November 26, 2008

Holiday in the Park – Sheridan Gardens Nursery Book Signing

A fantastic holiday setting for signing The Great Mrs. Claus book

A fantastic holiday setting for signing The Great Mrs. Claus book

I know I look a bit “dazed and confused” here, but rest assured the mood was awake and perky at the Sheridan Gardens Nursery on 11-21-08! Many thanks to Arlene, Chris (shopkeeper) and her husband Bill for hosting me that evening. There were many visitors and well-wishers at the event, and the evening’s mood was greatly enhanced with the smell of brewing apple cider being offered up to all visitors and the light sounds of Christmas instrumental music gently playing in the background.

I was surprised by the number of kids out this evening too! It was the community’s Holiday in the Park and “open house” night. People were encouraged to stop in the local stores, browse, shop and get their “stamp book” stamped by all participating stores. The idea was to fill the book and redeem it for a prize. It was also Friday night, so with no school in the morning, folks were more ready to keep the kids out late. I signed until 9 pm, and lots of kids enjoyed poring through the North Pole maps and searching for the clues hidden in the book.

Sheridan Gardens Nursery (formerly a liquor store back in the 1950’s and no I didn’t locate the private stock!) is located in a designated area called Magnolia Park, not far off the corner of Hollywood Way and Magnolia and an area of Burbank that has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts over the past 5 years. The Magnolia Park District has become a great concentration of restaurants, theaters, antiques, clothing, thrift and curios shops that are easy to breeze into one after the other, so more and more people are discovering the area. I used to have my Acts of Creation entertainment office literally on that corner some 9 odd years ago, so it definitely felt like being in the old neighborhood with friends.

Sheridan Gardens looks warm and inviting from the outside!

Sheridan Gardens looks warm and inviting from the outside! The Great Mrs. Claus book is sold here daily until Christmas.

November 19, 2008

Mrs. Claus Book at Vroman’s in Pasadena (on Consignment – hurrah!)

If you pore over books and have never visited Vroman’s, take a break and fall in love with this book lover’s haven.

Today marks a very important day around here at our humble and independent publishing house. I received a call today from Vroman’s Bookstore – Pasadena. I proposed and they agreed to sell The Great Mrs. Claus “on consignment.” What a thrill! In the pantheon of bookstores, Vroman’s is certainly one of the most respected and venerable booksellers in the country. They won Publisher’s Weekly “Bookseller of the Year 2008″ to prove it!

I am especially honored to be included on their shelves because of the fierce competition in the marketplace for holiday books this year. As I cannot resist, bookstore hopping and sleuthing is a favorite pastime of mine, and several weeks ago when I dropped off a review copy of my book at their store (sometime shortly after Halloween), it was clear their front-of-the-store table was replete with Christmas books. Then I went upstairs near their community room where authors perform readings and offer Q&A’s about their new books, and there was another wall and a half fully stacked with even more holiday books – including those on Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and many other holiday traditions – it felt like one more holiday book in the store would tip and wreck Santa’s sleigh! I wondered if the world needed one more book, and well… I figured it did! (ha)

For me, I truly enjoy the store with its professional attitude, eclectic clientele and superior atmosphere geared at giving visitors a unique book-centric experience. Anyway, it may be a bit of a stretch to hope for a reading there, but Suzanne says she’s up to performing Mrs. Claus if they’ll have us. A live show and a reading of the story (the poem within the story would be an appropriate length) would be great fun – fingers are crossed, but just having the opportunity to sell there is sweet enough!

Though I doubt I’ll free the time, I’d love to hang out for awhile near the store’s cashiers and watch someone actually peruse, pick up and purchase The Great Mrs. Claus book from it’s perch.

cs

November 18, 2008

Upcoming 2008 Booksignings

Sheridan looks like “Santa’s Workshop” in the evening. The lighted trees and ornaments are mesmerizing. See you there!

