I know what you're thinking. What kind of author am I if I don't even have a card to give someone?
"I'm so sorry I don't have a free ebook coupon card to give you," I said, mentally kicking myself. "I forgot to pack them in my purse. But I might have something..."
I dug around in my purse and gave her a slightly worn bookmark (with out of date book covers). She took it as though I'd offered her gold. I didn't realize that for her it was gold. She was a book club member and needed some new book suggestions. Now she had some.
"This Divine Intervention looks really good," she told me. "What's it about?"
"It's about a covert team of psychic agents searching for a deadly serial arsonist in BC."
You had me at 'covert'," she said with a laugh.
We chatted for a while and I learned a lot about this woman in a very short time. She was an older lady living on her own, with only the residents of a very small town to chat with. To her, I was a bit of excitement on what would normally be an average day.
"My book club would love to meet you. Do you think you'll be back here again any time soon?" she asked.
"To be honest, I'm not planning on another trip here for a while," I said.
The light in her eyes dimmed for a second.
"But," I told her with a smile, "I'd be happy to do a Skype visit with you and your book club."
"Really? You'd do that?" She couldn't sit still, she was so excited.
"I'd be happy to," I said. "Just give me enough warning so I can make sure my hair and makeup are done." I grinned at her.
"You look pretty as you are," she said.
I think I blushed. "Thank you. That's sweet of you to say."
Suddenly, I had an idea. I didn't have a coupon card to give her a free ebook, but I had something even better.
"Hold on a minute," I said. "I'll be right back."
I had a box in the back of my car. I plucked something out of it and ran back inside the restaurant. I handed her a copy of Divine Intervention. "I call this my Random Act of Divineness."
She was overwhelmed. "Will you autograph it for me?"
"Of course," I said. Then my smile faltered.
"I know what you're thinking," she said.
Surprised, I said, "And what is that?"
"You forgot to pack a pen too, didn't you?"
I know what you're thinking? How can an author not have a pen?
I nodded, redfaced.
"Do you have a pen we can borrow," the woman said to the couple at the next table. "This here lady is an author."
"Do you have a business card or something?" the second woman asked me.
~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif
I invite you to check out my novels.
17 comments:
That was a delightful story. I quite literally laughed out loud.
Thank you for sharing that, it made my morning that much better.
I never have a pen on me either. I keep putting one in my purse every week it seems but they disappear into space.
Thank you both. I'm glad you enjoyed my post.
Dairenna, I think the purse gremlins steal them. And all the other things we could swear were in our purse and then mysteriously disappear. ;-)
What a funny story! This made me smile, and I thank you for that.
Best-
Hi Bryce, thanks so much for stopping by. I'm always happy to make someone smile. :-) I hope you drop by again.
Cheryl
LOL!!!!
My son just put together a book box for me - 25 copies of Under A Texas Star, a stack of UATS/Rowena postcards, a handful of Crime Writers of Canada bookmarks and 4 pens.
Alison
What--only 4 pens??? hehe
Good luck in keeping them. :-)
Great read Cheryl, gave me some ideas for my blog once the new website is completed. Yesterday I visited Smashwords, picked up a few of your ebooks. Now I need to figure out how to download them onto my Nook. I applaud your success over the years. You set a classy example for writers every where. My 4 novel "White Nigger"- a tale of bigots & bullies came out late April. I have been fighting a bout of pressure ulcers for a year, the result of setting at the computer too much. Thanks for brightening my day.
Beverly J Scott
Hi Beverly, thanks so much for stopping by my site. I think we have both come a long way since those first years. :-) I wish you HUGE success with your new book. I remember when you first started talking about it.
And thanks so much for your interest in my books. I don't have a Nook, but I've been told you can somehow upload/transfer the Smashwords file. Also, my ebooks are available on B&N.
Hugs to you!! Cheryl
Sounds like one of my 'Lucy' days!
Cheryl
Ha-ha-ha, Cher! When I owned my own newspaper (highly political) and went to fund-raising dinners (free press passes, of course), if one of the staff photographers wasn't available, I had to do it all! Which means, after and during dinner I had to table-hop to get pics of the biggies & their table companions.
Naturally, in addition to a few "words" I had to take some photos. One time it was actor George Peppard; another time Corinne Calvert (both guests of the late great Ca. Senator Al Alquist! (examples)
Anyway, as you might know, I had to not only have pen and paper on hand, I also had to take spare camera batteries (no digitals, no chargers in those days)LOL... And just like you in the above enjoyable story, I would always be out of one of those items...most often the pen... What a klutz!
I have a book-signing coming up in two weeks in Modesto and I already have some great cards printed and a few boxes of books. Now if I don't forget something, I'll be homefree...
I am so glad you found that print copy of Divine Justice. I'm sure your FAN will enjoy it. I already read and reviewed the first one, just bought the sequel and it's coming up in my queue.
Best of luck with your SKYPE chat.
Congrats on all your successes. I am loving your PR notices on your new publishing company. IMAJIN rocks and so do you.
Hugs - Betty
Aw, Betty, you're awesome! :-) You always make me smile and feel like I can accomplish anything. I hope you enjoy Divine Justice as much as you liked Divine Intervention.
Now where did I put that pen...
I never have a pen, either. It is so embarrassing. I was even known to bum pens when I was covering events as a journalist.
I think it is a writer thing. I remember after one Writers Guild of Alberta conference, I offered the suggestion they include pens in the conference packages they hand out during registration. Guess what was in the little bag at the next conference? Pens! ha ha!
I keep forgetting I don't have one when asked and say Oh, yes, I've got one!
My husband who worked many years as a salesman of various things, most recently real estate and real estate manager, comes home with different pens all the time. He automatically picks one up to write something at one place then takes it with him, leaves it at the next place and comes away with one of their's, over and over, not even aware that he's doing it. Consequently a lot of businesses are probably wondering why they have their competition's pen! ;<D
A-ha! So that's where all my pens are going! ;-)
LOVE THIS!!! It's perfect! When I'm trying to clean up, or my version of it, I find a million pens that I have no place for... yet, an hour later my husband, son or sadly myself will be walking around confused saying "where's a pen!!?? I need a pen!!" I'm pretty sure they do get up and walk away and hide laughing as they watch us scramble! ;)
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