Book Tour 2011 -- Family and Friends

The trip was half about the books and half about people. Many wonderful moments with family and friends...

• For the first time, my mother took her walker outside of her place, to Thanksgiving dinner at my sister’s house—and took pleasure in her adolescent grandchildren sitting on the seat of the walker and zooming around Taking the walker typifies for me Mother’s proactive stance towards the considerable challenges of aging. Rather than fighting change, she’s been proactive vis a vis, for example, using a cane, getting a hearing aid, and moving into an assisted living facility. Her determination to remain as independent as possible while asking for help as needed is a huge gift to us kids. Her world shrinks as her energy and strength decline, but how I admire her as she meets the daily challenges of institutional living, melancholy, and so forth.
  




• I’m so glad I had a couple of special times with my brother, another person I admire greatly as he battles “incomplete paraplegia,” a shocking outcome of back surgery last March. “The paralysis is nothing,” he states, compared to the agony of bladder dysfunction that’s gone unrelieved for months now, one procedure or medication after another failing to solve the problem. But his determination to persevere and overcome, spiked with humor (sometimes, understandably, of the gallows variety) and counting the blessings, has a beauty of its own.
  




• ‘Twas great staying for a couple nights with my cousin and his wife, and I treasure our reminiscences about our Grandma and Grandpa Cristy. Our childhood memories complimented each other, while apocryphal stories brought both laughter and pondering. I never had heard the one about Grandpa greeting my cousin’s wife, then fiancée, with “Well, hi there, er, uh,—Adam’s Apple!” upon one of their first meetings when he couldn’t remember her name. And Grandma’s mortification over it. Very cool seeing many family photos and pieces around their house, including both the painting (in pastels, I think) of the farmhouse with the dog on the porch and the aerial shot of the whole farm. Oh, my, so long ago.
  




• Other familial high points – Hide-and-go-seek with my nephew’s little ones, the youngest at that stage of screaming out when the seeker gets close. Ongoing conversation with a sister about our wasbands and life after divorce. Mom’s 88th birthday party, her sitting there smilingly, reveling in the generations and looking about 75 or so. Driving through the village of Ringwood, surprised again, at how much smaller our big old house looks to me now than it did then. Never did get by the cemetery to visit Dad, and Polly and Grandma and Grandpa and the rest; too busy with the living...

And some quick notes about friends...

• A fabulous friend from Ringwood IL—growing up in that unusual little village was, indeed, a bonding experience—came to the signing in Woodstock. After a great chat, she went to the coffee shop next door and brought me a steaming cup of pumpkin spicy coffee as she took her leave. Man, that drink was sweet and tasty!
  




• Visit with a high school classmate now in Kenosha. We worshiped at her church, then a rich afternoon of catching up at her house with lunch from Tenuta’s, the best supplied Italian deli “this side of Italy,” and hanging out with one of her daughters, a very impressive young woman home on college break.
  




• More catching up over coffee and the most delicious pumpkin roll I’ve ever tasted with a devoted fan who bought a bunch of books! I’ve known this special person, and her twin sister who lives in Kansas, since middle school days. And then she delighted me again when she turned up at my event at McHenry UMC.
  




• Soup supper in Kendallville IN at the home of a former teaching colleague. Two other buddies from my time there came and the four of us talked non-stop, more about what we’re doing now than what we did then.
  
  And many other special times with friends and family, alluded to in earlier posts. Wow. How grateful I am for the blessing of loving, caring, interesting and interested people in my life!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Book Tour 2011--Driving and Weather

Ms Malibu and I traveled 2307.6 miles on the book tour.

“All by yourself?!” person after person exclaims.

I love traveling alone, just me and the radio and long expanses of time to think and just to be, comfortably settled into the driver’s seat, an open snack and bottle of water at my side.

GPS would make sense for me, especially given my sense of direction. If we humans come equipped with an inner compass, mine was put in backwards. My biggest navigational mistake—I made it three times on this trip—is to think I’ve gone the wrong direction and turn around and travel for a while only to discover that I’d been right in the first place.

But I’m not enamored of GPS as of yet. One reason is that I like stopping to ask for directions. I meet interesting people and pick up information about the area. Like in Kenosha, Wisconsin where I visited my high school chum (“We are the mighty Warriors, our hearts are brave and true…!”). Ms Malibu and I drove to and fro on the main drag, unable to find the right road. We stopped twice for help, the second time being informed that their signs identify roads only by number, not name. Oh. “That’s why I gave you the numbers, too,” my friend said when I finally found her. Oh. I didn’t write that part down—because I like to stop and ask for directions, I guess.

Much to my relief, there were no weather complications. I wouldn’t have intentionally planned a late Nov-early Dec. trip in snow country. The original plans were centered on a family wedding subsequently cancelled, by which time I was committed to the events. I did suffer some anticipatory anxiety, however, since I abhor driving in wintry conditions. The day before I left northeast Illinois for a five hour drive to northeast Indiana, Indiana schools were closed by ice and snow. But the toll road was clear as I sailed through the next day. How blessed I felt to enjoy the flat, white fields on either side, farms stretching into the distance, silo after ever-tinier silo—another coming home experience and time to savor the memories of my Indiana years.

