 Nora's
Carolina
Moon Tour 2000
B&N
New York, New York
Wednesday, April 12
Thank goodness, the day had finally arrived! I
was going to get to see Nora just as she is
wrapping up her 6 week, nationwide tour. The
discussion/signed was scheduled to start at 7:30
PM, so, Mom and I headed off to Barnes and Noble,
timing it to arrive around 6:30 PM.
When I walked in the door, I noticed they
decided to set up the seating area in the back of
the store. This allowed twice as many chairs than
they had for the last event -- River's End.
For that one, we were all cramped in the middle of
the store. Kudos to B&N for much better
planning this year! Mom and I managed to nail a few
seats in the middle of the second row. I believe
there were already about 50 people there sitting
and milling around the perimeter of the area. There
was a table set up in the front of the area with a
nice assortment of Nora's books. I chose the two
books about the Donovans -- Donovan Legacy
(w/ the first three stories) and Enchanted.
I headed off to the cash register to pay for them.
This make 5 books I now had to be signed, so I gave
the two new ones to Mom to take up when it was our
turn. I was getting Carolina Moon, Carnal
Innocence, and WID signed.
Nora entered the area right at 7:30 PM, looking
very put-together and alert. She only did a
Question and Answer period for about 20 minutes. I
videotaped the whole thing, after first getting the
'OK' from the Queen herself. I had e-mailed Nora
earlier in the tour asking her if she minded, and
she didn't mind at all. At this session we managed
to get by without a question about Seth, but
Eve/Roarke having a baby was thrown out to Nora. Of
course, she handled it w/class and finesse.
Nora mentioned that she was going back to
Ireland in June. Well, Mom is going to Ireland in
May with my brother, so she decides she will ask
Nora later on, up front, if she has a favorite
place there. As usual, Nora was very forthcoming
and entertaining with her answers to our questions.
I told her that I was going to be at TTP IV for the
very first time, and asked what kind of things I
could expect to see there that weekend? Nora said
that there is a get-together every year at the end
of July at her husband's bookstore for the
anniversary. All the ladies from the board --
Broads and Brats -- gather for the weekend. If she
gets the chance to have drinks with them, although
she has never seen it, she has heard that possibly
some of them end up dancing naked on the tables.
She has never had proof, like video tape, but maybe
this year she will get some. Hummm, could she
possibly mean me with my video camera? OK Nora, I
am on the case!
The book signing was done very democratically.
Each row got up and queued in front of the table,
adding row by row and the line moved along. Being
in the second row worked out very well, and it
didn't take long for our turn to speak to the
Queen. I was ready with my books, and we had some
'small talk'. Then, I presented Nora with my gifts
-- a bag of Lindt Chocolates because well, you
know...and a small kit with a chalkboard and chalk.
This, I informed her, was for future hotel room
stays. When "do not disturb" just doesn't quite cut
it, she can make her own message for the 'annoying
help'. Nora laughed and sand she knows exactly what
to put on it! Mom took my picture with Nora, then
it was her turn. She got her books signed and asked
Nora about her favorite place in Ireland. She gave
Mom some good tips, and said that she loved County
Claire a lot. Mom started to walk away after that,
but I reminded her she still needed her picture
taken. She got so flustered that she forgot. We got
out of B&N by 8:30 PM, which wasn't too bad.
From the looks of the crowd still there, poor Nora
must have been stuck until 11:30!
All I can tell you about Nora's attire is she
was wearing a gray pinstripe jacket over a white,
long sleeve shell. Didn't see any necklace.
We had a wonderful time! Thank you Nora, and all
the fans we met.
Janet
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