Finally holding "Accordion Dreams" in my hands!

ACCORDION DREAMS is finally here!

It's hard to know when a book is officially out. When the publisher starts shipping? When Amazon says it's in stock?

For me, it wasn't real until I got my box of author copies yesterday. What a week! My birthday on Monday, that amazing Inauguration on Tuesday morning, and then I came home from work and discovered my book. In the flesh, so to speak.

It looks beautiful, too. University Press of Mississippi has been such a joy to work with, at every step of the way, including this last one, the physical production of a book. As my agent in NYC said (she got her copies before I did) it even has those cool-looking rough torn page edges. (Can't recall the technical name for it.)

So I am excited! Also preparing for my very first book signing on Friday, at Booksmith in SF.

Speaking of dreams, I've been having some strange ones about book signings. Like one dream where I was supposed to read a poem about death, but I couldn't find it. Another one where the books hadn't arrived, so I was madly searching the house for my galley proofs. Then another one, where I was late and had to wait in line for the shower, because there were all these strangers in my house.

(Think maybe I'm a little anxious?)

I gave the first signed copy to my son, who took the author photo. He deserves it!

Someone reminded me of the "new book smell" so I had to go back and check. Yes, it sure does smell like a new book!

Susan (ie, Blair. my real/first name.)

Thanks, everyone, for the good wishes!

I actually survived my first author reading, too. Even enjoyed it!

Thanks! I'd be open to suggestions about Santa Cruz. It's not too far away.
I live in the Bay Area (East Bay). Any bookstores you guys would suggest? Is Capitola Book Cafe around there?

We bring our own music, too