Yes, Yes, Yes! I'm Pretty Sure... Success!

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.