Incredible Signing!!! And a giveaway!! (My Town Monday: The Yellow Book Road, La Mesa, CA)

Yesterday afternoon was an INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE HEART-STOPPING signing event at the Yellow Book Road, San Diego's largest independent children's bookstore. Seriously, it's THE place to shop. The people who work there know EVERYTHING about kid lit.

Here are some photos of the event. They were taken by various people who picked up my camera and clicked away. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for a link to Vodka Mom's blog and a great giveaway.

There were A LOT of people. As in over one hundred! A huge thank-you to all these folks who came out during a busy season.

This is me and Detective Sergeant Joe Bulkowski of the San Diego PD. Joe's my go-to guy when I have questions for the books about police procedure and evidence and crime. I talk about some of the stuff I've asked him and how that's shown up in i so don't do mysteries, i so don't do spooky and i so don't do makeup. This detective has actually won an award for catching so many San Diego crooks via fingerprints. He talks about one of the cases, does a fingerprinting demonstration and then fingerprints kids for free. It's a pretty fun presentation. Joe and I have known each other for forever and we can really kibbitz around. Although I'm funnier than he is. Oh, hi Joe!

My good friends, the Eileens, setting up the food table. These women are THE best with the best name. My mother was also named Eileen. And my daughter's middle name is Eileen. Pretty much, I've never met an Eileen I didn't love!

The cupcake cake! Ta da! Thank you, Judie McElroy. Cute AND scrumptious.

The fam! Except for Child #1 who was home with a yucky fever :(

Last but not least, a shout-out to Sydney from Encinitas. She's a very bright, articulate, interesting 8th grader I met at a Barnes & Noble signing last year. I was THRILLED that she talked her dad into driving all the way to this event. Watch out for this kid. She's going FAR!

What can I say about Vodka Mom? She's hilarious. She has a huge heart. She's a teacher. A mom. A blogger. And she has a couple of i so don't do spooky giveaways--a book and a t-shirt! You'll love her. You can find her and details on the giveaways right here.

And click here to see what the other My Town Monday folks are posting about.

My Town Monday: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

And here we are again--another My Town Monday post!

We're back in Hollywood. Fair warning--I crammed so much into my recent weekend away in LA/Hollywood/Beverly Hills that I could write SEVERAL My Town Monday posts on this area!

Today, we're at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (circa 1927) where I dragged Famous Author and Newbery Winner Susan Patron and Mary Hayward, Employee Extraordinaire of the Yellow Book Road (the children's indie bookstore near me in San Diego).

Susan and Mary were uber helpful and patient as we poked around the hotel, doing research for Sherry's fourth adventure, I So Don't Do Famous. I can be quite embarrassing and relentless with my camera (after all, I'll need all sorts of details for the book and have a memory like a sieve), but they were good-natured and helpful about it. We had A LOT of fun.

me, Mary Hayward, Susan Patron (The Higher Power of Lucky, Lucky Breaks and other wonderful books)

In this photo, we're lunching at 25 Degrees (a 24/7 restaurant at the Roosevelt). Here's the description from the hotel website: "....whose name refers to the temperature difference between a medium rare and well-done burger, has a playful 'Bordello meets Burger Bar attitude..."

Is the Roosevelt haunted?

Apparently so. Marilyn Monroe's spirit lives in a mirror there, and she occasionally dances in the ballroom. Montgomery Clift plays his bugle on the 8th floor. Also, there are a couple of room with ghosts.

Guess what the staff at the front desk did?

THEY DIMMED THE LOBBY LIGHTS AND TOLD US HOTEL GHOST STORIES! It was wild!

Will the Hollywood Roosevelt be featured in I So Don't Do Famous?

Oh, I think so.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

Please check back Wednesday when I'll be hosting The Book Review Club. We have some great reads lined up!

Sources:
http://www.hollywoodroosevelt.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Hotel_(Hollywood)

SUSAN PATRON NEWS!

