I waited and waited and one day a UPS driver delivered a box to Ruffage. I had no idea what was in it. There were 12 copies of my Never Say Diet book. My hands trembled when a I took the books out. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I took one of the books out,sat down and looked through it. Was that me on the cover? I thumbed through the pages. After I finished looking through the book I immediately sent one to my parents.
I had to pinch myself. Was I really an author? Ms Conrad and Suzy K called and congratulated me and so did everyone at the New York office. I kept thinking …would people like this book…the title and the pictures?
There were a lot of diet books out. But I called my program A live-it. The first syllable of diet is ….die…and I hope my program helped them to live.
The publishing company asked me if I was willing to do a 20 city tour. They would pay all my expenses and give me $1000.00 per city. Like my mother told me… put every dime in the bank.
The first city I went to was Chicago . It was snowing. People were standing in line with heavy coats, scarves, and some of the ladies had hats on. When I entered the book store I looked in the window and there was a display with my books.
Did you see the movie The Help? Do you remember when Emma Stone’s character wrote a book and it was displayed in the window in town?…what a feeling.
I also visited three locations in New York, Atlanta, St Louis, Portland, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, and a few other cities.
The day before my book appearances, I would do local radio stations and television shows. I was really surprised that some of the people actually read my book.
One of the ladies at the tv station showed her audience how to do my facial exercises. She looked so funny doing them. I would do three cities at a time then come home and go back on the road. Just like that Willie Nelson song…On the road again.
When I did an appearance at a book store they would send a newspaper reporter to cover the signings. I sat on a table to greet everyone with a book in their hand. I would ask their names and I would write a little message in the book.
But they were not just there to pay for a book. They wanted to talk to me. They would tell me their stories. They poured out their hearts to me. Some of them with tears in their eyes.
Many would slip me a phone number and say….Would you call my mother…my sister…my daughter. I would put these numbers in my sock to not forget them.
The sales people at the book store asked me how long I would stay to sign books. I told them when there was no one left in line. Local newspapers sent a reporter to cover the event. They saw me cry, they saw me holding people’ hands . They saw me putting phone numbers in my sock.
After I finished signing the reporters asked me questions. Why do you do this? Why do you care for these strangers so much? Are you really going to call these people?
They told me they went to many book signings but they never saw anything like mine. When I got back to the hotel. You know what I did? I called everyone. They were shocked that I called. They told me they were going to read my book cover to cover.
The publisher also sent me to Toronto, Quebec, and Montreal in Canada. Sometimes I would appear at a big book store like B Dalton and Waldenbooks. Other times I signed books in mom and pop bookstores.
Then I headed off to Australia. That was my first time visiting down under. I went to Sydney and Melbourne. I just loved the way they talked. I didn’t particularly like the Vegemite and crackers that was waiting for me in my room. To be continued…
Love,
Richard
