Wow, has the past couple of weeks been a whirlwind at work! It all began last Monday when I brought a copy of my book to work for a co-worker. He found out that I published a book, and he wanted a copy so he could “support the brothers,” whatever that meant. I didn’t really care at the time, because if “supporting the brothers” meant supporting me by owning a copy of my book, I was all in. He could have been “supporting” whatever, for all I cared. He was supporting me. So, I sold him a copy of my book, I autographed it for him, and I sent him on his way, thinking that was a nice interlude, but it was over. How wrong I was!
Two days later he comes back to me. His girlfriend practically grabbed the book from his hand when he walked in the door that night, and had been reading it nonstop. Wow. And even more than that, he had been talking about the book to other people at work. Before I knew it, I had a line backed up of people wanting my book at work. I have this little tote I carry around with me, my “man’s bag” to store stuff in, so I began carrying copies of my book in it, just in case. And for the next few days it seemed like I was a celebrity at work. Pretty much everyone I ran into wanted a signed copy, and they handed over money for it.
So I began signing copies for co-workers left and right, and I have to tell you, it feels good to do that! Not only that, though, they were actually READING MY BOOK. I can’t tell you how many of them have stopped me just to talk about the plot, the characters, the feelings and emotions in the book. It’s wonderful to embrace these characters again (I wrote the book about five years ago but just had it published in April), to discuss them as if they were real people, because they’ve always been real to me. Then I went on television and it all exploded once more, in a very good way. In fact, just Tuesday I brought five books to work and sold out before the day was over. I even had to promise to bring more for people to get on Wednesday.
And it feels good. I’m not done yet. Believe me. In fact, I have a book of poetry I’m working on at the moment, I’ve finished two other novels that are just waiting to be edited and published, and I haven’t lost sight of the big picture of getting an agent and mass-producing the “next great American novel,” but for now I’m enjoying my local success, because it’s even more than just selling books. It’s being acknowledged.
And that feels pretty damn good.
Sam
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