Rachel Simon's Blog

I have not meant to neglect my blog. For many months – since I last posted this winter – I have thought of it every day.

But I have been traveling hither and yon, first for the remainder of my book tour, then for myriad speaking engagements. Between Feb. 10 and May 25, I will have done forty events in twenty-one states. I have simply lacked the time to blog.

So here’s a lightning-quick summary of the second half of my book tour. In a week or so (I hope), I’ll do the same with the talks that have kept me away throughout the spring.

For now, though, cast your mind back to February. Two blogs ago, you read about my book tour adventures in Austin. (These included a phone interview with Gary Soulsman, a reporter at the News Journal back home in Delaware. You can read a pdf of his article by clicking on this link.)

Then, in the last blog, you learned soon after I arrived in Coral Gables, Florida, I discovered I’d left the power cord for my laptop in Austin. The hotel in Austin told me they’d Fed Ex the cord to my hotel in Atlanta. By the time it arrived, I’d already fallen behind in my blog.

I’m only catching up with it now.

My first event in Atlanta was at Eagle Eye Books in Decatur. The crowd was small so we sat in a circle. Although the woman beside me was sick, I did not catch her cold.

It was thrilling to see classmates from college! Todd Preuss teaches Anthopology, Christine Loflin English. Both are at Emory.

Stacy Simon is the sister of Beth Simon - not MY sister Beth, but someone who once lived down the street from us in NJ, and who shared the same name.

The crowd was full of old friends, new friends, and friends of friends. It was a lot of fun. I wish I had more photos of the evening.

I stayed that night – and the next – in Atlanta. (It was nice to settle into a hotel! Fortunately, it was a very comfortable, high-end hotel, so my accommodations were luxurious. Also fortunately, the power cord for my laptop arrived, just as promised.)

I’d thought I’d have time to rest, but as in the other cities, my media escort, Gail, took me around to other bookstores for stock signings. By this time, I was getting to be an expert in remembering everyone’s name, so I could send thank you notes later on. I’ve forgotten them all by now, but I had a nice list going while I was on the tour.

The next day actually began with a TV interview.

The next day began in an exciting way, when I was interviewed on Atlanta & Company, a popular TV show.

This is what it looked like in the TV studio. Like all TV studios, it was cold.

The producer was an aspiring novelist. We talked about writing after the show was over.

After some stock signings, my wonderful media escort, Gail, accompanied me on a walk in a park. Gail was warm and easygoing, and full of Southern hospitality. I just loved spending two days with her.

Gail was the perfect host. I loved every minute I spent with her, and now consider her a friend.

That night I spoke at Peerless Books. The crowd was intimate but very enthusiastic. It was a terrific evening.

Among the attendees were these ladies. I visited their book club via speaker phone last summer. They made sure to see me when I came to town.

This is Amie, an aspiring author, who blogged a glowing review of my book, and later interviewed me. We stay in touch via Twitter.

I was sad to wrap up in Atlanta. Both events were great fun, and I had such a wonderful time with Gail. But the show must go on.

So the next day, I was in the Atlanta airport by 6 AM. Of course I signed all the stock I could find in the airport – and hand-sold my book to several travelers who asked what I was doing. Everyone was so excited to meet a real author, and I was so excited to meet even more readers!

Then I flew to Charlotte, NC, arriving early in the day.

After lunch with my media escort, I went to downtown Charlotte and met with my friend Mary, whose daughter has disabilities.

Mary and I quickly caught each other up. We last visited in 2006 or so. We had a lot of ground to cover.

My event, at Park Road Books, was particularly thrilling because I knew everyone there. Many people were Twitter friends who came from far away.

Ann Fox teaches at Davidson, right down the road. I visited her class via Skype when they read The Story of Beautiful Girl.

Mary wasn't sure she'd be able to attend, but fortunately she was able to make it. I only wish I could have met her daughter, having heard so much about her for so many years.

These are the Twitter friends who came to see me. To my right is the Ashville contingent, organized by Barbie Angell. To my left are John and Kristin, both from the Raleigh area.

The next morning I was up early yet again, for an 8 AM flight to Providence, RI. I didn’t have any events in RI, but that was the closest airport to the two stores where I had events that day, both in CT. I was a little worried when my flight left Charlotte, since there was snow up in New England.

But my friend Donna, who lives in RI, offered to meet me at the airport and drive me to my first store. And as it turned out, the snow wasn’t bad. So we got in a nice long conversation as she shuttled me to Mystic, CT, for a luncheon event at Bank Square Books.

The store served a delicious vegetarian meal and we spoke informally while people ate. (I didn't eat, though. I need to speak on an empty stomach.)

I sat with Annie Philbrick, co-owner of Bank Square, and talked about my book.

The crowd lingered for a few wonderful hours. Among the attendees were friends from RI who were writers, professionals in the disability field, and special siblings.

My media escorts, an older married couple who cover the entire New England area, then drove me through the snowy back roads to Madison, CT, where I had an evening event at RJ Julia.

I was expecting to be tired by then, but I’d kept my diet to fruit and tea through the day. So by the time I got to Madison, I was feeling ready to face the next crowd.

I spoke to a packed house at RJ Julia. Due to the store's active outreach, most of the audience had read my book.

I didn't know anyone in the audience - but they all knew me. It was a wonderful way to end the main part of my book tour.

I spent that night in New Haven, CT, and the next morning I got in a nice long walk around the Yale campus before catching my train home.

I was exhausted when Hal met me at the train station in Wilmington, and would have been happy to have retreated into solitude for the rest of the winter.

But I still had two more book tour stops to go.

Four days later, I spoke at Theatre N in Wilmington, DE. The event was sponsored by the Delaware Humanities Forum, with books sold by Ninth Street Bookshop. Neighbors and friends attended, as did many readers I’d never met before. I don’t have photos of this evening, but it was very satisfying for all.

Three days after that, Hal and I drove to One More Page Books in Arlington, VA. There, before a full audience that included a friend from junior high, former students, and my workout partner from my twenties, I did a unique event: a double-bill with Jennifer Mendenhall, the narrator of the audio book of The Story of Beautiful Girl, which she recorded under her audio book stage name of Kate Reading. First, I discussed the book, and then Jennifer read from two sections. By the time she was done, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, including Hal’s and mine.

I spoke before the packed audience about how I came to write The Story of Beautiful Girl.

It was very powerful to listen to Jennifer Mendenhall read from The Story of Beautiful Girl.

When Jennifer finished, we both cried a little, then did Q&A.

But it wasn't all tears. We laughed, too.

Jennifer and me with the audio book and the paperback. She signed the former for me, I signed the latter for her.

Thanks to Terry, known as the Author Whisperer, and Eileen, owner of One More Page Books.

Hal and I drove home that night, tired but very happy. I had five more days with him and then I was back on the road, for talks in Ohio (twice), Indiana (twice), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Toronto, California, and Minnesota.

But I’ll all that for another time.

Tags: book tour, The Story of Beautiful Girl, writing, writing life

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 at 9:47 pm and is filed under Rachel's adventures on the road, The Story of Beautiful Girl, Writing and publishing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.