9,806 Miles

November 27, 2017 2 Comments
Susan signs Pass Books
Signing CHERRY BOMB at Pass Books in Pass Christian, Mississippi (with a view of the ocean)

 

As we near the end of 2017, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at my book tour travels this year. It was incredible to have three books published within six months (February, March, and August) but it did present a marketing challenge. I am so thankful to the bookstores (independents and big box stores) who welcomed me for 2-3 visits during the year to read from my books. And to the Friends of the Library groups, book clubs, and friends who hosted me for private salons in their homes. I’ve already added the miles I’ll be driving in December (I have 6 more events in December for Cherry Bomb), and the total for the year will be 9,806 miles (in ten months, March through December). That’s an average of 980 miles/month that I drove for book tours this year! Here’s a recap of those events:

With my author friend River Jordan, just before she interviewed me at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville for Clearstory Radio
With my author friend River Jordan, just before she interviewed me at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville for Clearstory Radio

21 events for Cherry Bomb

12 events for Tangles and Plaques

9 events for A Second Blooming

 

At the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, just before a reading of A SECOND BLOOMING with Cassandra King, NancyKay Wessman, and Susan Marquez at Nevermore Books
At the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, just before a reading of A SECOND BLOOMING with Cassandra King, NancyKay Wessman, and Susan Marquez at Nevermore Books

Visited 16 cities/towns and 9 states

 

Skyped with a book club in Texas

 

Types of events/venues:

 

Bookstores:  18

 

Libraries (Friends of the Library groups and/or book clubs): 6

 

Book clubs in homes: 4

 

Celebrating with Beth Ann Fennelly (Poet Laureate of Mississippi) at the Mississippi Book Festival
Celebrating with Beth Ann Fennelly (Poet Laureate of Mississippi) at the Mississippi Book Festival

Book Festivals (in 3 states): 3

 

Private salons in homes: 2

 

Community College Women’s Conference: 1

 

Alzheimer’s Support Group: 1

 

Music & Books event at bar/restaurant: 1

 

Memphis Botanic Gardens: 1

 

With Memphis contributors to A SECOND BLOOMING at our launch at the Memphis Botanic Gardens: me, Jen Bradner, Ellen Morris Prewitt, Sally Thomason, and Susan Henley
With Memphis contributors to A SECOND BLOOMING at our launch at the Memphis Botanic Gardens: me, Jen Bradner, Ellen Morris Prewitt, Sally Thomason, and Susan Henley

In 2018 I’m looking forward to adding to those miles and events as I travel to Nacogdoches, Texas for the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend in January—where I’m on panels for both Cherry Bomb and A Second Blooming—and then finish up my Cherry Bomb tour at a few more events in Memphis and Mississippi.

In 1988, as I was leaving my home town of Jackson, Mississippi, to move to Memphis—and especially as I was leaving the aerobic dance business that I directed for several years in my thirties—the song that brought tears to my eyes most often was “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” It might sound silly, but running that aerobic dance business was one of the first things I ever did that made me feel really good about myself, so it was difficult to leave it. The lyrics are running through my head this morning as I think about how wonderful this year has been, and I’m so thankful to have realized this part of my dream as a writer.

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