I spent last night at Water Street Books in Exeter, NH, discussing Something Missing with enthusiastic readers. It’s a beautiful independent bookstore located along a quaint little street lined with shops and restaurants, and its owner, Dan, is as excited about books as they come.
Among the audience members was Brooks Sigler, author of Five Fingered Fiction, and the person most responsible for arranging my appearance. Even though we had not met until last night, she has been a fantastic supporter of my work. Brooks is a writer who understands the importance of a writing community and looks to forge relationships with fellow writers.
Having gotten to know and spent time with several writers since publishing my book, including Margot Berwin, Andrew Clements, and Elinor Lipman, I’ve found it incredibly rewarding and enlightening to discuss writing and the publishing industry with them. Being an author is often a lonely gig, so even the short time I spent with Brooks last night was quite fun. And though I ordered her book months ago, I will finally take it off the shelf and begin reading now.
My wife and I have been invited to a writer’s retreat in January hosted by the owners of a Vermont bookstore, and I can’t wait. I’ll be joining about half a dozen new authors for a weekend of dining, skiing, and talking about our books.
I can’t wait. I don’t ski, but still, it sounds like fun. I was once warned that skiing is like cocaine. It’s expensive and addictive, and eventually you will get hurt. This warning and bad knees from years of missing the pole vaulting mats have kept me off the slopes. But the chance to meet some authors and discuss our books sounds perfect to me.
And if you are ever in Exeter, NH, stop by Water Street Books, say hello to Dan, and pick up Five Fingered Fiction. There’s an oversized, comfy couch in the back where I settled in last night and wrote about 500 words of Chicken Shack before the appearance.
I highly recommend it.
