Stick a Needle in My Eye

Tonight was the monthly meeting of the Romance Readers group at the Los Gatos Bookstore that I work for (more on that later). Granted we were a week early on the meeting, but we have a good excuse. San Francisco is hosting the RWA conference next week. A group of the ladies will be heading up to SF on Wednesday late afternoon for the Author Signing Event. Publishers donate books, over 300 authors show up and sign books and all proceeds benefit Literacy. Too cool. Well, to be honest, maybe there's something wrong with me, but I could care less about an author signing my book. A book written well is good enough for me.

Then why am a I going? Well, signing the book aside, that doesn't mean I won't pass up the opportunity to meet my favorite author and gush and generally tell them what a good job they are doing and keep up the good work. Everyone needs appreciation, and I, appreciation junkie that I am, am determined to give it.

On the other hand, I am determined to go the bookseller's/ librarian networking event. That's where I bring up stick a needle in my eye. I am sure there are things in my life that are more painful than networking (meeting total strangers and trying to talk to them) but I can't think of any at the moment. Why am I going? Because I am a closet masochist? No. Because there are things in life that I feel I must do and just because I don't like them, doesn't mean I don't benefit from them. A great example of this would be that I hate, HATE to exercise, but I do it anyway, because its good for me. Granted I don't have to interact with total strangers to exercise (well, okay, I suppose when I walk around the track I am around total strangers, but I can pretend they don't exist...no such pretending at a networking event.) I can't allow myself to become a hermit. Plus, I get to meet the Romance buyer for the chain I work for.

Going back to the Romance Readers Group, can I tell you how much I love these people? I get to spend an hour talking to people who love romance as much as I do. Then after the meeting is essentially done, you are rewarded with free books! It get to talk about books and I get free books. Sounds like a scam, doesn't it? Yep, we get Arc's...advanced reader copies. LOOOOOVE IT! Tonight I got 4 free books, one of which I was wanting to read. I do have tons of books I need to read, but I suppose I am not alone in this as everyone in the group has tons of books they need to read.

And on that comment, I will say that I have significantly reduced my hours at the bookstore (so I can read more!). I will be working only once a month from now on. I was getting burned out, but I wanted to stay on to keep the bennies, mainly being able to call myself a bookseller. Can't really go to the bookseller networking event if you aren't a bookseller, right? Really, its the ongoing story of my life. Too much I want to do and not enought time to do it all.