Speaking of coming home experiences—NEXT: Friends and Family

Book Tour 2011--Drama

I love involving others in my readings and presentations. The stories come across more vividly and effectively when others join me—I always play the part of Rose—to portray her people. I was afraid, though, that this dramatic element might not be possible on tour because my “road show,” entitled “Advent Readings from Sunday by Sunday,” didn’t get put together until the last minute. With the first Sunday in Advent less than a week away, I almost gave up on the idea of recruiting actors. But through prayer and meditation, I was guided and energized to give it the old college try.

Yikes. I quickly contacted my “handler” at each venue to request volunteers and emailed the “scripts” so that those portraying Mindy, Pastor Sauer, Jim and Anita from next door, Stephanie Rose and others would have time to review. In 4 out of 5 cases, everything came together and drama happened!

We hit the jackpot for the premiere performance at Our Saviour Lutheran in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Their drama team responded enthusiastically and was joined by my sis and her husband as Anita and Jim (as mentioned in “Book Tour 2011—Serendipity”). Smashing performances! The stories and characters came to life in this place—and then in other settings—as evidenced in audience laughter, silent reflection, and even spontaneous participation with sound effects and commentary. What fun!

“I must be Sarah or Elizabeth from the Bible,” quipped an 80-something actress taking the part of the pregnant Anita. The character Chelsea from book III, a wide-eyed 5-year-old, was movingly interpreted by people of all ages, including an 11-year-old. And an interesting and amusing layer was laid on when a pastor most ably took on the role of Jim, skeptic atheist.

I read all the parts myself, when necessary, but, as you can easily imagine, the experience is vastly enhanced by people willing to step onto the stage. How very grateful I am to each and every one of them.

Book Tour 2011-- Infrastructure Incidents and Accidents

One night my ultimate hostess sister and her husband took me out for supper. When he went to pay the bill, we were laughing at the thickness of his billfold. Sorting through his cards, he hilariously justified the need to have each one in his hip pocket at all times. Playing along, I pulled out my measly-in-comparison stack, from Voter Registration to Belk’s Bra and Panty Club. (“Betcha’ don’t have one of these,” I kidded.) (He didn't.)

All well and good—until the next morning when I went to pay a bill online using my credit card. Not in my wallet. I hate that feeling—which I’ve experienced several times, unfortunately. After the usual thorough search of pockets, purse, and car, I called the restaurant. Hadn’t been turned in there. So I zeroed in on my most recent transaction and called a gas station downstate where I’d stopped. Yup, they had it. Great. Could they please mail it to my sister’s address? Nope. They had to destroy it.

Thus began my major infrastructure accident while on the road. Card was cancelled, a new one issued with a different #. Could they mail it to my sister’s address? Nope—had to go to home address—where mail was not being delivered-so, I called… Okay, this story is essentially quite boring, with many more details of managing finances on a major trip without benefit of a credit card. And yet, there were gains.

Even though there was some insecurity, I found the challenge of a “hand-to-mouth” existence invigorating. Could I sell enough books at an evening event to fill my gas tank the next morning?Another good part was being reminded anew of my privileged life and able to stay calm in the assurance that my resources would not fail me. Friends and relatives would cash my checks, if necessary. Or I could do this… or that… I wouldn’t be on the street. I wouldn’t miss a meal. Not knowing exactly where the next dollar would come from was “faux poverty,” not the debilitating daily grind endured by those actually living in poverty.

There were two other infrastructure issues woven into the tour: using my car as a warehouse, continually having to shift books and materials around so that I had what I needed going into each event; and, my brand new android smartphone. While enabling me to receive email on the road as well as process credit cards, the learning curve for a person of my limited tech savvy is steep and the transition time lengthy… which keeps me yearning for the days when phones could not be lost or go dead or ring in church.

Anyway, my infrastructure hung together fairly well on this major journey. In the next installment, I shall tell about my surprise and delight at how drama became an important part of my book tour adventures.

Book Tour 2011--Serendipity

Surprises popped up throughout the tour, naturally, and most of them were good.* I herein share four of them.

To set up for surprise #1, here is an excerpt from my blog way back on August 25, 2010: “A small spiral notebook in which I jotted ideas and thoughts before they were forgotten proved to be most helpful in the writing of the first two books. I outfitted such a notebook with tabs for characters and topics for Sunday by Sunday III, and for months prior to beginning III, scribbled many plot possibilities and bits of dialogue in it as they came to me. I lived in eager anticipation of utilizing them at the appropriate time in the writing process. Alas, in the midst of major redecorating of my house, I lost this wealth of time-saving, inspiring tidbits. The likely scenario is that I’ll find it the day after the book goes to press, of course. How lovely if I would find it sooner—like, say, tomorrow!”

