This is a tale of two Saturdays—the Saturday I expected to have and the Saturday that actually occurred.
This morning, around 11:15 am, I was lounging in my pajamas and drinking coffee when I received a phone call. It was from the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Thornton. A very nice manager asked me if I remembered that I was scheduled for a book signing there on the 21st, from 11 am to 2 pm, because four groups of people were waiting for me in the café.
Oh, the horror.
This was like one of those anxiety dreams—you know the kind. You’re still in school and you’re late for a test, but you have no idea which classroom you’re supposed to go to. Or perhaps you arrive at school at the end of the semester, when you were supposed to be going to class all along.
I said to the very nice manager, “When I called Barnes and Noble last week, the event had not been listed on the website. I cancelled the signing today, and we were to reschedule, so that the event could be posted on the store website for a couple of weeks to get reader attention.”
The very nice manager said, “There was a miscommunication. After talking with you, the other staff member put the signing on the website.”
“Please apologize to the people who are waiting,” I said. “I will be there in forty five minutes.”
After hanging up, I threw on a simple black dress, slapped on some makeup, printed up directions and raced out my front door. I arrived at the bookstore an hour and fifteen minutes late from the original time.
Here’s where I am brokenhearted, because one reader had brought all four of my books in the Elder Races series for me to sign, and she had given up and left. I never got the chance to meet her.
Here’s where I am also even more disoriented than ever, because after meeting the very nice manager in person, he said that someone was waiting to meet me that knew me when I lived in Indiana. By this time, you can imagine that I felt like I had walked into an episode of the Twilight Zone. I followed the very nice manager to the signing table, and there I met…. One of my former professors, the retired Associate Dean from the university library where I had gone to graduate school and gotten my M.L.S. degree.
It was terrific to see her again, and to meet her husband. Turns out, they live only a half an hour away from me, and we are planning to get together soon.
I also met some wonderful new people today, and I hope to set up another signing soon with the bookstore that will be problem free, so it turned out to be a most excellent Saturday.
But I am still so sorry about the reader who came with her hopes up, whom I never got a chance to meet. Dear reader, if you see this blog posting, please do email me at: thea@theaharrison.com. I would love to sign your books for you.
Thea
Ohhh nooooo :X
Well I think you handled that incredibly well.
And I really hope that reader finds you/checks your blog!!
Thank you! I hope the reader checks this blog too.
That sounds truly hellish. This is why I love being texted/called prior to my appointments just to make sure I remembered them.
Better luck (and communications!) next time.
Oh! I’m glad that even though they added your appearance at such a late date (without letting you know until people were standing in line), you were able to still make it and meet up with those who waited. I do so hope that one reader checks into their facebook or here on your site. Hopefully, just knowing that you are looking for them will brighten their day.
Thea, I think you handled the situation with grace and even though we all try our hardest, mistakes will be made because so much is out of our hands. The reader who left will be back. I’m sure she knows it was a mixup.
I’ve had that dream more times than I can count. It’s number two on my all time nightmare hit parade, only followed my the one I call the never ending task. You know the one where no matter how hard you try to accomplish your goal it just becomes bigger or more complicated?
I know you discussed rescheduling this signing on your blog but I know that doesn’t totally overcome that horrified feeling you must have felt as you were rushing out the door. Hope the next signing goes perfectly to balance the scales a bit.
I was so tempted to swing by B&N today while I am in Aurora visitng my parents in Cheyenne but thought it would have been a pointless trip since it was canceled. I should have went with my gut today! Oh well, maybe next time!
You did the best you could and if the reader reads this, he/she will completely understand!
Oops…from Cheyenee, not in Cheyenne!
Thank you, everybody!
Juliane, those dreams are rotten, aren’t they?
Sabrina, hopefully another local signing can be scheduled some day soon.
It was an honest mistake and sometimes they happen. I hope the lady does contact you!!!