What a trip. Literally. I flew the Friendly Skies into Chi-Town on Thursday afternoon. O’Hare is a pretty nice airport, with trippy neon lights and synchronized music. BIG airport. Friday did a little looking around, brainstorming all the while with my publisher, Karen Syed, who graciously (not sure that’s exactly the right word) chauffeured me around the Windy City with the help of her trusty GPS device. The less said about the Garmin the better.
Friday night we joined fellow Echelon authors Beth Solheim, Mary Welk and Luisa Buehler for dinner, then grabbed LJ Sellers from O’Hare. Weather, to this point, was hot-hot and muggy. But Saturday morning dawned cloudy and cool. We kept one eye on the sky while organizing our ½ booth, staying optimistic as we squeezed into space meant for half as many people. Our tent-mates, “Drawn and Quarterly”, were actually quite accommodating when Karen suggested we cut the booth in half rather than diagonally.
Nick Valentino, Norm Cowie, Karen Syed
I was thrilled with the pre-release copies of CAPE SEDUCTION that arrived in time to show off to book-buying Chicagoans. Best sale of the day: to an excited reader with LIGHTHOUSE EARRINGS! No brainer, that one! The interest, not the reader, LOL.
However, even the nicest books look a little dowdy when subjected to rainfall. By midday, the temp had dropped and so had the wet stuff from the sky, as our authors scrambled to cover everything with tarps and plastic drop cloths. Most of us had dressed for heat and humidity but not chilly rain. Sales dropped off when the umbrellas came out. We packed up a half hour early while it poured, then walked the block and a half to a wonderful Italian restaurant (Trattoria Caterina) for dinner where talk ranged from new manuscripts and industry news to the wine Norm brought to share…
Sam Morton and Yours Truly
Sunday was better, traffic was higher and sales were up. But by 4 pm, the rain returned, and because it was later in the day, most people just left and vendors began to break down early. The band was still playing across the way, so most of us danced—we were a happy sight to see! Around this time I joined Nick Valentino at the Old Towne Books & Tea table to sign books and chat with readers. Friendly booksellers from Oswego, IL!
Despite the weather and the cramped conditions, we did all right. Could’ve done much better, I think, with more space and less wet. Karen Syed has described the situation with the space in her blog at Echelon Press, and you can read my take on it there as well.
For me, one of the highlights is meeting and interacting with the other authors. Old friends Sam Morton, Luisa Buehler, Bob Goldsborough, Marc & son Jim Vun Kannon; new pals Nick & Stacey Valentino, Joel & Cydney Fox (Cydney could sell potatoes to Irishmen!), Beth Solheim, LJ Sellers, Kieryn Nicholas and her fab family, and funny guy Norm Cowie were all a delight to meet. And spending time with Karen is always, ALWAYS a lark.
Will I go back? Right now, I say probably not, but you never know!
Chicago is one of my favorite cities! My husband I go up there every August for a business conference. Last August, I did visit Printer’s Row, without any of the hoopla. I spent alot of time in their bookstore there (name escapes me but is the only one there). Sandmeyer’s? Sorry to hear about the weather.
Got your e-mail! I just got a nice big chunky Amazon gift certificate from my parents for my birthday, which means I’m free to go wild with the Kindle. I shall be ordering soon!!!!