tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post1707522815392582008..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: The Worst Experience at a Book SigningDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65907222502542701922011-01-31T13:56:47.337-07:002011-01-31T13:56:47.337-07:00Great story, Gladys. I think we always have to loo...Great story, Gladys. I think we always have to look for some positive out of a very disappointing experience.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2933756198202462352011-01-28T09:52:31.821-07:002011-01-28T09:52:31.821-07:00A local signing I did was an utter disaster. It ca...A local signing I did was an utter disaster. It came on a Tuesday morning after a whole week of known-author signings and events (their stuff crowded the shop window - mine was in a small corner), the official publicity sheet had the wrong day and the wrong book title, my novels were not mentioned. It poured with rain and hardly anyone came to our small town, never mind into the small bookshop. To get the signing known, I had made colourful posters which were placed in a few shop windows or on their glass doors. People I knew saw me taking them round and wished me luck, some said they would get if they could. I did get a few bookmarks taken and sweets eaten, a couple chatted but I think they had come inside out of the rain. I kept a cheerful smile on my face but inside I felt utterly humiliated and depressed. I have suffered a lot of rejection in my lifetime, more serious than a mere disappointment but this seemed 'a straw' too many. Then something wonderful happened. I heard the shop door open and looked up. Someone dressed for the weather stood looking at me. Then in a gentle voice, he spoke my name. Daft I know, but I had a flash picture of the Garden of Gethsemane and sorrowing Mary hearing her name spoken! I suddenly realised, with joy and wonder, that this newcomer was a friend who had come many miles on a train just for my book signing. It was hard to hide my threatening tears. He, being an author himself, exchanged books with me! Then he came to our house and lunched with us.Gladys Hobsonhttp://http;//hobsonsbooks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-45389337029806110642011-01-27T21:28:53.739-07:002011-01-27T21:28:53.739-07:00Probably still beats the rainy day when I was sche...Probably still beats the rainy day when I was scheduled to do a library program and nobody braved the elements. <br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11154801736196877752011-01-27T21:06:21.247-07:002011-01-27T21:06:21.247-07:00Connie, that is so nice that you are doing music f...Connie, that is so nice that you are doing music for the folk at the nursing home. I know that music touches people deeply, young and old, and is very therapeutic.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63910120241968703642011-01-27T17:57:40.058-07:002011-01-27T17:57:40.058-07:00Sometimes you have to go with the flow!
Morgan Ma...Sometimes you have to go with the flow!<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://morganmandel.blogspot.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11290018215504316622011-01-27T15:37:59.087-07:002011-01-27T15:37:59.087-07:00You made a good impression on those folks, I'm...You made a good impression on those folks, I'm sure. It may not be the kind of impression you were intending to begin with, but you made it enjoyable for them! I've had a similar experience, and when I go there now to share poems from my books with them, I also play the piano and let them sing some!Connie Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06264510809220669622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61628791019437847562011-01-27T14:25:38.337-07:002011-01-27T14:25:38.337-07:00Thanks for the kind words, Helen, but I'm not ...Thanks for the kind words, Helen, but I'm not sure how wonderful I am. I was desperate and just punted. Plus, it helps that I do like to sing.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-74253532456495693112011-01-27T13:13:10.378-07:002011-01-27T13:13:10.378-07:00Lol, oh wow. That will make for a memorable exper...Lol, oh wow. That will make for a memorable experience! You handled it very well, it sounds like!!Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02026539637409766437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65393525228288767312011-01-27T11:35:30.590-07:002011-01-27T11:35:30.590-07:00Hilarious. I've had some bad booksignings, but...Hilarious. I've had some bad booksignings, but this one should get some sort of prize. You obviously handled it with grace and compassion.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32137920544362433422011-01-27T10:13:28.926-07:002011-01-27T10:13:28.926-07:00My immediate response was to chuckle and think, Ma...My immediate response was to chuckle and think, Maryann, you are a beautiful person. It was wonderful that you did the singalong. You probably made their day. (And you learned something in the process - avoid signings at nursing home and learn some "old" songs.)Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47216391100067235362011-01-27T09:02:10.564-07:002011-01-27T09:02:10.564-07:00Glad you all enjoyed the story. Kathryn, I had not...Glad you all enjoyed the story. Kathryn, I had not heard that old saying before, but I like it. So true.<br /><br />Dani,I'm signing. Do you hear me?Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44394977531982528852011-01-27T08:44:07.149-07:002011-01-27T08:44:07.149-07:00I almost fell out of my chair laughing. It's t...I almost fell out of my chair laughing. It's true, Maryann, today You Are Our Sunshine. Okay, everybody! Sing it loud on the count of three... one, two, three!<br /><br />LOL.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11557932756593715862011-01-27T08:42:26.419-07:002011-01-27T08:42:26.419-07:00Good for you to go with the flow! And get a nice s...Good for you to go with the flow! And get a nice story and some atmosphere for a later one...Jan Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771180344305042855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66934506957535117842011-01-27T08:03:01.107-07:002011-01-27T08:03:01.107-07:00This reminds me of a saying I once heard: "If...This reminds me of a saying I once heard: "If you go away and everything goes right you have a vacation. If everything goes wrong, you have a story"! And this is a great one, Maryann!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-60453365048277998852011-01-27T07:44:44.870-07:002011-01-27T07:44:44.870-07:00Wow, that was a wingdinger. I gave a class at a se...Wow, that was a wingdinger. I gave a class at a senior center's writing group once and they really didn't want to learn anything or buy books--they just liked to share their own writing with one another. Not knocking seniors since I'm one too.<br /><br />MarilynMarilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04179984154939161530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90389701209844240962011-01-27T07:32:42.070-07:002011-01-27T07:32:42.070-07:00That's a great story and well told! Expect th...That's a great story and well told! Expect the unexpected, haha!Amy Saiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00346366018143891761noreply@blogger.com