One of my Favorite Authors, Kimberla Lawson Roby, comes to Town!!

*Dedicated to my book club sister SHUNDA!!

So I catch a little bit of flack sometime...

And I saw some of that come out at my "Women of Character" meeting last Sunday.

My book club sister Shunda yells out "LadyLee, you coming to the book club signing on Friday night?"

Now, I had gotten the email. But hell, I'm taking my behind home on a Friday night. I am tired. I'm trying to lay down somewhere and take a PHAT nap!

But if you talk to me long enough, you can talk me into anything.

So Shunda yells out, "LadyLee only goes see Tayari!"

I walk over to her. Yes, if I hear Tayari's name, I must walk in that direction. Because Tayari may be in the room, you know. I would like to say hi, and ask some writing questions. Nothing like a bootleg thirty second impromptu writing workshop, babes.

Nope. Only Shunda is there. And she yells "LadyLee, you only go to Tayari's booksignings!"

I look at her. "Yeah," I yell defiantly!!

I had a vision of myself pushing her. I probably would have if I she didn't have a backache at the time. Plus, I think she can easily kick my ass without breaking a sweat, even with her bad back.

"Yeah," I yell again, as if daring her to make an issue out of it. The words "Yeah, N****!!!" almost comes out after that. It was on the tip of my tongue. But um, 3-D visions of a severe beatdown (my own) clouded my mind.

Yes!! I only go to Tayari's readings and signings! YEAH!!!

*LadyLee kicking the fist pump so hard that she throws her shoulder out of joint*

No. That ain't true. I like A LOT of authors. I am a prolific reader. It's just that a lot of authors are stealth, and they are not accessible. And daggonit, if they come to town, you have to be some type of magician to figure out where they are and when they are coming. Some of them don't even update their websites, let along ATTEMPT to have a blog!!

Yeah, I am a fan of many, but let's just say that I will not be chasing an author around trying to get a book signed. And if the author is all aloof and stuck up, well, they REALLY don't have to worry about me wasting my time showing up for a book signing. Yes, I will buy the books, but uh rah, I'm not wasting gas driving out to see you!!

HUMPH.

*Lee calming down and getting back to the point of this post*

So I fought traffic on Thursday night to get out to the Camp Creek Barnes and Nobles to see one of my ALL TIME favorite authors: Kimberla Lawson Roby.

I have attended several of her signings in the past. I like her because she puts out a book every January. She is an excellent writer. she is an easy intelligent read, and will tackle meaty matters such as abuse, sibling isshas, workplace isshas, etc... and do it WELL! I read her books in a matter of two days. I go ahead on and buy the hardback as soon as it comes out. As far as I'm concerned, she's one of the most consistent contemporary black writers out there right now.

She just released her eigth book, Love and Lies.

Let me tell you what she did:

Back in 2005, at the NBCC conference, she got everybody's email address as they came through to take pics with her, get their books signed, etc. Then she sent out mass emails from time to time. I like this, because, hint, it LET'S ME KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! Then, when Love and Lies was a couple months from being released...

... she sent out the first chapter, and asked for feedback. I sent feedback (of course the first chapter was off the chain), and she sent back a personal email.

As a result... A gazillion readers were at her booksigning. Yep, we were all in there, butt to butt, breast to breast, like we were in a damn club or something, all of us trying to get our books signed. I even ran into one of my book club sistas there. (Wassup CatEyes!!:)

Many of us had stacks of Kimberla's old books. I think I got 4 books signed. I got a couple of books signed back in 2004.

So Shunda, I DO go to author signings!

Believe dat!!

Shunda managed to talk me into going to one this Friday night (it is easy to talk me into stuff), but I happen to be going out of town. And I do have a book by that particular author, an erotic thriller mystery thingy. (And ya'll know that I can't STAND erotica! We all done hung from chandaliers and have gotten busy on the kitchen floor. That don't mean I want to read about it!!!!!)

I was gonna go, but alas, I am headed out of town... Going with my bootleg "work-for-free" editor Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia to her country ass hometown to research the setting for my next book, a humorous black sci-fi diddy. I need to hit a couple of juke joints (Cynthia is frowning HARD at me for this... I think I will grab her grandmama and hit a club or two), and take some pics, and talk to some of the locals. And the wild chickens running the streets down there are supposedly more numerous than flies at a picnic. Gotta take some pics...

And you know I'm gonna post about those chickens, LOL!

So Shunda? I do go to booksignings, girlie!!

You better get to finishing up YOUR book Shunda, because I can't wait to go to yours!!!