Ross, or it may just take forever. For a girl who likes closure and may never get it in many book situations, this is a "great" experience for me. Keep on keeping your fingers crossed!

2. I have completed the process of sending out all of my review copies, and now I'm waiting for some of those to come in. Another situation where I could possibly wait forever...but I have faith that a few will come through with a review. Don't worry, I'll post them here!

3. I finally finished making those pet boutique phone calls. I did have the few who want another call in a couple of weeks, but that's great: at least they'll expect to hear from me!

4. I received my second book shipment this week! That was exciting, because I am almost finished selling the large first shipment. I plan to take the new books to an event we're having at the salon in mid-November for my mini-book signing!

5. You have today and tomorrow to go to Manic Mommy's blog and post a comment about your dog's name if you want to be in the running to win a free copy of Remembering Ruby! Her blog is hopping, so get over there and read and enter!

6. Holla! to Kevin at the Wag N' Wash. I stopped in to hang some flyers and business cards in his store and he was very, very nice. He has a great store, too!

7. I feel like I'm trying to get the word out about the book through one or two people at a time (well, I am, right?). I thought yesterday about trying to find some event where I could set up a table with my books, like a craft show but not a craft show. Any general ideas of what I should look for? And do you think it would be worth it? Instead of marketing to one or two at a time, I could reach--what--75 to 100 at a time that day? Advice, please??

8. My next steps include mailing out more information to the second round of rescues, and I have yet to market to veterinary offices, which I really need to do soon. I hope to start that this weekend!

Great Feedback, Book Signatures, and HI DAD!

I am getting wonderful feedback from those friends and family who have ordered and received the book (of course, I also wouldn't necessarily expect that my friends and family would tell me that the book stinks, either!). It's so great to hear from everybody as their books trickle in.

I put my business cards out at the salon yesterday, and am planning to bring a bunch of copies to the Fall Festival we're having on November 11. Dawn (salon owner) thought it would be fun to offer copies and have a mini book-signing. So, we're going to try it!

My current issue (because I always need to be working through some issue!) is that I'm trying to figure out what to write when I sign the books. People are starting to ask me to sign their copies, and these aren't all people who have lost a pet. I am having a hard time with this. I can come up with many caring and sincere things to write in a book for someone who has lost a pet, but what about for those who are either just really supportive of Julie, me, and the book and bought a copy (or copies!) or for the random future stranger who buys one because they like the story and see value in reading it to a child whether or not there has been a loss? I mean, what do other beginning authors do? Suggestions, anyone? Jim thinks there has to be a website out there somewhere for this very issue...but I don't have the time at this moment to research it. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, leave me a comment if you can help me out! (or even if you can't!)

Lastly for today, I wanted to give a big SHOUT OUT to our Dad. He just had surgery today, and everything went really well, so we're thrilled. Hi Dad! We love you!