I've always been a firm believer in buying used books. Paying full price for a book seemed silly when I can buy it for ten percent of the list price and still get all of the original pages included. Also that governement sponsored Blockbuster but for books place makes it even ore painful to shell out that much cash. The only time I pay full price for the book is when the author is handing it to me. And that's what I did yesterday.
I heard about Adrienne Barbeau's book Vampyres of Hollywood on (ssshhhhhhocking) the Adam Carolla Show. But I read in my local paper that she was appearing at a book store two towns over.
After days of running around and not getting freaking things done, I decided I needed to have a little fun and go to a book signing. I asked my brother if he wanted to come and he obliged. Sadly he didn't realize it was a reading, Q&A, then signing. Sadly, I wasn't really looking forward to the entire thing myself, but that's okay. I read that it was at 7PM so we headed out at 6:15 even though it was only about 15 minutes away.
Yeah, I got directions online and I still got lost. That's a special talent of mine. I can be on the other side of the country with a map and do just fine, but I half-ass local directions and waste gas like crazy (Sorry Mother Earth.). Well, we get there at about 6:45 and decide to head on in and get a good spot.
Well, as I go in, I see on the board outside that the signing is at 5. WHAT, WHAT, WHAT????? Crap, I missed it. She's gone. Freaking newspaper telling me that it was at 7. I then had Homer's Mr. T at the mall story going through my head. I was about to tearfully ask if she would be back and be sad when they would say "they didn't know". But it worked out because in the back of the bookstore Ms. Barbeau was sitting signing books and chatting with a few stray customers.
This was awesome. I went up to her and said that I wanted to complain about the newspaper saying the wrong time. Then I realized I was blaming the paper and if under under oath, I probably could not swear that they got it wrong. I'm not perfect. She actually asked the store owner to check and see if it said 7. Turns out that there were events listed in a column and I read 7 for one of the other places. I hung my head in shame.
She said she was sorry that I missed the reading and the Q&A, but were there any questions I had for her. I can't believe I said it, but I turned to the person handing her the stack of books to sign and obviously watching the time for her and asked her how to become an assistant like her. Turns out she was the event coordinator for the store. Of well. I got one of the books, had her sign it. Asked if she could sign my copy of Cannibal Women in the Avocado of Death (Don't act like you've never seen it.), and got my picture taken with her.
So due to a blunder on my part, I missed the reading that would have spoiled part of the book, the Q&A I wasn't prepared for, the long line to stand in, and the feeling of rush because I didn't want to deny the people behind me their time with a celebrity. So all in all, it couldn't have gone better. Whoo! Now I just have to get past the sting of the $25 on my credit card and I'll be happy.
