Gift Store Extraordinaire!

2nd Annual Book Signing at Ma Maison

Friday, NOVEMBER 27th

10 AM – 1 PM

Near Starbucks at the corner of McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard.

Day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday (but there is nothing Black about Ma Maison!, possibly one of the cheeriest and brightest gift shops in the entire Santa Clarita Valley).

Ede and the ladies make this a very special event indeed.  They also bring in a selection of holiday cookies and healthy drinks for the kids.  See you there!

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Greenthumb before the SNOW!

A Second 2009 Book Signing at Greenthumb Intl. – Newhall

Friday, NOVEMBER 27th

2 – 5 PM

After signing at Ma Maison, I’ll be jumping in a sleigh to quickly fly across town to Newhall, back to a magical nursery that really transforms into Santa’s SoCal workshop away from the North Pole!  Thanks to Bryan and Kirki for having me back a second time this year.  With more cookies and cider than you could possibly partake in, come and enjoy a wonderful sampling of the Christmas Season.  Signing here is really fun, so come and join us all!

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Even the Palm Fronds folded up for this Christmas event!

Four Book Fair Signings at the B&N – Valencia Location:

DECEMBER 4th (Friday)

DECEMBER 8th (Tuesday)

DECEMBER 9th (Wednesday)

DECEMBER 14th (Monday)

DECEMBER 23rd (Wednesday) – Added Date

Evenings, 5 – 8 PM

My special “Thanks” to Lori Christian for including me this year.

I’ll be happy to Personalize and Emboss all books for that special someone’s Christmas gift.  Hope to see you there.

Semper Ferians! (Always Keeping Holidays)

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The Great Mrs. Claus at

THE GREAT INDOORS

A unique book signing with author Chris A. Shoemaker and a SPECIAL APPEARANCE by Mrs. Claus herself!

Sunday, DECEMBER 6th

1 – 3 PM in the afternoon

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet the author and get your (and your children’s) photo with the incomparable and very delightful Mrs. Claus.

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An inviting view of this charming tea house. A great place to escape to and indulge the tastebuds!

2nd Annual Book Signing and a Special Appearance by none other than

The Great *Mrs. Claus herself!

THE TEA GARDENS

Friday, DECEMBER 20th

3 PM until Closing

Bring your camera and family for this fun event.

We had such a marvelous time last year, I just had to return.  Elda and her family run a first-rate tea house, and they have a fantastic menu that makes The Tea Gardens much more than a place for a spot of tea and a scone.

*NOTE:  This is the real Mrs. Claus that inspired the book!  You won’t want to miss her.

Mrs. Claus takes a Trolly ride in Beverly Hills. She gets around too!

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At the heart of The Valencia Town Center

The Great Mrs. Claus Book Signing at

Valencia – Borders Book Store

Saturday, DECEMBER 19th

Time:  11 AM

We are planning that I’ll read an excerpt from my book and do a signing afterwards.

The poem in the book will be fun to share with the kids.  I’ve blown up the illustrations that relate to the poem on big boards.  It’ll be my first public sharing of that.  Hope to see you soon.

Ma Maison co-owner Katie LaKamp and Chris Shoemaker

Black Friday was ushered in on what felt like a tropical breeze in Valencia, California this year.  The temperature must have hit a high of nearly 80º F!  Who could believe it was nearly December already?

Our book signing was a success with many stopping by to see what the activity was all about.   Katie and Claire set up a table outside the store (their unique way to promote anti-doorbusting I’d like to believe!) to take advantage of the beautiful weather and attention grabbing location as folks scrambled around to take advantage of the Black Friday Sales.  I met several people who attended last year’s signing and stopped to chat about the how their young ones were doing with the seek and find games in the book.

My thanks to Katie, Ede and Claire once more for setting up the signing at their expertly appointed store.  I’ll hope to swing by and perhaps do one more signing at Ma Maison if they’ll have me.

Rich Samuels, a Freshi Films colleague, joined me for a time and kept me chuckling between signings!

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I moved my book boxes across town and finished out this shopper’s day of frenzy at the Greenthumb International Nursery.  Kirki and crew were on the ball as usual, and we had a stellar day that just got busier and busier as the day wore on.  I was especially surprised by a woman who came in with 8 purchased books to sign for her friend who was out of town and could not attend the signing.  The Christmas trees have arrived but are still packed in a shipping container awaiting pricing and organizing.

We switched over to an artificial tree a few years ago due to allergies, or we’d be first in line at the start of next week to get our Norfolk pine for our entryway.  This was my second signing at Greenthumb this year – a palpable joy for the Christmas spirit lives in this store, and just as with Ma Maison, I truly love these hometown stores for their care of its local customers and the time the merchants take to visit and chat with all the shoppers throughout the day.  I truly love to shop at boutique and personable stores – it is the people and their special touch that make it such a wonderful time of the year.

Some of the exquisite Egyptian Art Glass that Greenthumb offers. By the way, the gold is real on these pieces. These two are now part of my collection.

The weather was postcard perfect – sunny, warm and unbelievable for a late November day. Just the kind of weather people move to Southern California for!

My thanks go out to all of you who came – several folks purchased a book weeks earlier and came back for an inscription – I’m touched and grateful for your support. A special thanks to Sophia and Brandon, who sat with us for some time and searched the North Pole maps over and over to find all the hidden clues. They may still be looking for a few, but then that’s what it’s all about.

The Great Mrs. Claus will be sold at Ma Maison throughout December, so please stop by and check out this unique and personable store. Katie, Ede, Claire and their staff are fantastic to visit with and informative about their products.

(l. to r.) Katie, Claire & Chris resisting the cookies!