SMILE OVERLOAD
Denise's husband owns Windows, Doors and More in Ft Wayne. He rented some spaces at the Ft Wayne Home Show this past weekend and had a spot he offered to us to get out there and promote our books. Great idea, passing out bookmarks, greeting people, showing off our books, generating name recognition to the 32,000 or so who were going to flow through the Coliseum. One thing we didn't count on. Sixteen hours of being "on."
Is my smile cracking? What is there about being "ON" that's so exhausting? I'm outgoing. I like people. I love to talk writing and books. But I hadn't realized quite how hard it was going to be to smile for that many hours. By the end of the day on Saturday we all felt like we were in some kind of nightmare where we would be forced to smile for all eternity. I could feel the wrinkles affixing themselves permanently around my mouth--not the kind of thing a woman my age is eager to see happen. I was so tired I felt like I was in some kind of fog.
One thing really surprised us all--SO MANY people were readers of Christian fiction. They told us they didn't want all that smut. I have to admit I wondered if people would walk away when they discovered what kinds of books we wrote, but it just didn't happen. People were thrilled to take our bookmarks, look over our books, talk to us, tell us the other writers they liked. That made up for the pain smiling caused after about eight hours. LOL
The smiling marathon gave me a new appreciation for my friends at Thomas Nelson who go out every day to sell my books. You're my heroes. I bow at your feet. And if my face is cracked and haggard the next time you see me, you'll know the reason. I'm trying to help all I can, even if it means more wrinkles.
Will we do it again? Ask me next week when the pain fades. LOL
4 Comments:
Awww, but what cute wrinkles those would be! Great idea and awesome promotion "outside the box."
This reminds me of the ending to Toy Story 2. At the end the Barbie doll is on camera smiling really big saying "Okay, bye bye...bye bye, now...bye bye...Are they gone yet, oh my gosh, my cheeks are killing me."
LOL.
Anyway, you girls look great. Glad you had such a nice response.
Hi Colleen! Just won your book Alaska Twilight over at Pamela James' site. Sure makes me, uh, smile :-)
Ah, I'm very sad. Ft. Wayne, as in Ft. Wayne, Indiana? I'm a mere hour away. I could have brought my collection for you ladies to sign! :*(
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