I am trying to stay clear of negative messages. I'm delicate and these things can break me.

So I give my aunt some books to sell because she was going to a friend's graduation party in North Carolina. And when she gets back she says to me, "Oh, no one wanted your book." I said okay and inside I broke a little.

A week later at my family reunion in Providence, RI, my son's grandparents drove down from Conneticut so I pulled out a single book to show them and my aunt comes by and says - "oh, no one's gonna buy that here." So I sat at the picnic table and in that moment became ashamed of even having a book - of even wasting people's time by suggesting they may like it - I even thought twice about showing it to my son's grandparents. I'm fragile and I'm broken.

But my son's grandparents drove all the way from conneticut - who knew when I'd see them again - so I mustered up some courage and said "Hey, my book is out - did you see it?" I mean they're family. they love me, right? As I was doing this, my cousin Wamp overheard and was like "Oh, you didn't show me your book." So I passed her one and she purchased it and before I could get her her change she was up and showing it to other people at the reunion and coming back with orders. And then my cousin Mary came over and purchased a book and went around getting sales too. And some people didn't have cash and was coming up to me to see if I took credit cards. I had to keep going back to my rental to restock my stash (good thing I came prepared just in case) and my son's grandparents purchased eight books - thanx for the love. At my family reunion I sold 42 books - not bad for a place that I almost didn't bother pulling out a book at.

And the aftermath is the next day I still had people placing orders - on the bus ride back to virginia I sold another 6 books and almost 2 weeks after the reunion I am still filling orders and shipping books to my heart - the place of my birth PROVIDENCE, RI - a place where I was told people didn't read.

And for my booksigning - in Alexandria, Va - two of my cousins, Wamp and Andrea, are flying in from P-town.

With that negative message/energy I was fed by my aunt - I almost didn't even allow these people - my extended family - the chance to support me - get to know me better - see me for who I was. A writer. But I did and they did and for this I am grateful. And I picked up my broken pieces - some Elmers glue and kept it moving. With every book I sell - with every person I meet - opportunity I approach I am developing a new me. A me I was meant to be - stronger and thicker skinned than before.