RomanceEverAfter

History & Cultures

Guest Columnist:  Cornelia Amiri

Holiday Book Signings 

Though Halloween is my favorite holiday, February is my favorite holiday month with Imbolc, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras and with St. Patrick's day and Easter always close behind.

I began my February book signings at the Houston Women festival's Winter Fest at Clear Lake Park. The festival, which supports and celebrates women in the arts, was great fun with fantastic music, including live performances such as the melodic upbeat folk stylings of Beth Wood and the awesome, rousing sound of Melissa Ferrick. One of the most interesting moments of my book signing experience was when two young girls approached my booth. The taller one with a gleam of admiration in her eyes, not at my books but my torque, asked, "What kind of necklace is that?"

I explained torques were what the ancient Celts used in the same way other cultures wore crowns. Anyone wearing one was a chieftain, a druid, or a high noble, except they wore them around their necks rather than on their heads. When she retorted with, "Are you a Queen?" I had to smile. I told here, "I say, I'm the Celtic Romance Queen." Wide smiling eyes gazed back at me from both girls with full approval at dubbing myself a queen.

As the traffic of customers browsing the vendor area died down, I took the opportunity to have the festival's face painter adorn my cheek with fairy art. As she lightly stroked my face with the tiny paintbrush she remarked, "Oh you're the author. Oh, I'm in the presence of greatness." My face blushed scarlet. "Ugh." Was all I could utter? Greatness, no I couldn't own up to that one. Calling myself a queen is one thing, but claiming greatness is just too much.

But her next remark surprised me even more. "I have your lollipops." Picking up one of the rainbow, heart shaped suckers I was giving away as promotional goodies she said, "Two little girls read my sign, the face painter will work for chocolate. And they asked me if I take lollipops as well. That's how I got them." Those little girls bartered my free rainbow-heart suckers for face painting. I have to say that of all the interesting and hilarious things which happen at my book signings that has to be the funniest. What enterprising children.

My next Valentine signing was near Austin. Having arrived early in one of my favorite towns, Round Rock Texas, I took the opportunity to have my hair done at a salon in the same shopping center as the bookstore. Lucky me, my hairdresser had worked with stars on many of the movies filmed in Austin.

She shared delightful tales. For instance, when working on the movie Don't Eat the Worms, which was adapted from a famous children's book, instead of making the boy look well groomed, she had to make his hair look dirty because he played the character who never bathed. But she had me looking glamorous, just like a romance writer signing books for the Valentine holiday.

I went next door, where the table was already set up for me, all I had to do was strew rose petals across it and lay out my goodies: free valentine note pads, love potion candy, bookmarks, and Fox Prince love potion magnets. One of the many customers who browsed my books, a thin, perky lady with sparkling eyes leaned toward me, "To write all this you must have a really crazy brain with a million things happening at once." Even now I laugh from the memory.  She pretty much summed up all writers.

Another highlight of my Round Rock books signing was when a wonderful son called his mother on his cell phone so she could speak with one of her favorite authors, (me.) Sitting there at a table in Round Rock Texas I spoke to a fan in Kentucky. Isn't technology great? And what a super son he was, because he bought one of my books as a Valentine present for his mom.

My next February signing at the Hastings bookstore in Galveston Texas fell between Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras. So not only did I give out goodies, bookmarks, and shamrock lollipops but people tossed me goodies - strands of colorful Mardi Gras beads from the decorative floats in the parade on the Strand.

My next Hastings book signing was in another city along the beautiful Texas Gulf Coast in Lake Jackson. With the Valentine and Mardi Gras holidays now past, this was an early St. Patrick Day book signing. How appropriate that a young couple approached me, and as I autographed a book for each of them, they told me they were getting married on St. Patrick's Day. Isn't that a perfect day for a wedding? The Hastings's coffee shop there, The Hardback Café, had two Irish themed coffees and they were delicious. I felt like it was St. Patrick Day. As I gave away my shamrock lollipops and blarney bubbles, I noticed every person no matter their age said thank you. Lake.

Jackson has the most polite, friendliest people you could ever hope to meet. What a great town to have my last February book signing. But soon I begin my March book signings as I continue to tour my home state of Texas.

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Guest Columnist Cornelia Amiri