Yesterday, I partnered up with my wonderfully extroverted friend, Marion, at the mall in the nearby community of Port Hardy. We rented adjacent tables, and she sold her beautiful, handcrafted scarfs and hats, and I sold my book.
What an experience. I wish you could meet Marion. She knows everyone there is to know![197577_18156494096_8734_n[1]](https://disappearinginplainsight.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/197577_18156494096_8734_n1.jpg "197577_18156494096_8734_n[1]")
in Port Hardy. She called people over to the table and introduced, “her writer friend, Fran.” She told everyone she was reading the book, and it was fantastic. People she regularly has coffee with at a local diner, gathered around to talk and even buy a book.
I heard all about a new phenomenon in Port Hardy – wind mill guys (but there are also gals). A large wind farm is being installed on Knob Hill, near Cape Scott on the Northern tip of Vancouver Island. The project employs a lot of people from far and wide. Marion’s friend pointed a few of them out to me as they cruised through the mall on their way to the local grocery store. She nodded knowingly and said, “Wind mill guys”. She told of a fellow who showed up at the local Legion’s turkey dinner wearing a pair of $3000.00 shoes. She gave another sage nod. “A wind mill guy.”
(One of the windmill blades being moved across the highway outside of Port Hardy on route to the site)
My writer’s imagination went wild with thoughts of a book about what happens to a small community when an influx of wind mill guys blow into town.
I chatted with a woman who is writing her own book with surprisingly similar themes. Thank the stars I have read widely because I was able to talk knowledgeably about various books people mentioned that they were currently reading. I had a chance to catch up with a woman I have known forever. She was in the mall with her oldest daughter and two adorable grandchildren. She bought a book and then her daughter bought one, as well.
People stopped and talked about health concerns, the local council, and the previous night’s very wild and crazy event at a local pub that featured a Newfoundland band.
I also heard a captivating story about some guys someone had once met who had been hauling a load of bathtubs across the prairies. They had some engine trouble and ended up stranded in a small town waiting for a part. One thing led to the other, and they were still there three days later. There was a heat wave going on, and a local blues festival had the camp grounds overloaded. The enterprising men had unloaded the bathtubs and set them up in a row by the river. They were filling them up and selling baths. According to the storyteller, people had lined up around the bend, dropping their towels by the open-air tubs and hopping right in. Only on the Canadians prairies, you might well conclude that. Once again my imagination was working overtime thinking about how I could work that story into a book sometime.
For my first public appearance to promote and sell my book, it went exceptionally well. I was
thrilled with the way the book looked, copies of it stacked on the table. I enjoyed talking about the fact that I had written a novel and what it was about. I loved watching and interacting with “the locals” – remembering that I am a North Islander, too. It was delightful to ask people, “Did you want me to sign your copy?” And having them respond, “Of course.”
One comment about my photos for the event – I brought my camera with every intention of getting all kinds of terrific candid shots. I only took two pictures, and those were when we were setting up. If you want pictures of any event, don’t imagine you will have the time to take them yourself. Make sure you assign the task of taking photos to someone else. Lesson learned and noted.
Thank you, Marion and thank you Port Hardy for a great day!
(Photo of me on Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles, enjoying the best ever Margarita. I felt this happy last night. I offer up a toast to everyone who made me first book outing so great.)
disappearinginplainsight 
I’m glad to hear your first public appearance went well! I went to Los Angeles Festival of Books yesterday. It’s always fun to be at the literary event 🙂
So funny that there was a book festival in Los Angeles the day I post that pic of me on Olvera street from last year. All things are connected as the saying goes. Thanks for stopping by.
How funny! I loved the photo from Olvera Street, by the way. (I’m envious of the margarita you are sipping!) At the book festival, I got an autograph from Margaret Atwood! Are you jealous now? 🙂
Totally jealous!
🙂
You make me want to leave my house! Sure whish I could. Glad it was such a great event. 🙂
Next stop – public reading at the library. Onward and upward – LOL. It is quite a ride.