SUSAN PATRON

YELLOW BOOK ROAD BOOKSTORE

(7200 Parkway Drive, La Mesa CA) 

SATURDAY MARCH 28 @ 11:00 - 12:30

MEET AND GREET THE AUTHOR

AND POWER POINT PRESENTATION

                                   Author Susan Patron, winner of the John Newbery Medal 

                                   (She is not blurry in person!)

 Come and meet my new BFF, Susan Patron. I'll be there too. Seriously, if you're going, email me or phone me or something, so we can meet up. It'll be fun! You can find out the connection between Susan Patron and a pink dog, sea urchins and Charlotte's Web.

I know it's last minute, but how often do you (and your kids) get the chance to rub shoulders with a Newbery winner? And because I actually did rub shoulders with her yesterday, tomorrow I'm rubbing her head. She's very nice; I don't think she'll mind.

                                             Ooooh. We can meet by this very wall!

Susan Patron

Susan Patron, Author Extraordinaire and Winner of the Newbery Medal!

Yesterday I made a new BFF.

She may not have realized it, but I emailed her the url for this post, so she'll know soon enough.

My new BFF is SUSAN PATRON. She is the author of The Higher Power of Lucky which won the John Newbery Medal in 2007. The sequel, Lucky Breaks, was released recently. Susan is writing the third book in this middle-grade trilogy. If you haven't yet read The Higher Power of Lucky, you truly should; it'll be one of your best reads this year.

I went to the Yellow Book Road (San Diego's indie children's book store) to loan Susan my projector for her powerpoint. Really I went to hang out with her and chat and fawn and follow her around and listen to her presentation. The projector was a great excuse.

Here are some reasons why you, too, would like to have Susan Patron as your new BFF:
-She is a very interesting speaker. I learned enough about her to want to learn more.
-She is gracious and thoughtful and respectful.
-Children love her.
-She is incredibly creative.
-She has an excellent sense of humor. Excellent.
-She has a dog that turns pink. She does not eat sea urchins. Charlotte's Web convinced her to become a writer. I'd like to say this is insider BFF info, but actually you could learn all about these details if you get a chance to hear her speak.

So, Susan Patron, I absolutely loved meeting you. I think we should plan a slumber party soon. We'll stay up all night eating junk food, doing each other's makeup and watching DVDs.

Me and Susan Patron. I do not know why I forget to push up my glasses. Bottom line is I need new frames. Cuter frames. With staying power.


Mary Hayward, co-owner of the Yellow Book Road bookstore and Susan Patron, Wonderful Author and Newbery Winner

Mary is also my BFF. Right, Mary?!

The following is fairly off topic, BUT I keep forgetting to take care of it. So.... a huge thank-you to Mary Hayward and Kristin Baranski (co-owners of the Yellow Book Road) who have highlighted I So Don't Do Mysteries on their store's website. Right here.

Goose Flesh

It's a Canada Goose. There's a connection. Wait and see. ;)

goose flesh: a rough condition of the skin, resembling that of a plucked , induced by cold or fear; horripilation. Also called goose pimples, goose bumps, goose skin.
(from The Random House Dictionary (of course!))

Today I went to The Yellow Book Road, my delightful local independent children's bookstore. Every single time I visit The Yellow Book Road, I leave something behind. I'm not talking a child or anything major like that But, still, it's always something important enough to warrant a return trip. Today was no exception.

So, I drop off Child #3 at swim team, then swing back onto Interstate 8. When I get to The Yellow Book Road, Mary, Co-Owner Extraordinaire, says, "There's someone who's been waiting to meet you."

And this mystery person was:
-another Canadian from Toronto
-who just published her first book (hers was Nov; mine was Dec)
-who also has pre-green card stories
-who has a child the same age as Child #1
-who lives about six miles from me

It was...
MARLENE WAGMAN-GELLER,
AUTHOR OF ONCE AGAIN TO ZELDA


And, yes, we're hooking up for dinner soon. And I'm buying her book tomorrow.

