Mistaken Identity

At my book signing Saturday in the Clearview Mall, I was mistaken 5 times as an information center. First, a couple of teenagers asked me, “Do you have an ATM machine in the mall?” I knew where it was since it was 10 feet in front of me. Second, an elderly lady asked me, “Where are the restrooms?” Third, a gentleman asked me, “Where is the security office?” Fourth, a lady asked me, “Where is the health store located?” Fifth, an elderly gentleman asked me, “Do you carry the mystery novels, “The Hardy Boys.”
Okay! I definitely need something besides a stack of my books on a table, me with my book business cards, and 10 bright orange signs stating, “Help! I Married a Cartoon Character By Liz Lally Book Signing Saturday May 7, 2010 12:00 to 3:00” posted all around me.

Attention-grabber at Book Signings

Not surprisingly Mr. “Cartoon Character” wants to come up with an attention-grabber to get people interested and approach the table at my book signings. He has suggested balloons, jar of candy, pictures from book, and shirts with the “Cartoon Character on.
I think maybe his presence at the table might help instead of playing with his gadgets in the coffee shop. Does anyone have any suggestion of what to do to get people’s attention?

Book Signing at Northway Mall in Pittsburgh

I talked to numerous people today at my book signing. Many women expressed that they too had married a cartoon character. Isn’t Tom lucky to have a wife who wrote a whole book about him?
Tom came along to keep me company while I was doing my book signing. Check out the pictures and see how much company he was for me. His cousin was at the baseball game in Pittsburgh a few miles from the bookstore and I think Tom was secretly hoping that he would stop by and keep him company. However I think Tom was the last thing on his cousin’s mind this afternoon.
The Pennsylvania hills never cease to amaze me. I went into Borders and then walked down the hall of the mall, then rode an escalator to the second floor, then rode an escalator to the third floor. While on the third floor I noticed doors at one end of the hallway. I thought, “Why are there doors on the third floor?” As I was thinking this, some people opened the doors and walked through. Now how can you walk into a mall go up to the third floor and walk outside. Only in Pennsylvania.

Book Signing in Butler

Rocky's Crowd vs Liz's Crowd


My book signing at Clearview Mall was very exciting. The former Steelers Legendary Running Back, Rocky Bleier, was having an autograph session down the hall from the bookstore where I was doing my book signing. People were waiting in line and paying $35 for his autograph. My autograph was the cost of my book and I had no line, however I had a steady flow of people stopping and talking to me about my book. A strange thing, at each of my book signings one person has approached me and asked for my autograph but didn’t buy my book.I wonder at what point I will be getting $35 for my autograph.
I must have blended into the bookstore because four people approached me and asked me questions about books in the bookstore. They thought I worked in the bookstore. I especially enjoyed talking to the elderly gentleman who asked me where the western books were located. I told him I didn’t work in the store and that I was here signing my book, Help! I Married a Cartoon Character. We talked about western books for a while. He was very interesting.

Episodes on U-Tube

Tom and I must not have enough to do because we came up with the idea of acting out some of the episodes from my book and send them to The Marriage Ref, Ellen, and U-Tube. I write the script and direct and Tom is the cameraman and editor. We only have to do a couple takes since the episodes are issues we act in life on a daily basis. The disputes are never solved they just go on and on. Go to You Tube to see our episodes.

Book Signing at Monaca

My book signing in the Beaver Valley Mall was a great success. I met many interesting people. I especially enjoy talking to the people who wrote a book and asked me how I published my book.
Many people picked up my book and looked through it, some bought it, and everyone chuckled. I also noticed passer-byes looking over at my book on display, Help! I Married a Cartoon Character and smile. It feels good to put a smile on peoples faces.
I met an interesting young gentleman who talked to me about my book. I told him some of the stories I wrote about. One story in particular was from the chapter, The Romantic, where Tom was going to reach into a dumpster and get me some flowers. I talked to him for awhile about my romantic cartoon character husband then he left. Apparently he understood my perspective about getting flowers from a dumpster because a while later he came back and handed me a bouquet of flowers and said, “These weren’t from a dumpster!” Words can’t explain how I felt at that moment

Book Title

I am in the process of writing another book and just like my first book Help! I Married a Cartoon Character I am struggling with a title. Again I have written enough stories for three books so I have to pick a title and sort out the stories for the title. One title is The World Through My Eyes, another is Help! I’m Turning Into a Cartoon Character and of course I have enough stories for Help! I Married a Cartoon Character 2. The stories of my cartoon character just keep on happening they never end.

