Who knew so many great stories lurked out there? Here’s another one from a host….
Back then, I owned a bookstore, Book Heaven. Down at the end of the building was a genuine Old Mill. It had been converted to shops. The new people who were setting up a high end guitar shop claimed to play in Dolly Parton’s band, and be good friends with the likes of Waylon and Willie. The newbies wanted to have a grand opening, with music and stories. Dolly was booked, Waylon and Willie were doing something else.
A wonderful Storyteller and her Musician husband who happened to be in this neck of the woods from across the waters were available. Newbies were very happy to have them come. The date was set, I posted posters, I sent bios and photos to the local paper. Of course, I was excited. I was looking forward to a parking lot full of audience and customers. Not to mention great stories and songs.
Storyteller and Musician were there well ahead of the crowd. Not only did the crowd not show, the Newbie owners didn’t show up either. When I frantically called the Newbies, on several different cell numbers, they claimed they forgot. He’d booked a show half way across the country. He didn’t know where she was. It was no consolation that the shop closed within a week. Newbies lost their shirts on expensive guitars. The wife got busted for pharmaceutical abuse. Maybe it was an old Scottish curse.
And one from an author…..
You can summarize every attempt I’ve ever had to do a local booksigning this way:
“Sorry, but we don’t host signings for—ahem—THOSE books. Please leave.”
(I write erotica. That is, I used to, until EL James ruined things for everybody. I like EL James, but I hate what all the copycats have done to my market. Sigh.)
Now I work for a bank.
Wendy Welch: Books, Yarn, Cats, Opioids 