Dear Mom,
Yes, socializing
is exhausting. Do you feel that way? As an
introvert, it wipes me out. I had
three days in a row of it… Saturday and Sunday, I helped my daughter Rita with
her two
craft fairs. Yesterday (Monday) was the event Rita created for me to do
a reading of my story, Mistletoe, published in
Fifty Shades of Santa, by Welkin Press.
Fifty Shades of Santa is 12 (Nice, Not Naughty) Humorous Holiday
Romances.
I worked through my nerves all day long… researched
mistletoe, bagged the prizes for the drawing, tried on what I was going to
wear. Had I filled my mouth with any more of
Sioux’s fudge, my pants may have split… I
practiced reading. I made numbers for the drawing, and a sign-in sheet. I piddled around all day getting prepared for the event.
Then the time arrived for me to leave. I couldn’t find my
phone before I went down to hubby’s work to get the sign he made for me. He had
been waiting… what can I say? However, I did give up looking or he might still
be waiting. I stopped for gas and when I got back in my car, I could hear my phone
vibrating. It was in my purse. Nerves will do that, right? Hubby was calling to
see if he could hear it in the house some where.
Rita and Terry (her beau) met me a
The Gelateria to set up
for the event.
All set and ready to go
Ho Ho Ho!
We’re a pair, aren’t we?
Rita and Lynn
Then people started trickling in… Kristine and her mom,
Karen. My sister, Sue. My WWWP gals,
Sioux and
Tammy. Sioux drove some other
writing friends, who are also published in
Fifty
Shades of Santa…
Donna Volkennannt and Marcia Gaye. Marcia’s husband, Jim
came along too! Other friends of Rita’s, John and Krista joined us. The gelato
maker, Carrie stepped on in. My other sister, Ruth and her hubby, Bud and son,
Josh arrived. It was past the starting time, and I wasn’t sure if anyone else
was going to make it. My BFF, Susan said she was coming, but you never know
about these things, so I got the show on the road… err… the stool and began to
read.
To the left where that door opening is,
there's a little cubby hole, Bud and Josh were in there!
That's my favorite spot to sit and write at The Gelateria.
Nearly half way, three more of Rita’s friends popped in,
Bryan, Kristin, and another young lady, but I didn’t get her name. If you read this, tell me who you are!
I finished reading without my tongue getting too twisted. Yes, a success. And I’m so grateful to all who ventured out as I
know it’s a pretty good trek for some. Let me say, I really appreciated it from the bottom of my heart. You
made me feel comfortable and I hope you all had a jolly good time… that was my
intent… fun and silliness... and let's not forget the love... or the chocolate. Rita made the container holding the chocolate that looks like Santa’s sack.
Terry and the Santa Sack
I had to get some pics with the other authors from Fifty Shades of Santa.
Donna Volkenannt (left), me, Marcia Gaye (right)
Here we are, just the three of us (pretend you're singing that one song),
but here we are with the sign.
If it weren't for my WWWP peeps, chances are my story might not have made it... those gals are wonderful.
Tammy (left), me, Sioux (right)
Missing in action are Linda and Beth.
After it was over, I hung out with Rita, Terry, John and
Krista to settle myself down. Gelato will do that, don’t you know?
John, Krista, Terry chilling
Rita chilling
When I was in my car on my way home, I checked my phone and
had a voice mail from my BFF. "Hey Lynn, it's Susan. Give me a call." It was late and I
didn’t want to wake her. By the sound of her voice, I didn't think anything was wrong, so I chalked it up that she’s
like me and just plum forgot.
I called her this morning and found out that she was on her way to the reading with her mom
Elsie, her aunt Audi and her other BFF Cindy
when they were rear-ended. Smacked hard! Eye glasses, soda, hair barrettes flew
through the air. Elsie felt the worst of the impact. Paramedics were called and they
checked her over. Having a pace-maker raised
concern. She refused to go to the hospital. Susan took her home and called her sister, Katie who’s a nurse and she
came over and took care of everything.
Nothing serious, thank God. The paramedics made Elsie
promise she’d see a doctor today and she plans on going. I sure hope
everything is fine.
And Yes again,
I’m incredibly grateful the accident wasn’t any more serious. They were all sad
they missed it, so I promised them a private reading of their own!
P.S. A special thank you to Chris, the owner of The Gelateria!
And those who worked that evening… a big thank you.
And now for some more pictures…
Santa's little helper, Rita
They look like they're having fun.
In the hand of Kristin is a little hand-made by me ornament,
something all attendees received. Purchase a copy of Fifty Shades of Santa
and I'll send you one... while they last.
