by Janis Patterson

Last year three writer friends and I wrote an anthology called THE JULY FOURTH MURDERS. Four murders, each on July Fourth, but during different wars – Revolutionary War, WWI, WWII and Viet Nam. With a timely release and a lot of publicity last year it sold fairly well. So – we thought we’d do it again!

This year we held a signing at a local bookstore on July fifth. Let’s face it – on the Fourth itself the majority of people will be partying and visiting and not going to bookstores, so we set up on the fifth, thinking there would be more traffic. And we were right… sort of. The bookstore had fairly good traffic all afternoon, and most of them were buying books. Just not ours. Oh, we sold a fair amount, but not anywhere near what we had expected/hoped. We each also sold some of our individual books.

We had good traffic, and met some lovely people. As always, there were those who were fascinated to meet Real Authors (almost as if we were some sort of exotic zoo exhibit!) and others who wanted to know how to become authors and still others who liked to read. Some were just bored and looking for a new experience. Pretty much as normal.

There were darling babies who cooed and grinned… and slept. I don’t remember a single one who cried – unlike a four-ish little boy who must have been auditioning for an Imp from Hell. There was an amazing assortment of dogs (this bookstore is very advanced, thank you) from one no bigger than a powder puff to a mastiff who looked like he could wear a saddle with no trouble at all. He also liked to put his sizeable head in my lap while I scritched between his ears. No small feat, considering his head was just about the same size – and much heavier – than a basketball.

But sales… nope. Just a few – and I mean a VERY few. I handed out a lot of business cards and my book list. Maybe that will mean sales down the road, but I doubt it. I guess my style of writing is just not popular this week. Or maybe I just don’t look like the general idea of An Author, swathed in diamonds and pink feathers and drinking champagne. While I do have a diamond or two, I don’t have a pink feather to my name. I do love good champagne, though.

Still, it was a pleasant day. I like talking to people, and got to have a nice long chat with my co-writers. We’ve known each other literally for decades, but don’t get to spend enough time just being friends together. Usually when we do it’s in a writing group or teaching a class. I’m grateful for the sales we all got, but if I may sound a bit heretical, it’s about much more than sales.

It’s connecting with your tribe.

It’s about meeting people other than in writing groups.

It’s about being a human being instead of just A Writer.

Try it.