Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Not my typical day . . .

Zucchini-Fries1-1901 Yesterday was a good day.  Before lunch, I wrote 422 words.

Mr. L took me out to lunch at Wegman's new FOOD BAR restaurant.  They changed a lovely restaurant (Tastings) into a burger joint.  About the only thing that remains are the zucchini fries. (Heaven.)  Was it good?  Yes, it was good.  Was it worth nearly $18 for two burgers and two orders of zucchini fries?  No.  Will we go back?  Maybe ... but only for the zucchini fries.

Crafty Killing.bn Went to Barnes & Noble  in the same plaza -- just to check up on my Booktown Mysteries.  Hmm.  Only five copies of four titles, which I signed.  (I am extremely spoiled by my "home" B&N in Greece Ridge Center because the CRM keeps her shelves well stocked with my titles.  We're talking up to 10+ of each.  I love you Rebecca!!!)  But, I did have a very brief but pleasant conversation with one of their sales associates who was about to go to lunch.  I asked if she could see if the store had ordered copies of A Crafty Killing (which comes out on February 1st--hint, hint).  She looked it up, blinked a couple of times, and said, "Twenty four copies.  That's a LOT!"  (It was all I could do NOT to break into a Snoopy happy dance right there and then.)

Mysteryloversbookshop Then we went to Michaels and I raided their $1 racks.  I am such a sucker for blank note cards and such.  (And yes, I just visited my Greece Michaels last week and bought more stuff.)  This time I bought myself a little tote bag for Malice Domestic. (I had a wonderful small canvas bag that I was given by the Mystery Lovers Bookshop after their Festival of Mystery (if you have never gone-GO!!!) in 2009 and lost last year at the Malice Domestic conference.  (I could've cried!!!) I got a few other things, too.  (Fun stuff.  Hey, I deserve it!)

5000 We got home and I wrote another 800 words and an email to my editor.  In it I happened to ask what my print run was for A Crafty Killing.  A while later the phone rang.  Yes--it was from NY and it was my editor!!!  He decided to answer my print run question in person.  Whoa!  It's 5000 more than the print run for Chapter & Hearse. (He actually said he was ASTOUNDED to learn that.  Hey, no more than me.)  That means my publisher (or at least their marketing department) thinks A Crafty Killing should do well.  (I certainly have my fingers crossed.  I need a new hot water heater and a few other repairs to be made to the house.)

Let's summerize the day:

Got my word count for the day.  (YEA!)
Got taken to lunch.  (YEA!)
Found out a store where I won't be signing is buying half a case of books.  (YEA!)
Found out my print run would be higher than for Chapter & Hearse.  (YEA!)
Star happy face
and -- as an added bonus it did NOT snow and no cats puked on the carpet or wood floors for the entire day.

Yup.  I'd say that was a good day.

How was your day?

(P.S.  Weather went down the toilet.  It's snowing and we might get another 5 inches added to the 4 that fell overnight.  Oh well, you can't have everything.)