Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Choosing to stay postive over the weekend!

This blog post is a little difficult to write considering the insanity that occurred over the weekend in Paris, but my family and I are choosing to remain positive. Our hearts and prayers go out to the people and families in Paris as we celebrated the good news that my niece was safe and sound in London, and I had my very first book signing! Even though we celebrated two beautiful rays of sunshine, we were very aware and mindful of the tragedy, injustice, and inhumanity that swept the world. Good will always prevail, and our prayers are high!

We chose to embrace the positive and in so doing I would love to share the details of the book signing.

My husband and I traveled a little over an hour to get to Harleysville. Lovely drive on a bright, crisp, November afternoon. Stephanie Steinly did a wonderful job organizing and hosting the event, and I couldn't be more grateful! Stef made the event relaxed, fun and informative. Hopefully, I'll be invited back, and I can take a ton more pictures with Stef! I'm sorry about that! My friends and family attended as well as other people who stopped by thanks to Stef getting the word out! My heart was, and still is, full of love, gratitude, and appreciation to everyone who came out to support me as well as the friends and family who couldn't attend Saturday but were there in spirit! Michael, you were just the sweetest stopping by after work! It was lovely to meet you!





My nerves hummed with uncertainty as anticipation of the unknown rolled through my veins, but the excitement was immense as I set up shop in Stef's bookstore with a beautifully draped fall themed table just for me! Thank you, Stef! I had books, reviews, posters and, of course, my cookies! I'm going to try a little harder with the raffle prize for the next signing! Maybe if the next signing is a little closer to home, it might work out better. I haven't given up hope for donating to Delaware Valley's Children's Charity! If anyone knows about any independent bookstores in suburban Philadelphia that I missed, please leave me a post!

I had the lovely opportunity to meet fellow author George DeFrehn who wrote Is Anybody There? Memoir of a "functional alcoholic" George was a wealth of information both professionally and personally. What an extraordinary man! If you're looking for inspiration and education, pick up George's book! I certainly hope our paths cross again. Supremely delightful!

My expectations for excitement and nervousness were gigantic but the information I acquired speaking to both George and Stef? Priceless! Both personable, intelligent and knowledgeable about writing, self-publishing and marketing, Stef and George were a gift above rubies! I honestly felt like a little kid on Christmas morning receiving all my favorite presents!

I can't express enough gratitude for the new readers I had the opportunity to meet thanks to Stef! Thank you so much to everyone who attended the book signing on a chilly Saturday in November with the world raging. I hope that a little book talk and some cookies were able to distract you from the devastation across the ocean. The gratitude I have for the opportunity to visit Stef's bookstore is deep and the gratitude I hold for the new people I met is something I'll cherish always. I look forward to the next one, and hopefully there will be more to come with your continued support as my readership grows and news about my books grows as well. I have you to thank for that!

God bless!

 
Here it is! My dream come true!
Thank you for being a part of it!
 
 
Martha! My love for you is deep!

 
George! A true inspiration! Can't wait to meet him again!

 
My mom who taught me the lesson and value of hard work!

 
My sister who would travel just about anywhere to support me!

 
My husband who's support made my dream come true! I couldn't have asked for a truer, kinder friend! I love you!

 
Kathy who told me never to quit! I'm just as proud of her as she is of me! Mwah! I love her!


3 comments:

  1. What a wonderful story, Sheila! It can be so difficult to be happy when such a tragedy occurs, but you went on and did it. My hat's off to you.
    And huge congratulations on the book!

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  2. Thank you so much Susan for your kind words! It's been a joy to read your comments! Sometimes you just need to move forward no matter how hard it hurts!

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  3. Congratulations Sheila and thanks for sharing! I suppose I have some fears I need to get over and your post is helping me realize the fear of the first book signing could be unfounded! So maybe i will get myself out there and make it happen.

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