A Book Signing, some shameless promotion, Adele and some Tea

What do these things have to do with one another?

Well, they sum up my weekend.

First, a book signing. Above you see a very fuzzy, snowy picture of a bookstore called

Once Upon a Crime. This is one of my favorite little shops to pop in every now and then in Minneapolis. They are exclusively a seller of all things mystery. It's tiny. Very tiny. But it works. I never leave there without a list a mile long. And they have amazing author events. They get the big local authors, sure but they also get a lot of the well known national authors as well.

On Saturday they had both local, to me, and national author, Laura Childs. She was there to sign her newest book in her Tea Shop mysteries. I was there to see her and also to partake in a little of the tea action. Yes, there were treats. Finger sandwiches, scones, yummy Chai tea. Delicious!

I have only read her first two books in her Cackleberry Club series and her first book in the Tea Shop series. I brought all of those and she was lovely enough to sign them for me. I also brought the one copy I had of her scrapbooking series as well, which I have not read.

She was incredibly delightful and kind. Her husband tried to take our picture but it didn't quite turn out. Too fuzzy! That's okay. It was a pleasure to see her as she is becoming a favorite cozy mystery author of mine.

Fun fact: She is actually from my dad's hometown and her father knew my grandpa.

Small world, isn't it?

Overall, it was a pleasant way to spend a bit of my afternoon.

Which leads me to the shameless promotion piece...

For those of you new to my blog, you will not know that I met a fabulous new mystery author last year at BEA. Her name is Sandra Brannan. She was at the Book Blogger Convention and we had a chance to have breakfast and chat a bit. Well, long story short, she is delightful and I read her book, In the Belly of Jonah, on the plane ride home. I LOVED IT and I was lucky and honored to be the blogger that kicked off her book release that September.

At that time, I tried to get her book in the bookstore I was working at then and also suggested to the publisher to try Once Upon a Crime. I thought maybe with some of my contacts and whatnot I could put in a good word. Well, it didn't happen.

So, being that a I was there, I decided I was going to go for it and tell them all about Sandra Brannan's book. (I had just received ARCs of the second book and was totally stoked to read it!). I basically talked the owner's ear off for a bit about how they should stock it and told them how wonderful Sandra is, yada yada.

Cross your fingers that it works out and they carry her book. It's an amazing bookstore with an amazing reputation. To be a mystery author and have your book there is a good thing.

More on Sandra later. I will be having a giveaway of her second book in May and lots more fun stuff. So keep your eyes open for it all. I hope to spread the word even more with this second book because Sandra deserves all the success she gets!

Whew! Must wrap this up. Last thing of the weekend was my recent discovery of Adele. Do we all know her and her wonderful music?? Holy cats, is she amazing! I have been listening to the song Someone Like You over and over again. (please click on the link and listen) Of course, I am also crying my eyeballs out a bit too remembering how bloody full of angst I was as a young twenty something and how much I would have been ALL over this song back then.

Anyhoo, there is my weekend in a nutshell. Reading? Well, I did finish one book.

That's something, right?

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child