I wish I understood why I can sit for hours talking to strangers and meeting new people with no pain in my back or my feet or anywhere although my doctor tells me not to sit for more than an hour at the time. I thrive on meeting and talking with people. If anyone is a People-Person, I guess I am. It is a joy for me to discuss writing and get to know individuals who are interested in writing and in books.
Joan Gage took the major part of the work off me this year. She and her husband Rob set up the tent, the tables and brought all of it back to my house today when the festival closed.
It was a special joy to help a woman who recently lost her husband, buy a book on widowhood that will help her deal with her grief. It is On Our Own, Widowhood for Smarties, and I have two poems in it. She came by today and told me she had been reading the book.
I got a kick out of selling a couple of books for someone who sat there and basked in the buyers' appreciation of the author's military service.
Marsha Barnes surprised me with her beautiful children's book, but more so with her sales ability. She told me she worked on the floor selling furniture at one time. Then I understood.
If I did nothing else this weekend, I hope I helped the other writers see that it is not hard to invite passersby to come in and sign up for a free book, then open a conversation with them. The purpose is not to sell them a book, but to engage them in conversation, and if they seem interested in the books, talk about the books. Most of the time, the passersby will take a book with them when they leave.
Dispensing information about our writing group and making our literature available for those who might want to know more was our goal this weekend and we did that. Would-be writers now know where to go for classes and for more information from professionals who are willing to help them.
This week I'll teach a poetry class, promote classes by others who will teach at my Writers Circle studio, and hopefully find time to swim a couple of times. I hope to go to a critique group and have lunch with a friend. This week will be full and will pass too soon as all the days of my life seem to do now.
I will try not to listen to the news because I can't fix anything and worrying about it makes me ill. I will live my life in a way that I hope is an example to those who fail to see that divisiveness could be the downfall of our country. Reaching out to help others in whatever way you can might seem a small thing, but when we all do that, it is a large thing.
Have a good week, my friends.