I’m looking forward to working with Arlene and her courteous staff at this open house event. The city of Burbank creates a wonderful atmosphere for shoppers to breeze in and out of shops in this Magnolia area of Burbank just a few blocks north of Warner Bros. studio lot. Sheridan Gardens has done a fantastic job with the decorating this year. I hope to meet you and make your “The Great Mrs. Claus” a heartfelt keepsake book for years to come. cs

November 11, 2008

Book Signing at Green Thumb Great Fun

Checking out the Magnifying Bookmark

Green Thumb shopper checking out the book's Magnifying Bookmark

What a great day we had a Green Thumb International in Newhall, CA. First off, the weather was absolutely picture perfect – cool, clear, crisp and full of autumn. It was a football Saturday and UCLA was playing ball, but thank goodness everyone didn’t go to the game. Plenty of folks showed up for Green Thumbs “Open House” for the Holidays, and they surprisingly I think saw this author with a children’s picture book standing at a potting table near the store’s entrance.

This was my first book signing ever, and it was a thrill to do. I’ve attended many trade shows for my various companies over the years, but this day was special. It was hard to sleep Friday night – “Did I remember everything?” I had some wonderful old friends and neighbors show up, and I made some new acquaintances too. I stayed the entire day (9 – 5pm), and frankly speaking, it zipped by in a flash.

One of the funnest aspects of the book signing was affixing a gold seal to emboss in the book with some of the kids. The scrapbooking part of me kicked in and I let the kids do the handiwork with the seal. It always amazes and surprises me how much pleasure kids get out of “doing” something so simple as putting a sticky seal on a sheet of paper and pressing it with an embosser… cutting, pasting or threading – it doesn’t matter, kids love it!

My thanks goes out to Kirki, Bryan, Evelyn and all the wonderful people that make Green Thumb such a special and personable place to shop. I hope to visit the store for a second book signing soon!!

My friend Rich Samuels drops by for a "bud" shot

My friend Rich Samuels drops by for a "bud" shot

November 6, 2008

Green Thumb International goes holiday festive!

I stopped by Green Thumb International yesterday morning and the store is deep in the throes of holiday decorating and good cheer. They have more trees decorated and ornaments hanging then I ever remember since I first started going there 15 years ago.

I’m very excited to have my first book signing there on Saturday. After so many years of crafting, designing, and perfecting, the moment of sharing it with the public has finally arrived! I feel it will make a wonderful keepsake Christmas gift for a young child and family. I can’t wait!! Hope to see you there.

I’m working on some other signing dates in the SoCal region. Boy… if I could only borrow Santa’s sleigh this year for some quick lifts abroad!?! I really appreciate all the support I’ve received from friends, family and business associates about the book. It has inspired me to begin on the next in the series. I’ll share more about that later. I invite you to visit us at www.clausdiaries.com to learn more. Cheers for now. Semper Ferians (always keeping Holidays!).

cs

November 5, 2008

Book Signing at Green Thumb International – Newhall, CA

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Greetings! Mark your calendars. Saturday, November 8th at 9 am till 5 pm.

Please join me at Green Thumb International – Newhall, CA just 25 miles north of Los Angeles for some fun, refreshments and good cheer. Green Thumb is a nursery, but not just your garden variety type. It has awesome decorations, a gaggle of decorated trees, and one of the most complete and beautifully displayed Dept. 56 villages I’ve ever seen. Thousands of moving parts with enchanting Christmas music playing throughout the store.

If you like the smell of pine and freshly baking cookies (for real!), come out to see and smell the sights!

Here’s a pic of the book. The first shipment just arrived yesterday! They are all shrunk-wrapped and ready for a home. Cheers and I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

book-cover

November 2, 2008

First Book Signing of “The Great Mrs. Claus” Nov. 8th!

Hope to see you on the Sat., Nov. 8th! Think Green. Think snow!! (in southern California?)

My first book, The Great Mrs. Claus of “The Claus Diaries” series has finally arrived to the book shelves! Well… actually to a truly awesome gardening center table to be exact – but this place is full of holiday spirit and awesome decorations.

I couldn’t think of a better place to hold my first public book signing. I’m told there will be drink, cookies (Otis Spunkmeyer no less – taste the butter?) and a place packed with good cheer and fun people.

I’ll arrive at 9 am and stay until 5 pm, so if you are within commuting distance, do stop by. I’d love to meet you!