 Nora's
Carolina
Moon Tour 2000
B&N
Nashville, Tennessee
Monday, March 11
Annette
Arrived in Nashville easily enough. Room was not
only ready, but I was already checked in via NY.
NOW we're talking. Cold here. Big shock to the
system to walk out of the airport and get whipped
in the face by a brisk wind.
Zoned all afternoon.
Busy day today. Justine is my escort, and has
taken me around before. Nice to have a familiar
face.
Nora
Radio spot--NPR station this morning. Good,
solid 30 min interview. Love them. Then we had some
time before noon TV deal. Went by Farmer's Market.
Putzed around. Found two gorgeous stepping stones.
Really beautiful work. Several kinds--flowers
animals, symbols. But the two--one of a sun with
deep gold rays, and one of a crescent moon and
stars--caught me. Big heavy jobs--like 40 pounds
each. Escort is shipping them home for me.
Onto TV spot. Done this one before two--slick
and pretty.
Back to hotel for lunch--yay--and phoner.
Caught up with other calls, had bellmen in and
out with pressing, faxes, stuff. Walked into the
bedroom and the maid and I nearly gave each other
heart attacks. Both of us thought we were alone in
the suite--and after nearly walking into each
other, and screaming--both of us all but sat on the
floor laughing.
You had to be there.
Got a signing tonight, then need to organize for
flight to Memphis tomorrow.
Weather warmed up some. Pretty day.
Nora
Pretty good day. Tired by the end of it, but
bound to be.
Joseph at B&N here put on a lovely signing.
He was very nervous, and very sweet. Still having
trouble getting them to put out the Robb book,
despite faxes and phone calls from NY, and my own
little nudge when I arrive. Publicity Liz is going
straight to head of sales on it, and he'll make
calls.
Escort found me a copy of Time right
before the signing. As soon as I opened the
article, I knew there was trouble. Passion on the
Pages. Jeez, can't these people come up with
ANYTHING new or original? Cartoon romance couple in
big heart as illustration. First part of article,
written by some guy, goes through the business. A
very mixed bag of facts and the usual snide
comments and cheap shots. Segues to me with a
lovely quote from the lovely Kate Duffy. Now I
adore Kate and she spoke of me kindly, but why, I
wonder, didn't they talk to an editor I've actually
worked with? Oh well, I owe Duffy a drink in DC.
The part of me was another mixed bag with the best
of it being from Duffy and the photographer. Good
picture. The reporter again took shots at the
genre, my book--which I think she synopsized
inaccurately--and my work. Why she thinks I'd be
pleased with this article escapes me. She takes two
of my sentences out of context as an example of why
it's best to read me quickly so the reader doesn't
linger on my language. Claims that the main focus
of the book, really, is the heroine hooking the
hero and that nothing too bad is going to happen. I
guess she missed the child abuse, the child
rape/murder, the sexual homicide, the ripping apart
of a family. Obviously, SHE read it fast.
Ends with saying that I don't worry about
negative comments on my work as I have a closet
full of shoes and Armani and go on European
vacations with my husband on a whim. Now...anybody
ever know me to travel ANYWHERE on a whim? One
vacation a year is a damn whim? Makes me sound
shallow and money grubbing, imo.
I'm pretty thick-skinned about this stuff, but
in this case, I spent a lot of time with this
woman. She saw and knew my life-style. Nothing in
the article reflects that, or my true relationship
with my readers, whom she also insults.
I put the anger aside and do the signing, which
goes a long way to soothing my feathers. One woman tells me that she's 41,
and had NEVER read a book until she was 40. Picked
up River's
End because the
cover appealed to her. Finally sat down to try to
read it one day, and was hooked. Has read steadily
now for a year and loves to read. Thanked me for
opening that door to her. Who needs
Time Magazine?
I called Publicity Liz on my return to give her
my take on the article. I should've known when she
didn't give me hers that morning. She agrees with
me, and I find myself even more annoyed. Not with
Liz--with the twist the magazine took on this
piece. The reporter checked the numbers countless
times, up through Monday night. 112 million in
print. And reported 106. Just goes to show somebody
doesn't listen, even to something as basic as
numbers, so why should they listen to intellect?
On my way to Memphis this morning. Still letting
off steam.
Nora
ADWOFF > NORA'S
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MOON
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