NEITHER RAIN, SLEET OR SNOW

  

I am quickly learning that the term, “struggling writer” means more about what happens when an author has published a book than before.  Promoting is a challenge.  Published authors are like mailmen/women—we hawk our books in the rain, sleet, snow, dead of night and heat of day.

This weekend my friend, Big Foot Pam, and I went to The Not So Square Arts Festival in Mt Vernon, Mo.  to promote and sell my book, Soldiers From the Mist, and Pam’s book, The Redneck Goddess.  This little adventure taught me two things:  

One:  Pay attention to your instincts.   (Both my gut and Pam’s told us the weather wouldn’t cooperate and we should stay home)

Two:  Pay attention to number ONE.

Saturday morning I got up at the ungodly hour of 5:00 to get ready to meet Big Foot Pam at 6:30.  Getting up that early on the weekend  is against my religion, but I was going to sell all my books so missing a few hours of sleep would be worth it.  Right?

Mt Vernon is a cute little town. Their big stone courthouse stands in the middle of the square and a stature of Lady Justice watched vendors and artists set up for the day.  Pam and I were sharing a table that thankfully she brought as there were none supplied.  The space we are assigned was about the size of a shoe box. Authors love to talk and are a friendly bunch which is a good thing because we were practically sitting in each other laps.  We were under an awning however which was a good thing because it when the rain hit we were more protected than others.  Thunder rumbled, clouds swirled, a cool breeze whipped around the square.  I laughed and told Pam that we were probably under a tornado warning. 

But hope sprang eternal.

All of us huddled together and assured ourselves that the storm would blow over, the sun would shine and people would come.  

At noon, the sun was still MIA.  Pam and I were wet and cold.  No people.  No sales.

We came home.

                                              BUT . . .

I had fun. 

Big Foot Pam is witty and funny.  Or fellow authors were friendly and entertaining.    

I am a writer.  A published author. 

One day promoting my book is better than a hundred days sitting at home watching TV.  

Even if it means standing in the rain.