Today's word of the day is: Reading

I did a reading this week at Cornerstone Books in Salem, Massachusetts. The Witch City!

On my way to the bookstore, I passed storefront signs for other readings, mostly involving tarot cards, palmistry, or Kirlian auras. In Salem, those kinds of readings happen a lot more frequently than the author kind. It made me wonder if there might also be a way to use my book to predict the future. Ask a question, turn to a random page, and maybe the third word in the seventh sentence will give you the answer you seek? Let's see...

"Can I actually predict the future with The Penguins of Doom?"

Page 86 says... "mother's"

It's open to interpretation, but there's got to be something there.


My reading took place on a gorgeous day in the middle of Massachusetts public school Spring Vacation Week, so I wasn't really expecting many kids to show up. "You spent your spring break where? The bookstore?" There actually were a couple kids who came in, but they just wanted to grab a quick book and be on their way. One grabbed my book as well as the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and is not the first person to tell me that the two are complementary titles, so I will have to look into that further.

The audience members who stayed were children's and YA authors with questions about the publishing process, so that's what we talked about. It wasn't what I'd planned, but I had a really great time and sold a few books in the process.

I can also say that Cornerstone Books is a great place to find a book, and to linger with it and have a great cup of coffee or tea. Thanks so much to them for hosting me!