I grew up in bookstores, haunted and loved them, as so many people die and do. I fell away from bookstores during my years on the first Bedlam Farm, I was in love with madness. Battenkill Books has renewed my love for bookstores, my books and book tours have brought me close to them again. I sometimes work as recommender-in-chief for Battenkill, I spent many hours signing books, talking to Connie and Marilyn and Kate.
People think living on a farm or running a bookstore is an idyllic, or perfect life, it is a fantasy for many. Running a bookstore, like running a farm, is far from idyllic, it is hard, relentless, complicated work, it can be grinding and exhausting and filled with many details. Once in awhile, we are reminded of the beauty and soulfulness at the core of it, just I am sometimes overwhelmed by my love of my farm when I am standing out in the pasture, communing with Simon.
Signing books today, I looked up and saw Connie, the store owner, reading books to her son Henry, an avid reader and creator. My love for bookstores came over me in a rush, how wonderful to have a mother who owns a bookstore, I thought, for all the challenges of it. I have learned to keep my camera close, so I can capture moments like this. Connie has woven her bookstore into the heart of our small community, she reminds us why individuality, human contact and the love of ideas is so precious.
We need animals in our lives, we need to remember how to love one another, we need bookstores, where ideas live.
Went to Battenkill Books again this afternoon to sign about 75 – 100 book orders that came in overnight, mostly online, many by phone (518-677-2515). I love looking at the inscriptions and recognizing many of the names, studying the unfamiliar ones, they come from all over the country and some considerable parts of the world. Connie is tired but keeping up. We wonder each day where the new book tour will go, how far my blog and social media pages will take it.
Maria added some potholders to the mix of give-away goodies – free books, dog food coupons, signed notecards and postcards, photos. I never had to give anything away to sell books, not it is elemental and expected. Free stuff is a big part of the new book tours. We are offering good free stuff to people who buy books.
I have no idea how far we will go with this book tour. I am not thinking of a “big” book any longer, it is good to let go of that idea. Publishing has changed, so have I, so is my ego. I was a best-selling big shot for a good number of years, flown around the country, wined and dined, limo’d around. Those days are gone, and they should be gone, I think. They were often wasteful and inefficient.
I realize that my ego is adjusting to my new reality. I had a stellar launch day Monday, and am still groping with the fact that the traditional book tour is already over. Next scheduled appearance is December 5th at Northshire Books in Manchester, then December 6 at Northshire’s Saratoga bookstore. In between, promoting my book is up to me.
I am trying to figure out how to feel about all of this. Random House, my publisher, has been a wonderful home for me for 26 books, and that’s how I wish to leave it. We all deal with change, every single person reading this, the very essence of creativity is change, I often think. I was once a big shot, but an unhappy human, now I am a big shot no longer and happier than I have ever been.
There is still plenty of ego at work in me, it is getting beat up pretty good and humbled.
There is a lesson in life. I am eager to fight for “Saving Simon,” eager to get on with my next book “Talking To Animals,” eager to be creative and relevant in a changing world. I don’t want ego to be the thing that drives me – I expect I may not see a limo again in my lifetime, or sell a million books. The good meals I eat I will have to pay for. I want creativity and authenticity to be the thing that drives me – a creative life, a life with love, a meaningful life, a spiritual life. Every day on my new book tour I am reminded of what is true and good and important. I am close, getting closer.
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In the meantime, feel free to join this parade and get my new book, available in paper and e-book form everywhere books are sold. I am learning not care so much whether or not it will be a big book, but to be happy that it is a good and worthy book. That is enough. I hope you will consider getting it from Connie Brooks at Battenkill Books, she runs a wonderful bookstore. You can call the store at 518 677-2515 or order the book online. Connie is a lovely human being and she takes Paypal and ships anywhere in the world.
When Dot is done with her cardiac rehab, she comes over to say goodbye to Red, it is neither simple or nor painless for her to bend over. Red has been trained in his therapy work to stay lying down when people reach over to pat or touch him, to be still and let them come to him. If they are stationary or sitting, he will walk over to them, tail wagging softly and put his head on a knee. People have asked him for his paw so many takes he has begun to offer it, something I would prefer he not do, but which is unavoidable now.
Dot looks for Red when she sits to exercise her arms, takes a walk, sits in the “stepper” to move her arms and feet. She smiles at him, then sometimes at me. The other patients refer to Red as her “boyfriend.” Dot smiles, “yes he is,” she says. She told me she would have had her hair cut if she knew she would be photographed with Red. I brought her a smaller print of her with Red to give to her granddaughter.
These two do have a special connection, Red is as focused in his therapy work as he is herding sheep. I am deeply touched watching him with Dot and some of the other patients, but especially with her. He has altered my own recovery, encouraged me in my heart rehabilitation work, brought all of us together in a supportive community. These photos of Red and Dot have touched many people, I am grateful to be able to share them. Animals can heal us, open us up, we need them, they need us.
This weekend, Red and I will be doing some sheepherding demonstrations at the Bedlam Farm Open House. Lot of distractions this summer between my surgery, the new book and Red’s therapy work, but we are very much in sync, Red has the lambs responding well. We had a practice workout this morning, Red’s outruns are still spectacular, he is incredibly strong and responsive. Friday, we’ll put the sheep in the side pasture. I love showing Red off. Maria is taking her studio apart to make room for the art coming in, and Tyler will be here Friday to rake up. Portable toilets are coming tomorrow, Jack Macmillan is bringing extra chairs. We are almost ready.
