Today was a pretty exciting day for me. After my seventh hour class ended at 3 p.m., I went downstairs to check the mail slots in the counselor's office. I noticed a UPS box and it contained my 10 free copies of "Small Town News."
It is hard to describe the feeling; after 35 years of just dreaming of being in print, I can now hold a book with my name on the cover and (unfortunately) my picture on the back cover.
Things have been moving rapidly on the promotional end. One of my former students, Ashley Nickolaisen, a freshman at Diamond High School, e-mailed me earlier this week and asked if I would be interested in speaking at an event being set up by a teen group which was recently formed to draw young people to the Neosho Library. Students from Diamond, East Newton, Neosho, and Seneca are involved. I will have my first book signing there sometime the week of Oct. 16-22 (the date will be set sometime in the next couple of days).
Any of you who think you might be there and be interested in buying a book, let me know so I will know how many to have available that night. If I understand it right, people will also be listening to me speak and the public at large is going to be invited. (Obviously, we will have to check for weapons at the door.)
I also discovered today that, for the first time, "Small Town News' is listed on the Books-A-Million website. So you can order it over the Internet or ask the people at Books-A-Million to order it for you. It will soon be available through the Hastings, Amazon.com, Borders, and WaldenBooks sites, among others. I will update you as I find out more.
I have also been contacted by two area newspapers already for interviews (I will tell you who they are, once the interviews have taken place.) Last weekend, I was interviewed by a reporter for Missouri Southern State University's magazine, "Crossroads."
I will be honest with you, I have been stunned, but deeply gratified, by the high level of interest in this book.
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, Randy. By the way, the No. 1 question authors are asked at book-signings: "Did you really write it?" The No. 2 question: "Is it any good?"
ReplyDeleteRandy has way more than 15 minutes of fame in his life. It's just now thousands of people will have the opportunity to see why. As one of his proteges, I can't wait to see what he's put together. Congratulations on reaching a lifelong dream - yet another reason for others to admire your tenacity.
ReplyDelete15 minutes? I seriously doubt it will only be 15 minutes! But, even if it is, it'll be 15 more than you.
ReplyDelete