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So many words!

It is 12:30 AM and I am still so wired I can't sleep. The book release party was a-MAZE-ing.  Where do I begin?

Me...in book signing mode!
First of all, Roger and my best friend Jamie conspired to surprise me and they succeeded!  Jamie is my oldest and one of my dearest friends.  She also happens to be the photographer who took the cover photo for Four Seasons for Charlotte.  When I told her about the date for the book release party, I realized that she probably wouldn't be able to attend.  She does, after all, live in Florida. For the last few weeks, she has been sending me messages of congratulations, telling me how sorry she was that she couldn't make it.  I promised to send her one of the first copies.  What I didn't know was that she was working with Roger to visit this weekend.  She showed up at the book signing and totally made my day.  Getting to spend the last few hours just chatting with an old friend: Priceless.  I swear, we don't see each other often these days and even the telephone calls are few and far between. But we always just pick up where we last left off.  Good stuff.

The event itself came off without a hitch. This is due in large part to my mother and Carolyn Peart, the consummate co-chairs of festivity.  These ladies organized the menu of fabulous food, my mother cooked and prepared it all, and they set a lovely table with real plates, glasses, and napkins (no disposable stuff here...) and oodles of yummy-ness.  

We had other volunteers who stepped in. Many of our CJSTUF board members lent a hand wherever needed, including pouring wine for guests, collecting money for books, helping with setup and cleanup, and just offering a smile when I needed it most.  Thank you!

Another thank you is due to Hugh Joyce, owner of Gallery Flux.  He was so generous with his space. It was the perfect venue for the evening.  If you didn't get a chance to check out the interesting metalwork on display in the gallery right now, take a trek to the Center of the Universe and take a peek.  

Finally, I am just so grateful to everyone who came to see me tonight.  It was wonderful to see friends  from my connections with work, Romp n' Roll, Randolph-Macon, CJSTUF, neighbors, family, and more.  This book is about more than just our story; it's about the community that supported us in our time of need.  I saw further evidence of that community tonight. 

We sold so many books! We actually ordered 100 for this book signing and I think we came home with less than 15 (and some of those are already spoken for from earlier orders).  A few people even texted or messaged me today, telling me that they had already finished the book! 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

You can still get copies.  Order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CJSTUF, or your favorite independent bookseller.  Stay tuned to my calendar because we are adding signings and speaking engagements every week.  Also, don't forget to write a review at your favorite site (Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, etc.) to help us share the book with the rest of the world.  

You can also WIN copies of the book in two contests currently going on via the Internet.  Alex Iwashyna is giving away a copy of the book on her review site, Makes Fun of Stuff, until May 23rd.   I am also running my own giveaway on my Facebook fan page until June 1st.
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