I stayed at The Yellow Book Road where Marlene and I REMINISCED (even though we'd never met before!) Finally, Mary, Co-Owner Extraordinaire, says," Barrie, when do you have to pick up Child #3 from swim?" See, that girl's got my back!

Did the connection work? Meeting each other gave Marlene and me GOOSEbumps. Hence, Canada GEESE. Fine. I know it was a bit of a stretch (like a gooseneck lamp)!

Marlene Wagman-Geller and me (a couple of spring geese! Okay. I'm stopping with the bad puns. Enough with the groans!)

Thank you to everyone who visited yesterday's Book Roast. I quite enjoyed myself.

A reminder: Until midnight, Pacific time, Sunday, Jan. 18, you can comment here to win a signed copy of WHAT WOULD EMMA DO? by Eileen Cook or here to win a signed copy of I SO DON'T DO MYSTERIES.

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.

The First-Ever Book Signing

Thank you so much for all the support! It's been very amazing and wonderful. xo

Last night's book signing went very well. I actually had lots of fun. Who would've thought I'd enjoy chatting with strangers about kidlit? And then signing my book for them?!!

There's a little more detail at the Class of 2k8's blog. Plus a picture of an unexpected mystery guest.

Barrie and fellow blogger San Diego Momma who is incredibly cool!

Guess who else showed up? Blogger San Diego Momma. She is cute, fun, interesting. And she has a really nice dh and adorable kids. And she has a tres fancy camera. In short, San Diego Momma has it all! I even forgive her for looking so much better than me in the photo. Oh, and, thank you to Vodka Mom for introducing us in the blogosphere.

Okay. I'm getting a little sick of talking about myself, so I'll only share a couple more things. I teared up in my local Barnes & Noble today when they told me they had to order a bunch more I So Don't Do Mysteries. I cried when Bookseller Sue Ellen told me she was handselling the book because she'd read it and it was fantastic.

All that crying; Child #2 was fit to be tied. Can I just point out I generally don't cry so it was fairly new territory for him.

I'm wisening up, though. When Mary from The Yellow Book Road mentioned on the phone that they'd done a really nice display with I So Don't Do Mysteries and did I want to come in and see it, I replied:

I'd love to, but I just redid my mascara.

Heartfelt Thank-Yous and Book Launch/Signing

A huge huge thank-you to Virginia of The Virginia Monologues. Virginia sent me a copy of her blog's template. Without that, I would never ever have figured out why the buttons and post titles weren't working on my blog. Seriously, you should've seen me comparing the html, line by line. I'm a closet engineer!

A shout-out also to PJ Hoover, author of The Emerald Tablet and fellow 2k8 classmate. PJ felt the panic through my email and checked out the blog html. It's so great having a techie you can count on!

I'm completely happy with the blog. Just love the design. Goofy Girl did an amazing job. And now that the buttons are working, I could hang out here all day long. But, uh, no, I can't. Life won't let me.

December brings an event that will be fun and nerve-racking all at the same time. Oh yeah, and there's Christmas too.

Here's the invitation to my real-life signing/launch party. Wow. This means it's really happening. As in, be there or be square. As in, I'll be doing a reading. Yikes. I guess it's totally cheating if I have Child #4 read for me? She is good, though. And she has shoes for it.

This is the front of the postcard. If you think it looks exactly like the front cover of I So Don't Do Mysteries.....you're absolutely right. Love that cover.

Here's the back of the post card. It's actually very clear in real life.

Of course, you're all cordially invited. It's at The Yellow Book Road, San Diego's indie children's bookstore. We're having an Open House, Sat., Dec. 20, 3-6pm. With wine, cheese & crackers, kid snacks and door prizes.

We could definitely have some blogger fun, couldn't we?