Sunday, October 01, 2006

A Surreal Moment

So I was in Boca Raton last week on a training gig and walked into the local B&N at lunch time for coffee and a new book. I was cruising the "New Paperback Releases" display, rounded one side and there was RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU!!!! I almost fell out. It took like a half-second for it to totally register - one because technically, the book has a lay-down date of October 3rd. Two - it was on a display at the front of the store with bestselling authors!

I was so excited - my first sighting. And did I have a camera - of course not. Why - well, see number one in the prior explanation again. So I introduced myself to a staff member and asked if I could sign the in-store stock. They were excited and I did my first official drive-by signing!

So back at home on Saturday, my husband and I spent the day driving to bookstores. I signed stock and he hustled bookmarks to everyone in walking distance. He even convinced one woman to buy it on the spot. :) If only I could clone him and send him to every bookstore in the US! He is a mega-star at customer relations and sales. I've learned a lot from him, but selling like that is just not in my bones. He's scary good.

One interesting thing, though, and anyone looking for the book please make note. B&N has it shelved as "Fiction." Not romance, not mystery - Fiction? I'm not sure whether this is a good, bad or doesn't matter sort of thing, but that's where you have to look to find it.

I admit, that evening after class in Boca Raton, I DID go buy a disposable camera and go back to the B&N and take a picture of the display. I'm sure people thought I was crazy since the employees I'd spoken to at lunch weren't working any longer, but I didn't care. It was my very first sighting! As soon as I have the film developed, I'll post a picture.

I'm off to Irvine, CA today, so I'll be chatting to you this week from the other end of the US. Nothing like an east-coast to west-coast shift to mess up your internal clock.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

How exciting! Have fun in Irvine! (Where IS Irvine exactly? I suppose I could stop being lazy and just look it up in the atlas. *g*)

Jana DeLeon said...

LOL, Tori - I am sooooooo geographically challenged. This job is going to be really good for my education. Irvine is just outside of LA in California. I don't have to fly into LAX though, which is a good thing. There is a small airport in Irvine, but still a straight shot flight.

I really like west coast training because I wake up around 4:00am and can get so much done. :)

Anonymous said...

I do pretty well at geography, but some places (like poor Irvine *g*) fall through the cracks of my knowledge/memory.

And it's time to go book shopping!!!

Jaye Wells said...

Man, oh man, what an awesome experience. I totally would have squealed.

The fiction thing is odd. I'm always confounded by their logic. Good thing you're getting the word out.

Jana DeLeon said...

Wendy - We can definitely be fiction buddies! :)

Tori - Even worse, I have GPS in my vehicle at home and everytime I'm in a new city traveling I find myself staring at the dashboard like it's going to tell me something.

Jaye - I wanted to scream but I was afraid that A) then they wouldn't let me sign the books and B) they might actually call the cops. I think I exhibited extraordinary self-control given the circumstances. :)

 
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