The Book Signing

My first book signing was Friday night, for WHEN SUCH FRIENDS WERE MET. It was held at the Fall Festival at my daughter's school. While she ran around and played, I signed books with one of the "stars" of the book, Dianne. Mrs. Heaton, the other "star" had to go to D.C. for her son's engagement party.

Dianne and I had a great time. She knows EVERYBODY so we always had a full table. We sold quite a few books, and have promises from others to buy when we get back to school tomorrow.

I have more pictures, but I can't find my cable for the camera. If you check back by the end of the week, they should be up.

Have a great week!

Anne Gallagher (c) 2013

Would You Recognize An Author if you Saw One

Good Morning. As you all know, I've been involved in a project for my daughter's school. WHEN SUCH FRIENDS WERE MET was released a few weeks ago, and the paperback is having its debut at the Fall Festival this weekend.

However, most people at the school still don't know that I'm an author. They just think of me as...well, truthfully, I think I'm like everyone else -- just someone's mom.

As we've been promoting this book for the festival book signing, the woman who runs the after school care program came into the office one day and wanted to know what this "book" was about. I was standing there, but the secretary decided to fill her in. And then the secretary turned to me and said, "And here's our very own writer-in-residence."

Well, "Betty" looked at me and just about freaked out. "You wrote this?" "You're the writer everyone's been talking about?" Of course, I  couldn't deny it. Although I had kind of wished I was wearing something other than my gardening clothes. Being my daughter's mother is one thing, being an author is another. I'd like to look like I'm smart enough to be a writer and not someone who's been attacked by an angry mud mob.

I chose a pen name a long time ago so that I would always be able to keep my writing life and my real life separate. Not that I ever expected to be famous, but in today's crazy world and social media insanity, I just wanted to keep some semblance of privacy. So far it's worked.

Until last week when Betty found out I was Anne Gallagher. I knew it was going to happen. I knew people would have that reaction "YOU'RE a WRITER. You wrote that." See, I don't look like a writer, not that I know what a writer is supposed to look like. (We always joke on the blogs that a writer is the one with a coffee cup in one hand, a red pen in the other, wearing yoga pants and a baggy shirt.)

Well, I don't have yoga pants, sweat pants, or pajama pants, but I do have gardening clothes. And firewood clothes, and housecleaning clothes. I have two pair of work-boots, a couple of pair of colorful sneakers, and lots and lots of shorts and stained t-shirts. (It seems I've been painting the rooms in my house every weekend for the last year and a half.)

What's also all too true, is that my closet is filled with clothes from ten and twenty years ago -- way before my daughter was born, when I was working. At least I had the good taste to buy "classic"... one can never go wrong with several little black dresses. However, all those clothes are way too "dressy" to wear to school.

I need "office casual" but I have no idea what that means. And if I did know what it means, I'm sure I'd need new shoes as well. (My shoes are outdated as well -- square toes, mary-janes, chunky heels). I guess I'm one of those women who always thinks those styles will come back around again and then I won't have to buy anything. However, we all know that doesn't happen all that often.

And this issue of what "a writer is supposed to look like" wouldn't have been on my mind at all except I saw a writer blog who showed pictures of a book signing and the author was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. She looked like she was going to a rock concert instead of reading and signing books. Uh, I didn't want to look like that.

I think I'll blame this issue on my mother. When I was a kid, I always had to dress nice if we were going out in public. "You never know who we might run into. I don't need you embarrassing me by looking like a slob. And change your underwear-- you never know, you may get hit by a bus."
(Though this was back in the 70's so it shows just how far back this has been stuck in my memories.)

Anyway, I think for the fall festival I'm going to wear my black skirt and white blouse with my black boots. Yes, I might look like a waitress, but you can never go wrong in black and white. As for traipsing around school, I don't know. I'm going to have to find some basic skirts and tops.

Maybe I'll be lucky and the "Laura Ashley" look will come back around. That was big in the 80s and my closet is full of flowery dresses. And I would be able to wear my Mary-Jane's again.

Tell me -- What do you wear to go out in public? Do you have a "go-to" outfit that you wear for every occasion? Can someone explain what "office casual" is?


Anne Gallagher (c) 2013

When Such Friends Were Met is Released

Well, here we are. This book was added to my "buy" page on Amazon last night at 10:30. I'm afraid it's going to take a little bit longer for other vendors, but don't fret, it will only be a few weeks.

