_______Networking

I cannot believe what I did yesterday.  I said I was going to do it, I just can't believe I actually did.

The first part was safe and easy.  I just made myself some business cards:

Then I got myself and Abby ready to go and we drove over to Nana's Attic, an adorable miscellaneous boutique in League City where I had gone with DD, Mimi, and Abby on our girls' day last week (we had a "tea party" at the Holly Berry Tea Room two stores down).  When we were shopping in Nana's Attic a week ago, I noticed in one corner a shelf with several books, many of which were "mom" themed.  So I asked the owner if I could bring my book by for her to take a look at to see if she could sell it there.

And yesterday, as I walked into the store, I had a mild case of butterflies in my stomach.  What was I thinking?  Who is going to possibly want to sell my book?  But I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn't follow through and so I approached the owner with a smile.  She graciously took EveryMom and told me she would get reading.  She couldn't have been more kind and, whether or not she choses to sell my book, I hope everyone local who reads this will head over there to see what cute products she has (I especially like her cooking aprons and handbags).

After that I headed down the street to Mardel Christian Book Store.  I walked in hoping to get the same kind of reception as I did at Nana's Attic, but the florescent lights and warehouse feel gave me a clue that something was amiss, and I adopted a more formal tone than I had previously.  As the manager approached, I reached out my hand, which she begrudgingly took and then proceeded to wipe off on her shirt as if I had given her cooties.  I asked her about the process or possibility of getting my book on the shelves there.  She gruffly replied, barely letting the question mark settle on my question, that only "corporate office" could make that kind of decision.

Then I realized my folly.  I, ignorantly, had not connected the fact that Mardel is a national chain (I don't shop much, remember?).  For me to try to enter a Mardel store to see if they would sell my book would be like a self-employed seamstress walking into JC Penny's to ask the sales clerk if she would sell her homemade aprons.  It just doesn't work that way.  So, once again, I find I have so much to learn about this business.  And I am learning (often the hard way).  From now on I will try to focus only on local shops and church bookstores.

(Still, that manager could have been a little more kind, right?  Oh well.  As I learned in The Search for Significance, everybody has issues...I just don't need to take her issue on me and make it mine.  So, I thanked her for her advice and then asked her to look up a book for me...tee hee...before I left to pick up Isaac.)

And then, yesterday afternoon, I received THE PHONE CALL.  It was the Pastor at my dad's church.  My dad had given her a copy of EveryMom and she was calling to set up a lunch meeting to discuss the possibility of me being a speaker at a church women's event in the fall.  The way she worded it was, "I'm thinking about creating an event around your talk."  Talk about excitement!  Talk about breaking out into a cold sweat!

Okay, God, I asked for this.  Now please HELP me see it through!