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Nora Roberts's |
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B&N, Carmel, IN
Friday, April 4, 2003
APRIL 4th - BARNES & NOBLE - CARMEL, IN
Well, the day started out fine if you didn't mind thunderstorms and lightning. I kept hoping it would clear up by the time I had to head over to Indianapolis for the signings, and it pretty much did. I got to the Barnes and Noble with only one wrong turn: I turned into the strip mall across the street. I decided to go and pay for my books that I had called for earlier to be set aside. I don't even want to go into the story that developed from that call. As I'm waiting in line wondering which lot of 25 I'll end up in, Dawn (dawnqls) comes up and grabs me. She had managed to get a bunch of tickets for the first lot. Yeah!!
Now, thanks to my lead foot, I have arrived about two hours ahead of time, even with the time zone difference that won't be a difference anymore after Sunday. Those crazy Indianans. So, I just browse around the store, go out to the car to get my stuff and see Jill and Wendy on their way back in, back in to set my stuff down and meet Dawn's family (really cute niece), browse some more, spot the Nancys who I didn't expect to see until tomorrow, catch up with the Nancys, browse some more, am waiting for one of my former babysitters who lives in Carmel to show up, browse some more, spot Nora step in and be immediately whisked off into the back, browse some more and finally see Jeanne come in.
We get Jeanne all settled with the raffle drawing and book and then head to where Nora's going to do the Q & A section. There were people scattered aaaallll over the place. Couldn't even imagine doing a head count. Jeanne and I get settled in our seats towards the front and sit back to enjoy. This is Jeanne's first book signing ever and she is just amazed. Nora comes in and the crowd goes wild. Lots of questions on if we would get more (insert favorite series her) books. Luckily no one asked about Eve and babies. Nora then heads off to sign and we get in line. Since, thanks to Dawn, we're all in the first group, we get through pretty quickly. Photos are taken with Nora, gifts are given, and we head out for dinner before meeting up with Nora for drinks later. Jeanne couldn't join us because of visitors coming the next day. Dawn, the Nancys, and I stop at Mickey's Irish Pub down the road and have pizza. Interesting.
After dinner, we head back into Indianapolis and are treated to an intense light show from the storm hovering over the city. I loved it. We finally found a parking garage close to the hotel and headed out into the downpour. We had to take the stairs up to the street level, and that hallway seemed like something out of a Stephen King novel. Under construction and NO signage.
The hotel's bar is definitely Old England. Dark paneling, paintings of dead ducks, lots of smoke and men sitting in club chairs. Wendy and Jill managed to save one side of the room and were waiting for us. We sat down and enjoyed the company. The bar was definitely hot thanks to all the extra bodies in it, and men just kept coming in. At one point, I was wondering where they thought they were going to go as where I was sitting was basically the end of the line and the kept inching over. We found out that there was a police/fire department convention of some sort in town. Unfortunately, I didn't see any worthwhile guys. *Sigh*.
Around eleven or so, we see Nora and Publicity Heather fighting their way through the crowd. We had a great time chatting with them, especially after the crowd thinned out. I loved talking with Heather as we're only a year apart in age, and it was interesting to see how someone got into the book publicity business. When asked, Nora said that there were approximately 500 people at the Barnes & Noble signing. WOW! Nora and Heather also told us about their escort for the day. Interesting story. We just all had a blast sitting and unwinding from the long day as most of us had travelled in earlier that day like Nora.
I have to say thank you again to Dawn and her sister Monica for letting me stay with them at Monica's house Friday night. I don't think I would have made it back to Champaign, and apparently all of the hotels were booked up for the convention. For as long as I've been a part of this community, I am always grateful for the wonderful people who choose to be a part of it.
Katie
Click here for pictures from the Carmel/Indy signings from Katie
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