The People you Meet!
Such a busy summer for Camp Follower One Army Brat’s Story by Michele Sabad. I made it to London, Ontario; Souris and Winnipeg, Manitoba; Aylmer, Quebec; and of course lots of places around Ottawa for book sales and signings. Here are some fun notes about how these things can go:
London, Ontario. I met a prepper. She thought my book would be of interest to her group? I honestly don’t know how, but yes, Army brats are survivors I guess. I also met a wonderful fellow brat, Debbie, who many of my readers will recognize as the hardworking admin on a FB brats group. I also met a young Amish girl. I wish she’d write a book about her life!
Road trip to Manitoba. I actually sold books to 2 motel owners who as a rule seem very curious about their guests before checkin. Moral : tell them you wrote a book, and yes, you have a copy in the car!
Souris, Manitoba. Visiting Dad, who lives across the street from the local art shop, which not only took books on consignment , but allowed an imprompu signing. Very few customers on a summer weekday afternoon, but every one of them talked to me, and most bought the book! Small towns – I forgot how they work.
Winnipeg, Manitoba. Shilo brat reunion. Fun Friday night meet and greet. My husband (also a brat and by coincidence, born in Shilo) even sold a book and was asked to sign it! Whiskey and wine night, from what I can recall. I did meet a woman I’d worked with in Winnipeg 30 years earlier – how awesome that we still recognized each other!
Killarney, Manitoba. Family reunion. Cousins and uncles and aunts, mostly farmers or related to that life. Most already had my book, so the thrilling part was hearing how much they finally learned about their wandering army relatives from it. Quote: “I now understand why you guys weren’t around much growing up.” Duh.
Home to Aylmer, Quebec. Finally a local signing! Paired with a French-speaking artist and her gorgeous art book, delicously decorated with French short stories. I feel guilty trading my little memoir with her, but she insists.
Ottawa and the Coles, Chapters, Indigo circuit. Plus a Byward Market day (in horrifying heat and humidity!) I feel like an old pro now, but every signing brings different kinds of people, different stories. Who knew, retired now after decades in an IT career, sitting in cubicles in the bowels of the federal government, how interesting the real world was! For good and bad, of course. I like to remember the good. And more to look forward to! The fall is upon us.
Stevie Szabad, Author 
The author, by definition, spends a lot of time in seclusion, living inside their imagination with their characters, at least until the book is finished. Coming out of the cave and back into the real world gives us the opportunity to meet some real characters — some of whom might show up in our next book. People are interesting and I love meeting them around book events!