There are many rewarding moments in a writers life, yet one of the high points in the process of writing a book is getting the opportunity to talk to readers face to face. I’ve just returned from a weeklong book tour to Massachusetts and Virginia where I had the chance to meet a few of my readers. It was wonderful.

I was very fortunate to be able to use the beautiful event space at the Tatnuck Bookseller since we had a good size crowd dropping in and out all afternoon. Of all the events during the week, this first stop was the only one where I actually stood behind a podium and talked. I read for a few minutes then answered questions for about an hour. A friend tried taping the conversation with mixed results, but if you’d like a taste of how the afternoon went – take a glimpse at this video.

The second stop in Massachusetts was the Shrewsbury Public Library. This was a much more intimate event. I spent a half hour chatting with a lovely woman who had seen an article about me in the local newspaper.  We talked about my books for a while, then moved on to books in general. It was great. Later on, two little kids came to the library to meet a “real author.” They were adorable. We talked about their school and the books they like to read and were excited when I offered to sign bookmarks for them.

The highlight of the trip though, was talking to the Martha Circle at the church I grew up in. Many of the ladies were retired teachers so after I talked a little about my books, we had a wonderful conversation about my education and the role my English teachers played in my early life. I even got the chance to pick their brains about town history for one of the books I am currently working on.

The last stop of the week was at Fountain Bookstore. If you are ever in Richmond, VA I recommend you drop by this adorable bookstore. It is locate on a quaint brick lined street and has an incredible staff. I spent a relaxed afternoon talking to the people that wandered in and out of the store and had a fun afternoon. It was a good way to end a long week of travel.