Reading and Signing at Shakespeare & Co

I was lucky last Saturday to hold a reading at Shakespeare & Co., another independent bookstore in downtown Missoula. I had picked out three sections to fill out a half-hour slot, and tried to link the sections regarding style, place, and story consistency to avoid confusion.

A good friend made blue and gold macrons to match the book cover. My best friend made cookies that didn't turn out right, so she showed up with wine. My grandmother made brownies. To say the least, we had a glorious spread of food for listeners.

The crowd was all friends and family, but it was a lot of fun having adult storytime with them. Since The Falling Dawn came out, I've found it interesting that a lot of people I know don't read fantasy, and my book is their first foray into the genre. Before I started reading, I had to let them know that sometimes the appeal of fantasy is being lost in the world, and having to discover where you're heading by simply forging ahead in the book. It's a time where you'll be somewhere you've never been before, and might never be again. I requested that if something didn't make sense, don't let the frustration become overwhelming, but enjoy it for that mysterious sense of unknown.

I sold one book, but was happy to be able to share the world with everyone. There was lots of praise, lots of smiling faces, and I didn't read too quickly (phew!). Afterwards, we had cocktails and ramen downtown. Another good day on the books.