(Not because I can't do it right now, but we're doing another fund raiser at the school and the "big" reveal will be October 1 when the paperback comes out.)

And yes, for this novella there will be a paperback version. This is going to be the focus for the fund raising event. And I get to do my first book signing. Yay!

And I just want to reiterate, this story is NOT my typical Regency romance. I wrote it for the winners for a prize I donated at the school so there is a lot of historical context, and more about the teachers whom I wrote it for than an actual romance.

Cover copy --            

              Dianne Lessard survived France’s Reign of Terror, years without her parents, and the security of a permanent home. In the summer of 1809, she needed a job. Her position as governess was at an end. Her luck seemed heaven sent when she read the ad in the Ladies Gazette requiring a French teacher for a private school. After securing two interviews, she not only had a job, but a new home.

            However, Dianne’s happiness is short-lived when her teaching methods go awry and the headmistress, Mrs. Heaton, is not pleased. Can Dianne rise above her failures and conquer Mrs. Heaton’s disappointment?

            A handsome Captain on leave from his duties fighting Napoleon’s forces, surprises Dianne with a simple question, and forces her to rethink her once fierce independence for a chance at marriage and family. But then, the Captain is sent back to sea, and Dianne wrestles with her guilt for never answering his query.

            Dianne’s faith is sorely tested at every turn, but it is the only thing that remains constant in her topsy-turvy world. Will it desert her when she needs it the most? 

If you should buy it, I would be ever so grateful if you could leave a review either at Amazon or Goodreads.
Thanks.

Hope you have a great week!

Anne Gallagher (c) 2013

The "School Project Story" is Finished

Well, I've been waiting to post this since I started the book, lol, and now here it is.

Here's the cover. Didn't my designer do a fantastic job? The portraits are from the collection of William-Adolph Bouguereau.

The title is an adapted line from Sense and Sensibility (movie version -- screenplay by Emma Thompson -- when Maryanne meets Edward while they're in London and she says, "What was that when there were such friends to be met.") I think the title conveys the story quite nicely.

And the cover copy --

        This story was written for the winners of a prize “Be a Character in a Story” I donated for a fund raising event at my daughter’s school. It is not part of my Regency romance series The Reluctant Grooms. Although, there is a small romance in it, this novella encompasses the lives of two women teachers in how they view the world and their students in 1809.

            Dianne Lessard survived France’s Reign of Terror, years without her parents, and the security of a permanent home. In the summer of 1809, she needed a job. Her position as governess was at an end. Dianne's luck seemed heaven sent when she read the ad in the Ladies Gazette requiring a French teacher for a private school. After securing two interviews, she not only had a job, but a new home.

          However, Dianne’s happiness is short-lived when her teaching methods go awry and the headmistress, Mrs. Heaton, is not pleased. Can Dianne rise above her failures and conquer Mrs. Heaton’s disappointment?

            A handsome Captain on leave from his duties fighting Napoleon’s forces, surprises Dianne with a simple question, and forces her to rethink her once fierce independence for a chance at marriage and family. But then, the Captain is sent back to sea, and Dianne wrestles with her guilt for never answering his query.

            Dianne’s faith is sorely tested at every turn, but it is the only thing that remains constant in her topsy-turvy world. Will it desert her when she needs it the most? 

I know it's not my usual copy, but then it's not my usual book. It's with my critique partner at present, hoping to get it back this week, and then I'll start my edits and revisions. Then it's off to the ladies who I wrote it for for their notes, another round of edits and revisions, and hopefully by the middle of September I'll have it ready to go. 

There's been some talk of only doing a paperback version (as it is a "school" project) but we'll see. I'd like to release it in e-version as well. But I'm not sure about that. (I have to talk to the powers that be at the school.)

I will be doing a book signing (my first) on October 18 from 4-8pm at the Fall Festival at the school in Winston-Salem. Just in case you'd like to stop by. lol. The ladies I wrote the book for will join me for the signing as well. (It's an annual event at the school, kind of like a giant Halloween party but not. Games and bouncy things for the kids, haunted hallways, face painting, etc.)

So, there it is. What I thought had taken months to write, only did actually take a few weeks. And I  finished before the first day of school, so I'm inordinately pleased. I'll let you know when it's released.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you next week.

Anne Gallagher (c) 2013