I did not find it on that tomorrow, but rather on tour, shortly after publication. I was at my cousin’s, and he and I were chatting as I reorganized a carryall. I ripped open the Velcro on an outside pocket of the satchel and immediately recognized the small red notebook with a rose sketched on the front. I haven’t delved into it too much, for fear of regret at all the dynamite ideas and clever phrases lost. Oh, well. I’m still glad I found it.

Surprise # 2 came when my brother-in-law and sister agreed to act out a Sunday by Sunday skit with me for a Sunday morning event. They portrayed the characters Jim and Anita, and I asked them because my brother-in-law is an amiable smart aleck, just like Jim. I was pleasantly astounded when—after reviewing the script—they were up for it! In a phone conversation the day before the event, my bro-in-law joked that he’d practiced five hours so far and had a one-way ticket for Hollywood, leaving Sunday night. My crazy sister teased me right before performance that, “Oh, by the way, we’ve re-worked things a little. Jim and Anita are going to…oh,” she dismissed with a little wave, “you’ll see…” Just kidding. They were fabulous. Very fun, very cool.

I was on my way to Office Depot or someplace similar to have a new supply of bookmarks printed when Surprise # 3 hit. Seeing a storefront print shop, I wheeled in there to see if they could do it. Yes, indeed, and I met two delightful brothers working in this family-owned business. One of them was a voracious reader, and we had intense conversation about contemporary literature while they were turning out the job—and he wound up buying the whole set of my books in its lovely deluxe gift box. Yee-haw!

The owner of the bookstore in Woodstock told me on the day of my signing that a customer had been in a few days prior and was excited when she saw my exhibit, announcing that I would be speaking at their church in Indiana. Surprise # 4 was revealed a week later when the pastor of the church in Albion that was on my schedule told me that she was that person. She’d been visiting family in the area and stopped by Read Between the Lynes. Purely coincidental!

*For the not-so-good surprises, see the next entry, “Infrastructure Accidents and Incidents.”

Book Tour 2011--The pitfalls of quantifying

Ms Malibu, my trusty wheels, underwent general maintenance and a major tune-up immediately prior to setting out on the tour. Hoping my gas mileage would improve after that considerable expenditure, I decided to figure mpg throughout the trip. I did the math once, forgot to the next time, wrote down numbers to get back on track, but then, oh, dear, drove away without a receipt and couldn’t remember how many gallons I’d pumped. So, I gave up, admitting that I didn’t really care that much anyway. “Quality is way more important to you than quantity,” my right brain reminded me.

Not that the two are unrelated. It’s just that attaching a value to an experience based solely on how much or how many or how long is only half of the picture. The half I find least interesting.

One of my favorite poems is Madeleine L’Engle’s “Let us view with joy and mirth/all the clocks upon the earth…” She draws strong yet whimsical contrast between human time and God’s time. Those opening lines often come to me when I sense too much emphasis on numbers, too much measuring and valuing them, too much quantifying.

A life view holding quantity and quality in proper balance is a mercy in the book business. At one event on the tour, only two people—a delightful mother and teenage daughter—exhibited any interest in Sunday by Sunday. Their purchase was my only sale. Less lucrative than I wished, but that conversation no less special.

To be sure, I’m not just sour graping or making lemonade. I wouldn’t be able to keep going with my enterprises without a steady response and big scores on occasion. But I don’t ever want to miss blessings that are not reflected in attendance or sales.

Re-entry--Day 10

Maybe I need 26 days for a full re-entry, since that’s how many days I was gone. This harrowing process, tinged by a fatigue deeper than I could have imagined and doubts about my intrinsic value as a human being, is boiling down to an exercise in faith—as life always does. Trusting in a God who loves me no matter what, continually calms me down and builds me up as I try to get a grip after my big trip.

Last night I finally found the moment to fill out a little form and send in my receipt for a special offer of a free garment after buying two others. Had to be postmarked no later than December 14. Shucks.

And my poor car. When I drove Miss Malibu into my driveway the middle of last week, I had thoughts of washing her the next morning to be followed by a thorough inside cleaning asap. Not only has that not happened, but she still labors under hundreds of volumes of books in her trunk, another re-organizing task of inventory and sorting waiting to be done.

Last Saturday morning, a week ago today, I lay in bed listening to NPR, luxuriating in a slower pace to let body and soul catch up with each other. Marvelous--but not the mountain crossed, turning point panacea I had hoped for. So still, I slog on, overwhelmed and ridiculously tired, needing to update financial records and write thank you notes, my house a wasteland of disordered piles of papers and mounds of clothes.

Oh! and then there’s the job hunt. Yikes. I need a real job. With a real paycheck. Soon.

“Be still, my soul: your God will undertake to guide the future, as in ages past.” ~von Schlegel, 1752; Borthwick, 1855; Sibelius, 1899.

Yes, even with myriad undones nipping at my heels, I take refuge in and am bucked up by the fond memories and good results of the tour. And gratitude for special times during Advent with friends and family, and good health, and an attitude toward the unknown that is broader and more positive than my own limited vision give confidence to keep me inching ahead. In all things, give thanks.

NEXT: Book Tour 2011—The futility of quantifying