Real You: Transitions

Labor Day weekend is such a bitter-sweet time, at least for me. I find myself lamenting the upcoming structures of fall and winter. With the kids' school and sports and activities schedule back in full swing in less than a week, those sweet sleep-in days of summer will be just a memory.But, with every seasonal transition comes that time for growth and renewal. It's also a great time for me to recommit to projects I've pushed aside and to reconnect with friends. It's also - ironically - when my book tour begins for my latest novel, ALL THE DIFFERENCE. And that is exciting! I'll post the tour soon, but here I come Columbus (September 20th), Cincinnati (September 21st) and Laguna Beach (September 30th).

Transitions are tough sometimes. Make sure you have things to look forward to - like a book tour, or a new project. And, happy September!

Real You: Expecting the unexpected

     One of the lessons I've learned during the three-plus months I've spent promoting HERE, HOME, HOPE is that you can never predict book events. Sometimes there is a great crowd, other times, it's crickets. Just me, a stack of my books and my trusty signing pen. Those events tend to feel the longest, but looking back, I may have made the best connections. I know I had the most laughs. And ultimately, I hope I've made friends for life. The smaller the crowd, the deeper the potential for connection. Yes, this is the bright side speaking but it's true.      As I wrote in Real You Incorporated, you always learn more from the hurdles, once you jump them. In Louisville, at the Anchorage Barnes & Noble, my signing was at 5:30 p.m. When I arrived, posters adorned the doors and walls promoting an event that night, but not mine. It was for the author who was arriving at 7:30. I was the warm-up act, I suppose, but that's alright - at least I had my foot in the door! In East Sandwich, MA,  where I had a designated "drop in" (a meet and greet to beg for the store to consider carrying the book) the store owner stood above me on the stairs and - in front of several customers - said no, she wouldn't consider carrying my book. I was exhausted, and it was the final stop of the tour so I was glad I didn't burst into tears in front of her as I scurried out the door! I'd survived the snark attack.   

     Oh, and speaking of attacks and expecting the unexpected in life, I did enjoy some beach time in Nantucket during the tour. As we set up our umbrella and chairs, pulled out our books, I smiled and scanned the horizon. Next thing I know, close to the beach, a fin appeared. This fin was big, and it was darting - almost as if a person was swimming underwater pretending to be a shark. But this wasn't pretend. As the shark leaped out of the water and attacked the seal it was stalking, we watched speechless. The life guards cleared the water, and at first, told us it was a dolphin.

     I'm a big fan of Shark Week. I know my sharks and this was no dolphin. 

     When the head lifeguard arrived, he told us they thought it was a sand shark. I'm not sure, but that night, during Shark Week, the show was about the resurgence of Great Whites near Chatham, in Cape Cod, due to the repopulation of seals - their favorite food.  We saw a lot of seals in the waters around Nantucket, just saying.  

     The point? Book tours are a reflection of life. There are the highs - so many great experiences, fun interactions with readers and book store staff - and some lows, complete with snarks, too. But probably the best part of being on a book tour is having the opportunity to talk about my love of reading and writing with others who share that same passion.

     This summer has been an amazing gift - one that I'll remember forever. More on the unusual next post!

Real You: Chronicles of the travelling Wedding Plant

An added benefit of my recent almost two-week long Here, Home, Hope Book Tour was a stop back "home", in Columbus, Ohio. During a book signing at Loot, a great shop in happening Short North retail and cultural district, I was reunited with my Wedding Plant. One of my best friends, Kathy, had been watching over my precious spider plant for the two years since we'd moved to California. As she wiped a tear and handed over the 22-year-old spider plant, which was flourishing under her care, she said, "It's the last piece of you I have here. I'm really attached to her." (Kathy is on the right with my other friend Molly.)

It's easy to grow attached the The Wedding Plant, as countless folks have during the book tour. Here is its story: The wedding plant originated as a tiny spider plant that was part of my green and white wedding bouquet 21 years ago. My mother, an avid gardener with a bright green thumb, plucked the unsuspecting spider from my bouquet just before I tossed it per custom to all the single ladies.

Mom returned home that night, planted the little spider, and helped it grow for the next five years. I had no idea she'd even thought to do this. On our 5th Wedding Anniversary, she presented the plant to my husband and I.

Through the ensuing years - including four babies, two cats, three dogs, many jobs, snowstorms, two different houses, two birds, and all that life will throw your way - the wedding plant has flourished. Sure, some years it looked a little pale. Other years, it had offshoots galore, growing and thriving with gusto.

But most importantly, it survived. And with its survival, it became more than just a plant, it has become symbolic of the struggles and joys of a long-term relationship, of the need for its care and feeding, of the need to nurture and cherish it.

