An INCREDIBLE book launch!

On Saturday, I had the MOST INCREDIBLE EVER book launch at The Yellow Book Road.

At home, before the launch, I was pretty much freaking out and worrying and giving my family fits. What if no one shows up? What if I forget how to spell my name? Why did I ever agree to do a presentation?

Anyway, my family totally put up with my neurotic behavior. Even my poor in-laws who came here from Oklahoma to enjoy a peaceful (?Say what? In my house where we don't even know the meaning of the word peaceful??) Christmas with the grandkids. So, to keep me quiet and out of a straitjacket, they all covered Hershey miniature chocolates with little sleeves of the book cover, stuffed disposable coffee cups with candy, said chocolates, cute I So Don't Do Mysteries pencils, notebooks, rhino tattoos and I So Don't Do Mysteries tattoos.

Child #4 and her streaky blue hair

Child #4 and I escaped to see Jamie the Wonderful Hairdresser who pinned teal streaks (yes, to match the cover!) in our hair. We picked up the cupcake cake on the way home. By this point, I was hyped beyond belief and talking three million miles a minute. I may have frightened the cake lady.

THE cupcake cake!

Then, it was off to The Yellow Book Road where my very amazing friends Eileen B-R, Eileen C and Vicki S set up the food table with cheese and crackers (Eileen B-R created extraordinary cheese trays), raw veggies and dip, m&ms, Chex Mix, water bottles, the cake and wine.

Mary and Kristin and Anne of The Yellow Book Road were remarkably calm and professional and did not even come close to slapping me around even though they probably wanted to see if that would snap me out of my hyperness.

DH set up the screen, projector and computer for the powerpoint while I tried, in vain, to convince The Yellow Book Road personnel that there was no real need for me to do the powerpoint. They good-naturedly ignored me and rolled book cases out of the way to make room for a signing table. And then they set up the raffle table.

And then the guests arrived. And more arrived. And they kept on arriving.

And they bought books. And more books. And more books. Until The Yellow Book Road ran out of books. And DH brought in some of my author copies from the car for the store to sell. And those sold out. So, DH raced home and got the rest of the author copies.

The signing line went right to the door.

Here are some people waiting to have their books signed. I signed way way over 100 books!

And people hung around and chatted and ate and drank and got to know each other.

It was truly an EVENT.

Me in the middle of the powerpoint presentation. It's not the most flattering photo, but I'm giving it to you anyway!

The powerpoint went very well. Although I did cry a little. Mary and Kristin said I did an awesome job, one of the best author presentations they'd even seen. Which I'm sure is an exaggeration, but does mean I didn't fall flat on my face. So, yay.

Now I feel like Sherry is well and truly launched. Thank you to everyone who helped. Thank you to everyone who came. Thank you one and all.

before and after









Sigh. And now I can put up my feet and relax. Oh no, I can't. Because it's CHRISTMAS and I have bought a total of THREE gifts. You might remember that I have FOUR children. So....if you see a blur with teal streaks fast-forwarding through the stores at the mall, it's just me in a holiday panic.