Tonight’s the night! My first book signing and reading for Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska is at 7:00 pm at the Sheldon Museum in Haines. If you’re local, I hope you’ll come! And if you do, I hope you have questions for me. I’ve heard from a few people who intend to be there, but Haines is a busy town, I won’t count heads till they fill a seat. We’re eating dinner in town with friends, so I should at least be able to drag them along . . . .
The suspense is incredible. Mainly, I can’t wait to find out if the extra books I ordered will arrive in time, or if they’ll be needed at all. I’ve got the pieces I’ll be reading edited and ready; I’ve thought about what I’d like to say; the cookies are baked, the Russian tea mix prepared; I just need to figure out what to wear.
I suppose I could work up a case of nerves over this, but maybe I’ll save that for later. I’ve been invited to read a piece for the Haines Arts Council’s annual Northern Lights Showcase on February 13th. No matter how well tonight’s reading is attended, it will not match the number of people who will attend that. I’ve never been to one, and have very little idea what to expect. All I’ve got is my story, so I’ll read that, and get the heck off the stage. Seems like a good plan, anyway.
Just in case you’re not familiar with my topic here, I recently released a book of horror/dark/fantasy short stories called Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska.
Also, tonight is the first full moon of the year. If you’re reading Mary Oliver’s Twelve Moons with me, today’s the day to read her poem, Wolf Moon (which this moon is called in the Algonquin tradition she follows in the book).
Congratulations on your book! I hope you consider doing a second book that details your experience with the “homestead” from the very beginning…..how you started in Juneau, etc. You talked about it here on the blog, but it would be great to see the whole story in more detail in a book.
Hi Sherry, Thanks! One of the main purposes of publishing this short story book was to learn the process, so that when “The Book” on our life here is ready, I’ll know what to do. Editing, designing, and publishing the short story book was so much fun, I’m getting very excited about the next book. Much of it will be drawn from the blog, although these essays will supplement the text, rather than comprise the majority of it. I won’t predict when it might be out, but getting this book out (and tonight’s reading) are giant steps toward eventual completion.
Thanks so much for your kind words of encouragement!
Honored to dance with the ghosts tonight, Mark, even if they were a bit shy. The museum was ideal for the event–I could close my eyes during your reading and almost feel ghosts in the gallery. Tight writing and palpable horror keep me going back to the book. Thanks.
Dan, thanks again for coming! The quality of audience made up for lack of quantity!