And that's why everywhere I went during this leg of the Here, Home, Hope Book Tour - from Columbus, to Cincinnati, to Louisville, to Nashville and Memphis, to Eureka Springs and Oklahoma City and Albuquerque - the Wedding Plant came with me. Literally, creating a whole new set of rules for travelling in the summer with the Wedding Plant.

Did you know it's hot out there? When travelling with a wedding plant it's essential to gas up only at stations with shade. For a lunch break lasting longer than 10 minutes, the wedding plant must come inside. When stacking the luggage cart for the night's stop, it is critical the wedding plant is nestled securely amongst the luggage. And during the drive, the wedding plant needs light and air and a protected spot in the back seat.

Seriously, it was almost as intense as travelling with an infant. (Almost.) In Nashville, the Wedding Plant enjoyed a view of the Parthenon, while in Eureka Springs she had her own coffee table. During a stop in Memphis my husband had a lunch meeting, so the Wedding Plant had to come inside Boscos, too. The friendly hostess took care of it while we ate. When temperatures rose to 109 degrees outside, but we wanted to see the Oklahoma City National Memorial, we took turns at the site so someone could stay inside the car, air conditioning running, with the Wedding Plant.

The plant may have saved us from a speeding ticket outside of Tulsa, as the Sheriff enjoyed the story and let us off with a warning. She survived the ghosts of The Crescent Hotel and the blistering heat of the Painted Desert truck stop. Most of all, she is now where she belongs. At home, and hopefully happily growing and thriving for another 25 years.

Real You: Book Parties!

     Don't you just love a party? I do. And I have had a blast this past month at launch parties for HERE, HOME, HOPE at friends' homes and at amazing small businesses across the country. If you're interested in hosting a party - and having me there - please let me know! We have a Book Party Kit and more to help make your event a fun, memorable summer soiree! Please contact me - kaira AT kairarouda.com for more information or send me a message on Facebook or Twitter.      Coming up this month are stops in Dallas (June 8 and 9), Los Angeles (June 10-13), Scottsdale (June 14 and 15) - followed closely by Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Jacksonville, Orlando, and then a huge swing through the Northeast: Portland, Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket and more. I would love to join you, your friends, your book club and more for a party. I'll also be making appearances at book stores across the country all summer and I'd love to see you there. Book tour here.   

I wrote about how much fun the parties have been, and how it's been a great excuse to reconnect with friends for Girlfriendology, and my friend Debba Haupert. See you in Cincinnati, Debba!!

Real You: Let's talk Turkey

I'm just about two weeks into my whirlwind Book Tour for HERE, HOME, HOPE so I thought it would be a great time to blog about the exciting adventures on the road.

So far, stops have included: Malibu, West Hollywood, Capitola, Piedmont, Sacramento - and tonight, San Francisco.

Here's what I've learned so far: 1. You can never guage how many people will show up at a book tour stop, nor can you tell if those who show up will buy the book. BUT, you will meet fun, new friends. 2. Turkeys are wild in Sacramento. Yes, in the neighborhoods, gobbling and the like. And they're huge. And they scare me. 3. Bill The Oyster Man from Santa Cruz has a huge heart and more stories about oyster and catfish farming than anyone on the planet. True. 4. It doesn't matter how many announcements the community relations person at the bookstore makes over the loud speaker just before your booksigning, only people there to see you will come over. The rest of the shoppers will glare at you. 5. The Santa Monica Barnes & Noble is huge, with a very large, very important looking author presentation room. (scary!) 6. The Summer Kitchen Bake Shop in Berkley is considering placing HERE, HOME, HOPE on display next to Kelly Corrigan's LIFT. I believe it's meant to be as I need a reason to go there and eat some more amazing food. 7. If you serve wine at a book signing party, the questions get much more interesting. 8. Bookstores and book people rock. It's a great community. 9. While on a book tour, I feel compelled to explain my 2 star review on Amazon.com, even though it is my only one. It is haunting me, clearly. My publicist tells me to stop it, but I cannot. 10. The hours before a book signing provide many angst-ridden moments; the hours after, fond memories for a lifetime.

Thank you to everyone I've met along the way so far. A special thank you to: Room at the Beach, Chevalier's Books, Barnes & Noble Santa Monica, Capitola Book Cafe, Barnes & Noble, Arden Fair in Sacramento and Book Passage, Ferry Building San Francisco. Next week, the HERE, HOME, HOPE book tour heads to Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, where I'll bring you more highlights from the road. And if I'm in your neighborhood, please come on by and let's talk about books!