Yoyo as Home Ground

In October, I found myself back in northern Idaho territory, including Eastern Washington. For the first time, I had scheduled a "signing"--at Hastings Books in Coeur d’Alene through Simone, the resident expert on Northwest history books. Her section rivals any I’ve seen anywhere, including Elliott Bay Books in Seattle. Stop in and take a look! Not incidentally, Hastings and Simone have sold more of my books than any other bookstore–well over 100 at this point. Thanks in part to her and others who have purchased my book, the University of Oklahoma Press has gone into a second printing!

"Today, I’m signing books at Hastings, Mom," I mentioned before I left her house. "Do you want to come? It’s a three hour stint, from two to five."

"You’re not reading?" She frowned. "Well, maybe for a little while."

A table near the front door awaited me, loaded with copies of The Good Times Are All Gone Now. I arrived at 1:30 in the afternoon, with my AV man (Gerry), all our accoutrement (painting, photographs, mining gear) and my mother. We found a chair for her and as soon as the clock hit 2:00, people began arriving at my table. Many I knew already, as did my mother. I usually pointed to her original painting and said, "My mother’s painting is on the cover." She loved to be introduced although, as usual, she knew nearly everyone. Several people asked her to autograph the book too.

Before long, the widow of the lawyer I worked for in Kellogg while in high school, came in. She talked to me and talked to Mother, back and forth. Simone brought her a chair, and my cheering section was established. Penny, from the deep South many years ago, greeted people in her southern accent with "I’m from Alabama" and went from there, usually ending with "Buy this book. It’s so good. Julie worked for my husband and he thought she was the smartest girl he knew." Everyone talked with both of them, including people who had never even been to Kellogg. They stayed with me all afternoon. Books just flew off my table because people bought two, three, five and seven copies. Simone replenished several times. A grand afternoon for all of us!

The next day, I read at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane, another classic like Elliott Bay Books and Powell’s. Again, we arrived and set up and again, friends came in early to talk. Two families of sisters I’d known in high school took up a whole row. My mother sat in the front row next to two old friends. A former boyfriend from Kellogg school days arrived with his wife. People I didn’t know also joined the mix. After lots of questions and laughs, I went to the book signing table where a line had formed.

One of the best things about this tour has been seeing old friends and making some new ones. Ken Lonn, the artist who sculpted the Sunshine Memorial, came to my reading in Seattle, and sent me a beautiful mining pendant (see photo). Another new friend was Joe Collins, who attends all readings at Auntie’s and takes photos of every author. He gives one to Eastern Washington University’s library, keeps one for his own collection, and sends one to the author.

Auntie’s ran out of books and I furnished eighteen of my own to fill the gap. Another successful event!

Next: Back to Seattle’s Third Place Books