A Box of Books for May
I ordered 800 copies of my book when it was first published in December 2005. They came 40 to a box. My husband and I carried the 20 boxes to the basement after the UPS delivery person left them on our side stoop, and then one morning instead of my regular workout, I carried the boxes (maybe only 17 by that time) up to the second floor to store in our spare bedroom, reasoning that the basement was too musty and damp. Two flights of stairs x 17 + the weight of a box of books = a decent workout.
Several weeks ago on a Saturday morning I entered the spare bedroom to replenish the supply of books I keep in my car, and I saw and smelled that the waterbed had a leak: I could see water in the waterbed frame and I could smell the moldy bedding. The leak had sprung at least days ago due to the mold. Even the carpet was supersaturated. So after my husband and I emptied the rest of the water and tore down the frame, I carried the remaining boxes of books (maybe 16 at that point) over to my workout room. They are pretty safe there though the room is a bit crowded.
Overall in May, I sold 45 books from my own stash! And I donated five to Cincinnati Educational Television’s Action Auction. So I’m well into my fifth box. I'll have room to roundhouse kick before long.
The final three sales for May came on May 30th. My husband and I were on day five of our visit to my dad and step-mom’s in Georgia. Four straight days of fishing had been enough for me, so my step-mom and I went to a luncheon with her garden club while the men headed out to the big blue again. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to sell, I took my books.
My step-mom and I were the first to arrive at the restaurant, and I strategically selected a seat at the head of the table so that the nine other women, including my step-mom, could see me when I spoke about the book.
Once everyone had arrived, settled in, and ordered thier stuffed cucumbers, grilled grouper, and tuna salads, my step-mom mentioned that I had written a memoir about my recovery from a coma. The women asked questions about my recovery and the book, and the final question was, “Did you bring any?”
“Of course!” I answered. And I sold three and got an invitation to present at the library on a return trip.
May was a good month.
Several weeks ago on a Saturday morning I entered the spare bedroom to replenish the supply of books I keep in my car, and I saw and smelled that the waterbed had a leak: I could see water in the waterbed frame and I could smell the moldy bedding. The leak had sprung at least days ago due to the mold. Even the carpet was supersaturated. So after my husband and I emptied the rest of the water and tore down the frame, I carried the remaining boxes of books (maybe 16 at that point) over to my workout room. They are pretty safe there though the room is a bit crowded.
Overall in May, I sold 45 books from my own stash! And I donated five to Cincinnati Educational Television’s Action Auction. So I’m well into my fifth box. I'll have room to roundhouse kick before long.
The final three sales for May came on May 30th. My husband and I were on day five of our visit to my dad and step-mom’s in Georgia. Four straight days of fishing had been enough for me, so my step-mom and I went to a luncheon with her garden club while the men headed out to the big blue again. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to sell, I took my books.
My step-mom and I were the first to arrive at the restaurant, and I strategically selected a seat at the head of the table so that the nine other women, including my step-mom, could see me when I spoke about the book.
Once everyone had arrived, settled in, and ordered thier stuffed cucumbers, grilled grouper, and tuna salads, my step-mom mentioned that I had written a memoir about my recovery from a coma. The women asked questions about my recovery and the book, and the final question was, “Did you bring any?”
“Of course!” I answered. And I sold three and got an invitation to present at the library on a return trip.
May was a good month.
posted by Elizabeth Evans Fryer at 5:45 AM
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