More Book Signings

After I came home from Texas I called Borders book stores to schedule book signings. The first three Borders I called had openings for signings. If you are in the area come to Borders and visit me at my book signings:
Saturday April 3rd I will be at the Borders Express in the Beaver Valley Mall in Monaca Pa. from 12pm-3pm.
Saturday April 10th I will be at the Borders Express in the Clearview Mall in Butler, Pa. from 1pm-4pm.
Saturday April 17th I will be at Borders in the Northway Mall in Pittsburgh, Pa. from 2pm-4pm.

Editing at Gay Lords

Two years ago Maureen and I went to the Gay Lords, a resort in Texas, to do the last editing of my book Help! I Married a Cartoon Character, before sending it to my publisher. This March we went back to do my first editing of my next book. Maureen was editing the chapter called MY Golden Years in the courtyard. I took her picture while she was reading the chapter. Check out the golden cowboy in the background.
We made great use of our garage sale money. We drank wine, $75 a bottle and had appetizers for $53. We managed to get the first editing done and do some shopping.

Garage Sale

Maureen and I had a garage sale. I smuggled a bag of loot for the garage sale in the trunk without Tom knowing. I make $20. I set out some of my books and sold one. Maureen made $90. We took our money to the Gaylord where we edited my new book.

Barnes & Noble Book Signing

The Cartoon Character and I would like to thank everyone who supported my book signing on March 3rd. We met many interesting people and it was a pleasure talking to them.

Sam Houston Elementary

I visited some fourth grade classes at the Sam Houston Elementary School in Denton, Texas and I was very impressed with their knowledge of writing. I enjoyed answering their questions concerning editing, publishing and writing. I also read a segment from my book in progress to some of the students and enjoyed their comments.

Book Signing

I went to Barnes n Nobles where I will be doing a book signing on Wednesday, March 3rd from 4:30pm-7:30pm. I met with the manager and we discussed my book and where I would be doing the signing. http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3030688

500 Miles

I learned the hard way to pack a survival kit when traveling with Tom. Our first 500 mile trip 45 years ago was from North Carolina to Sharpsville. It was a non- stop trip in a 56 Chevy. He filled up the gas tank and stopped at a grocery store and bought a pound of bologna, a pack of buns, and a six pack of pop. After a few hours I begged him to stop for lunch but he was full of bologna and wouldn’t stop. By the time we got home I wasn’t speaking to him. I came a long way since that first trip. Before we left Sharpsville for our twelve hundred mile trip to Texas; I packed a survival kit. It consisted of a dozen of oranges, crackers, cheese, protein bars, mixed nuts, water, orange juice, grape juice and vegetable juice. We left Sharpsville on Thursday and arrived at Texas on Saturday afternoon. We are still speaking.

Sharpsville to Denton

Denton had snow last week which is rare. We will be leaving snow hopefully it will be warmer. The 20 hour drive is the worse part. It will probably take two and a half days. Then book signings, shopping, and dining.

Book Signing in Texas

Well I’m heading for Texas the end of February to visit my daughter. She decided to schedule me some book signings while I am there. So on March 3rd I will be at the Barnes & Noble in the Denton Mall from 4:30pm-7:30pm. The “Cartoon Character” will be in the book store. Come and see if you can find the “Cartoon Character.”

Liz is Back!

Liz is Back
Well, I wasn’t going to blog until I received another check from my publisher. Who would have thought 1 year, 9 months and 2 days would pass without another check. Maybe I set my goal too high. Or not!!! My publisher isn’t selling my book with their promotion devices that I paid for with my publishing package. How can I expect to sell my book with my crude strategies?
My publisher sent me an e-mail to display my book at a book fair in Houston, Texas for a fee of $109. I sold no books. Then I displayed my book in Las Vegas at and AARP convention for a fee of $249. I sold no books; however, I received a catalog and my book is on page 26. Check it out.
There’s something wrong with my thinking because I was just as thrilled when I received this catalog in the mail as when I received the check. Maybe that’s the problem! My goals aren’t high enough.