It happened...

So I was at the hospital this afternoon, standing out in the parking lot to make some phone calls about my wife's condition post-surgery (she's fine, for anyone concerned), when it happened.

A man and a woman were crossing the lot, walking toward one of the ticket machines. He was carrying a bag -- hers, I think -- and she was carrying a book. A familiar book. With a familiar red banner across the top...

Yup, the Vintage edition of Before I Wake.

It's never happened to me before. My wife and son saw someone earlier this summer reading the book on a ferry, but I've never run into a reader in the wild like that.

Put a smile on my face (and a ferocious blush, I'm sure!).

Just Me 2021 said:

How fantastic of a feeling! I'm so happy for you!

I'm sure I would have blurted out something stupid like, "Uh.... hi. Guess what? I wrote that book. Yeah.... the one in your hand. So, um, hi!"

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Sadly, that's almost exactly what I did, before scurrying off, blushing furiously.

Except I think I said "Hey" rather than "Hi".

KTC said:

Hey...that's so cool. Congrats! I do seem to remember a whole bunch of people carrying that same book out of a restaurant once, though. They've been raving about it ever since...in case you're wondering. I don't know how you stopped yourself from running up and accosting them with the story of how it was your baby in their hands...



good to hear your wife is doing well.

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I'm glad to hear they liked it -- that was a great morning for me.

But seeing the fabled reader in the wild, not in the captivity of the bookstore or at an event... Wow.