HOME FOR A MOMENT

Sadie and I have been quite lazy with our blog updates. Both of us have felt like Cinderella since April 8 when we began our book tour in Richmond Virginia…and let me tell you…there’s nothing like feeling like Cinderella.
Sadie showed her true colors right off the bat in Richmond…there was no doubt after our initial stop that SHE was going to be the STAR of the tour and that she was a great traveling companion. Sadie also seemed to have an innate ability to just roll with the punches whatever they were.
After a great welcome at the Wyndham Hotel in Richmond…and I do mean great for me and GREATER for Sadie…we checked into a rather standard type hotel room. Soon the Wyndham welcome lady came by with bottled water, fresh fruit, and an assortment of goodies to help us feel right at home. Immediately the warning of my dentist back in Charleston echoed in my mind…Pat had told me not to “go out on tour and let everyone wine and dine you and gain back a ton of weight.” With those words resounding in my brain, I placed the muffins and cookies and crackers on the bed that Season would have when she arrived. Hey when it comes to weight gain…better your best friend then you …right??!
That afternoon I was interviewed by E-Diets over the telephone. All during the interview those deadly snacks were within sight and I was relieved that I had not devoured them! The interview was fun and I was thrilled to know we would soon be featured on their mega-successful website.
Our first ever book signing was that night. After showering slowly and taking the ultimate time with make-up…I brushed Sadie, sprayed some of her Mango Tango perfume on her…and put on my beautiful SIZE FOUR sequined jeans, some fantastic high heels and a snazzy top and we were off to Fountain Books. Remember…this is day ONE of the tour so size four jeans were no problem. We’ll talk about what I wore on the last stop in Dayton, Ohio much, much later!
Season, a busy lawyer now operating her own practice was late and just met us at the store. As Sadie and I parked the DOG DIET TOUR CAR and walked to the store, I could barely keep my balance walking on the cobblestone street with these shoes! But as we approached the store window I caught my breath…there in the store window were dozens of THE DOG DIET complete with a big photo of Sadie and me. I swear this is true…Sadie stood on her hind legs and just stared at the window. She signed, but I cried and darn, I forgot to wear the waterproof mascara, which is typical of me. So we went inside and met Kelly and her great staff. Fountain is a very old bookstore just loaded with charm and great books. But for tonight, there was also a supply of dog treats as this was our first DOG’S NIGHT OUT and patrons were welcome to bring their Fidos and Fifis to the signing.
That night we learned what all the authors had meant when they told us book signings were not the place to sell books…because my worst nightmare of “What happens if you have a book signing and nobody comes” came to life. NO ONE CAME…welll…one person if I remember correctly did stop by with her dog and said hello. So we chatted with the staff…signed copies for the store, and said goodbye until the next day when Fountain would sell copies of our book after our presentation at the SOUTHERN WOMEN’S SHOW.
As we had driven to Richmond from Charleston and had stopped 3 times along the way to do radio interviews as well as take bathroom breaks and Season had worked all day and driven from Raleigh, we were all three just exhausted. We picked up some food from a deli at a local supermarket, ate our dinners, and climbed into bed. That’s when I knew something was wrong. The bottom of my bed under the covers was SOAKING WET! I kicked off the covers surprising Sadie who leaped to the floor and barked…Season sat up and turned on the light and we called the front desk. Seems some hasty maid put WET SHEETS on this bed which soaked through to the mattress and was just plain disgusting.
We were tired…the three of us had our stuff strewn all over the room and we knew we had to be up at 5:00 a. m. in order to find out way to a television station in the morning to do a show. After much delay by the housekeeping staff and us not wanting to gather everything up and move, a manager arrived and handed me a new room key…I stood holding it and explained that we were just too tired to move etc. and handed it back as she tried to get a word in and finally blurted out…”But its a TWO BEDROOM SUITE WITH A KITCHEN , DINING ROOM,LIVING ROOM, JACUZZI AND THREE FLAT SCREEN TELEVISIONS. “Oh,” I said, as I gently took the key back. Nothing like a big luxury suite to make moving even mountains of stuff no problem…even at 1:00 in the morning! So just like that we moved from the small room up to the equivalent of a Presidential Suite. Sadie was delighted…she ran up and down the hall as the housekeepers helped us lug our endless possessions to the new digs. They were splendid! On the last trip I noticed Sadie was not frolicking at my heels and as I entered the suite…there she was…sound asleep in front of the couch.
Sadie had to be removed from the audience during my preparation of a DOGLICIOUS LUNCH because she was not content to just “see” me…she whined and howled and stood on her hind legs in the back of the room while I attempted to be heard over my headset mike which was not happening. So Season took her for a stroll while I finished the presentation.
Saturday morning we were up early and at the local CBS Television affiliate (On TIME) to appear with TaRhonda Thomas on her morning show. AND it was our first official GREEN ROOM! We had arrived! Sadie kept her ear and nose to the door that led directly from the Green Room into the studio and finally it was our time to appear. The show was a lot of fun, but a former guest had most likely spilled something on the floor, as Sadie’s ultra sensitive nose was in full operation sniffing the floor during the interview.
We rushed back to the SOUTHERN WOMEN’S SHOW to make sure all our preparations were in order for the next show and as we were all starving we went back to the Wyndham planning on just a quick pass through the breakfast buffet to take food to our great dining room and eat. But…the host pointed out that we could eat right in the dining room WITH SADIE in a dog section! All three of us were thrilled and had a delicious breakfast together…returned to the suite to freshen up before the show..Sadie wanted to switch to her pink collasr….and off we went.
I thought the audience had heard the wrong announcement when we got there as there was standing room only in the kitchen audience…seems that CBS show with TaRhonda is quite popular and these people came to meet SADIE after seeing her on TV. This time she stayed at the front of the stage, still emitting a loud sigh every now and then, but none the less..I was able to be heard. The DOGLICIOUS LUNCH was prepared, the sample handed out, and I signed many books and talked to dozens of people. It was our first taste of celebrity and we liked it.
The tour was off and running. Sadie slept most of the way back to Charleston, but I talked to her anyway going on and on about how great the weekend had been. Excited about the book…handing out fliers at gas stations, roadside rest stops, and to Toll Booth attendants. If this was just the beginning…let us fall asleep tonight dreaming of bestseller lists, and our appearance on OPRAH. Hey…I learned a long time ago if you are going to take the time to dream…dream big. After all…our beautiful book started out on a cold day in March when I borough a small puppy home for only one night. And look at us now. NEXT STOP THE BIG APPLE FOR THE BOOK LAUNCH!!!!