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.
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.)
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!)
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!)
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!)
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.)
I love Wegmans. (I'm originally from Syracuse. They just started opening stores here in PA.) Not sure if ours has the expensive burgers and zucchini fries. I must investigate.
ReplyDeleteGreat news on your book. I'll make sure my Borders Express (only bookstore in my town) has copies. And that I get at least one. :)
I'm not surprised that they expect A Crafty Killing to do well. I think some readers will pick it up based on having liked your other work. They will pick up the future books in The Victoria Square series because A Crafty Killing will have them hooked.
ReplyDeleteIn the upcoming weeks, I'm going to highlight cozy mysteries on my blog. Maybe I should time it with the release of A Crafty Killing. I'm giving a few things away (my first real give away - but don't get too excited, I only have around 30 followers at this point). And I'm going to highlight Book Chick City's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge - though I'll be pushing heavily for people to read cozy mysteries rather than thrillers.
Congrats on a great day!
Laura, I love Wegmans, too. But I'm so sad they closed Tastings. It was our favorite local (semi-fancy) restaurant. They reopened another (high-end) restaurant across the street, but it's only open evenings and is strong on suchi--not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteBooklady, how will you get a following if you don't give yourself a plug now and then? Everyone, go to Booklady's blog and start following: http://bookladysbooknotes.blogspot.com/
Whenever I get to my B&N (Riverside Square -- an upscale shopping center), I ALWAYS check your books. So far, they are always in stock with a good number of copies. (Which there wouldn't be if they weren't selling!) AND they had your last Booktown right at the foot of the escalator so EVERYONE coming down from the major book/DVD/Music floor was greeted with YOUR BOOK staring at them! (Tee-hee!) I'll have to ask them about A CRAFTY KILLING to make sure they have loads of copies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a super day you had (even with the snow, *sigh*). At least you didn't have the 10 inches we got last night. And sorry about losing one of your favorite eating places. There are so few good ones at reasonable prices out there that even one going away is cause for mourning. Hope you find something to take its place!
My day was good. First day back to work and we had 8.5 inches of snow. I had over 200 emails and I only had to address 1. I read two great books this weekend *hint* and can't wait to see it on the bookshelves.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a good day and WTG on your word count.
I read the first chapter of A Crafty Killing when I finished Chapter & Hearse the other day. Loved Chaper & Hearse as was expected and I'm looking foward to reading more of A Crafty Killer!
ReplyDelete