Hey Humans,
Today I'm going to talk about the next part of my trip. Hopefully we can get toward the end here... Maybe, ;)
Let's get on with it, then!
The Book Signing
The books that she will be signing are in two suitcases in the hotel room. One is black, and is initialed MF. She has no idea why. The other is green. They are both heavy, and they both must get across both crosswalks, up the steps, up the two Forty-Step Escalators and through the ballroom in order to make it to the Carpenter's Son Publishing booth.
The task is not as hard as it would have seemed. Perhaps she has just gotten good at escalators due to the airports, namely... Cincinnati International.
She and her mother carry the cases to the back of the booth, where they will sit until the hour reaches 3. She checks her phone every few minutes, wishing she had a watch. Finally, it's three. The Author before her clears out their things. A poster, and a few extra books. Then she replaces them with her own. A poster... a few books. And a Pen. Very important, this pen.
The first person arrives. She signs their book, with her signature. Her own signature. In a book!! Admittedly, she finds the experience terrifying. And exciting. The people pass in a flurry of faces. A fuzzy memory is all the remains to remind her of the people to whom she gave out the books. She smiles. She speaks. She signs. And the books slowly start to vanish.
Until there are only 26 left.
Time's Up
No more signings. The books are laid out next to the podium in order to allow people to take them as they will. She pre-signed all of them, just in case. Exhausted now, they hang around for a while... but the day is done, and they want to go home. So they go back to the hotel, eat, watch a movie perhaps... and sleep.
The Interviews
The next day holds interviews. They rise early, but not too early, and decide not to go to the Energy Center until almost time for the interviews. They wait a little too long. The walk across the street is dangerously close to a run, and--
The badges. Oh, yes... the ones that allow them to enter the convention? Those? Yes. They wait. Back at the hotel. Sitting pretty with their blue lanyards, likely on the television table. And yet... they are there... and she is here. But! Do you remember the woman named Sonya? The city block walk around the center? Indeed... the merit in that path is this: It cuts around the registration area. You don't need the badge if no one can see you without it, yes?
They rush around the center, in the long circle traced the day before. They make it to the press room. Donna and Kay are in a corner which has been blocked off from the rest of the room by thick, soft, blue curtains. There is another interview spot like this opposite them.
But they are in an interview at the moment. Her mother decides to leave and go get the badges just in case. Her mother has not been gone five minutes when she is called into the corner. Her mother should be back any moment, right? She comes in and the women are dressed, one in blue like the curtains and the other in pink. Both are blonde and smiling. She feels strangely at ease.
They let her know the questions they want to ask, and within 2 perhaps 3 minutes of entering, the rose gold iPhone mounted before the two chairs is counting down from 5 to post on Facebook Live. A thrill passes through her. Where should she look? How is she sitting? Does she look good? How will she answer?
The first interview slid by without a hitch. How she did it? She doesn't know. The second took a bit more thought... but soon they were both over. Within 20 minutes it is done. And then her mother returns.
Something Cool
After the interviews, they dawdle, and hang around. Should they go back to the hotel? Maybe... but there are so many interesting people and things to meet and to see. The elect to stay later, but not too late. They wander about a bit... but upon returning to the booth the notice something very cool.
The remaining books from author signings are, as mentioned earlier, laid out so that they may be taken by those who want to. Nearly every book from every signing earlier had a pile left over. But upon looking through the stacks... she noted that none of her books remain.
They have all been taken.
Alright that's enough for today! Talk to you guys later!
Love to all
-Helen
P.S. NOTE!
This isn't a rant! This is just something cool!
Carpenter's Son Publishing changed their color every day of the convention. One day it was blue and black, the other it was green and khaki.
HOW COOL IS IT THAT MY BOOK COVER IS BLUE AND BLACK RIGHT? And even cooler, is that we landed on their blue and black day! It worked out so well, and I was so happy.
Anyways, that's all.
Comment below. :)
Signing!! Favorite Picture of the Day.
