Stephanie Gayle

Some days it feels as if the Cosmos is trying to beat a lesson into my thick head. This week, the lesson has been: if at first your polite inquiry yields no results nag, nag again. It's been happening at work (sorry to bug you, but...) and it's been happening in my promotional efforts for the book.

Just yesterday I called the bookstore across the street from my place of business. Yes, that one. And I asked if they wouldn't mind my dropping by when convenient to sign some copies of my book that I know they have (hidden, face in, on the shelf, not a table, but nevermind, nevermind). The person I spoke to said he'd check with his manager, and then took down my name and number. And never called me.

So I called again today and got the manager. Who said I could sign the "couple copies" they had in the store. Okay!
So on this sort of holiday week I'll be skipping out of work early to attend to the business of marking up those copies with my John Hancock. Hey, you know what would be funny? Singing them 'John Hancock.' Or maybe not. No, I'm going with my gut on this one. Funny.

My point is that as much as I dislike having to ask for something more than once (or twice), it can and does pay to do so.

Shoot! Guess who doesn't have her trademark signing pen on her? But I do have a purplish (it's not quite purple, not quite pink) Sharpie. John Hancock never looked so good!