Post date: Mar 15, 2010 6:5:40 PM
At yesterday's "Perfectly Revolting" tea party, I introduced my forthcoming book to an assembled group of friends, family, and Mills students and alumnae. There was tea...there were scones... and because it was also national Pi day, we all cheered for pi at (3/14) 1:59. And then ate some home made lemon merengue.
When I made my presentation, I felt I needed to apologize for NOT being Sarah Palin, whom everyone attending a tea party wishes to meet these days... but I did bring up some politics! I read from the introduction, which explains the 1990 student strike, and how I wrote a comic book about it. And how when I wanted to re-publish it this year, I went "digging in my drawers" for more cartoons.
After that lovely image, things really got out of hand. I thanked everyone who helped me birth this book, and then gave everyone a brief tour of the chapters (including the requisite chapter full of sex that any good memoir must contain), and introduced my new superhero, Renaissance Woman, who my mom assures me will be a big hit.
Then came the "dramatic cartoon readings." I told about the ostrich with his head stuck in quicksand, the blind dog and his seeing-eye dog, and the copy shop that supports reproduction rights. Then I invited audience members to come up and perfrom. Two lovely behatted ladies made puppets out of teapots. My son and his friends were "Turkey Travelers." Friends representing a "Feminist" and a "Libber" (I have breasts! I have boobs!) totally hammed it up. And finally, my family came up to re-enact the "family dinner" scene from the student strike.
After all that I practiced my autograph while everyone had tea and scones and finger sandwiches. It was wonderful to see so many of my favorite people all together, to create a space for laughter and fun, and to make my family and friends proud.
Today I'm trying to figure out how many books I sold... I'm imagining my readers, wondering what page they're on... imagining the "Relax" poster and "Renaissance Woman" hanging in their new homes. My cool cousin/intern Steven wrote from the family after-party to say, "Awesome day. Everyone is super jazzed and proud of you. Also really blown away by your creativity, and happy it's out there and no longer in your drawers =P"
Tomorrow... plan the next steps! There will be more book signings leading up to and after the "official release date," May 4th. But the first time only happens once. It was a perfectly perfect day I'll never forget!