LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  178 

(July 12, 2008)

In a week from today I’ll be having my book launch for A Firm Place to Stand. We’re planning a big party in the garden, hoping the weather will co-operate. I’ve lost track of the number of people I’ve invited but sixty have confirmed so far. Many yet to hear from. Weather had better be good, eh? Fitting sixty or more people into my house would be an impossibility, unless we put some in the bedrooms and others in the laundry room :) (just kidding)

I’ve had some stress to deal with, though, and the stress still continues. There is a slight possibility the books won’t get here in time. Though they’re due to arrive on the 17th, they have to cross the border and there’s always a possibility they’ll get held up there. Another 50 have been sent as a rush, the publisher spending a lot to send them that way. Hopefully they will at least arrive.

I do have one copy in hand and it’s beautiful. I’m very happy with how it turned out. Now I can’t wait to have people read it.

I did get a huge kick showing the book to my 94-year-old mother and watching as she read what I had written about her. Her eyesight is failing, yet the typesetting is so clear and easy to read that she had no trouble with it. I’ll never forget how her eyes traveled across the page, her face intent. Should have taken a picture.

My son Cornelius and his wife Jeannette, the talents behind Matchbox Creative, have done a wonderful job designing an eblast which I will send out next week to those of you I have email addresses for. It will announce the book and link you to my new website, where you’ll see how you can order your copy.

Now I have much to get ready for the big day. Today I wrote down the things I wanted to say. No doubt I’ll want to edit over the next few days.

There will be a great mix of people at the party, a very exciting thing to look forward to: my psychiatrist, a few other mental health workers, members from my writing group, people from my church, many members of Living Room, neighbors, family and friends. Children are welcome and will be supervised in painting a mural. Someone might even be making balloon animals for them. What a happy day it will be!

Now all we need is sun. Please pray for us.