Seems to make you happy 🙂 Glad you are having fun, my friend!
I still haven’t gotten a copy of your book. Could you remind me (and all of us) what our best options are? Do you sell them directly? I probably need to order the book from my local independent book seller, and get you some exposure that way, too. Happy to do that, if you think it would help.
Hi Susan – I am selling the book myself, in the local market place only. The cost of shipping (especially out of Canada) would make the price noncompetitive. I would love for you to go to your local independent book seller and request that they stock the book or get you one in. It is distributed wholesale through Ingram. That kind of exposure is invaluable. You can also order it through Amazon.com if that is your kettle of fish.
It sounds like you and Marion make a great team. Congratulations on a successful public appearance, Francis!
Thanks, Jill. Marion was wonderful and those scarfs and hats – they went like hotcakes.
Bravo, Fran! What a fun experience. I have your book all ready to read on my iPod Touch!
I’m thrilled Robby Robin is going to read my book and Jane, too. I look forward to your comments.
Realized I wanted to ask you this question as soon as I pushed reply . . . where did you purchase the book for an iPod Touch? I’m still trying to figure out all the different venues that are carrying it. Thanks.
I downloaded a free Kindle onto my iPod Touch and then downloaded your book from the Kindle store. Almost frighteningly easy! It does make for very short pages when you read a full book on an iPod, but it’s pretty cool!
How wonderful and congrautlations on taking your book public. We may have never met, but it thrills me when fellow authors achieve! May ‘Disappearing In Plain Sight’ continue with great success!
I failed to spell check – sorry.
Thanks, Tammye. The wonderful part of blogging is connecting with so many people I’ve never met who are so supportive. We really do wish one another success and celebrate with each other. It is a great feeling.
Hello! I found your blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect! Please visit my blog, and if you enjoy my post, click “Like and/or leave a comment. I appreciate the support. I’m following you now. So I’ll be stopping by from time to time, and I will leave proper comments.
Thank you,
Vashti
Glad you found my blog, Vashti. I look forward to when you can stop by comment.
congrats on a fun and successful book signing!
Slow Stir
What a great experience, connecting with local readers who will be able to appreciate your setting fully. At the conference I recently attended, the most rewarding part was meeting the authors, listening to their readings/workshops/presentations, and supporting them by buying their books. It’s what I love about this wonderful blogging community, too. Connecting with bloggers by being drawn to their writing, then buying their novels. It’s magical! Congrats, Fran. I hope you sold lots of books.
Thanks, Gwen. My next appearance will be the local library for a book reading, official launch, sell books, get pictures taken – eeekkkk. I can hardly wait. This identifying as an author is like yummy candy. One more piece, pretty please. LOL.
Sounds great fun Francis – I don’t think I’d ever get tired of being known as a writer rather than an accountant 🙂 Love the riverside baths story.
Thanks, Roy. I’m with you on this point – I enjoy writer more than some of the other things I’ve been known as. I wish you could have heard the woman tell the riverside bath story in person – hilarious 🙂
Congratulations Francis!!! How awesome! I wish I had a community like this where I live….here I don’t even know my next door neighbor! 😦 ……I LOVE…love the way your books look on that table…it must be a wonderful feeling seeing your book like this….maybe someday I’ll have the courage to do print as well….I wish you the very best Francis…YOU ROCK!
Hi Rucy – thanks for dropping by. I downloaded your book yesterday and will start reading as soon as I finish off current book. I try to alternate – a print book and an e-book. I glanced at the first couple of pages and I will say, it was hard to stop reading. Yah – both of us – published authors.
🙂 Strangely Amazon decided to put it out in the market even though I hadn’t pressed publish! I had just saved it as a draft …but all’s good…sooner the better right?! yikes!!
Congratulation :))
Congratulations Francis! Another thing I like about your blog post is how observant you are — all the great anecdotes that could find their way into a story!
That’s so great to hear! Congratulations!
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