Unexplained Surplus

You know how I usually tell you to buy my book from your local independent bookseller? I really mean it. But there's a problem I must address. There's no other way to say it: The Barnes and Noble on the corner of Caroline and Moreland in Atlanta has WAY TOO MANY COPIES of my book. Eight! There are eight copies sitting there, just gathering dust on the shelf. Somebody go over there and buy them, I can't stand it anymore. Why would they even have that many copies? To mock me? So anyway, when I found out that I was supposed to bring some of my own books to the library event, I started scrambling around town, seeing if I could work something out. I don't have any extra copies here at home. That's when I came across the inexplicable eight copies. They're just sitting there like a slap in the face! Or eight slaps in the face. If you like, you should buy them and donate them to one of your local independent used bookstores. Wouldn't that be nice of you? Redistribute the wealth! Well, the "B&N" guy was pleasant and thoughtful and gave me several business cards and said I could hand them to the people who came up to me after the reading. But he neglected to think of one thing: NOBODY CAME UP TO ME! That's not entirely true. The people at the library were as nice as could be. The organizers of the event even gave each reader a really nice, fancy Cross writing pen. But I didn't meet anyone who seemed so desperate for my book that I needed to shove a business card in his or her hand. Which is why I had the cards in my pocket earlier and one of them stabbed me. Actually, one guy came up to me and asked for my autograph, and took out a little pad. And I said, "You just want me to sign my name?" And the guy said, "Yeah." And I said, "On this pad?" And he said, "Sign it on your book." So I got confused and signed my own copy of my book and gave it to him. I felt glad about that, really. It was kind of fun. But I'm going to check that "B&N" again soon, and I expect to see some action, people. That's only if you've already tried A Cappella and they're sold out.