Caught buying my own books
26 March 2010
Because why do my normal chatter about books today when I could instead relay my humbling experience at Family Christian? But be sure to come back next Friday because Sarah Sundin will be giving away a copy of A Distant Melody and you don’t want to miss that.
Recently, I’ve had a couple people buy copies of Me, Just Different off me. There’s a Family Christian store super close to me that I’ve never had much luck getting a response out of (to put it nicely), so I thought I’d buy my books there. And, wow, that makes me sound totally weird. Like, because they were rude to me, I felt the need to support their establishment? I meant because they usually only have one or two copies, and I wanted to motivate them to reorder. Anyway…
So they had Out with the In Crowd but not Me, Just Different. (Don’t even get me started on the weird philosophy behind stocking stores this way.) I carried my book up to the register and said in my oh-so-suave way, “Do you guys carry book one in this series? I want both, but you only had book two.”
“Is it by the same author?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“Do you know the title?”
“Me, Just Different.”
Okay, so first she couldn’t find me in the computer. Then, after she finally found me, she said, “We don’t have it. Would you like me to order it for you?”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
“And what’s your name?”
Yeah … and how did I not see this coming?
“Um … Stephanie Morrill.”
She peeked at the cover of Out with the In Crowd and smiled. “Did you write this book?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You have to buy your own books?”
Trying to laugh it off. (Yes, there’s a line at this point…) “Pretty pathetic, right?”
Though if they would put me on one of the special shelves, maybe I wouldn’t have to buy my own books.
Positives in this situation: McKenna was there, and she was an absolute gem the whole time. Said thank you when the lady handed her a sticker, wasn’t touching everything in sight, etc.
Also, maybe this will help with the hand selling in the store. Like someone comes in and says, “I’m looking for a book for my granddaughter,” and this lady might say, “Why don’t you try Stephanie Morrill? She lives right around the corner.”
Of course, they would actually have to keep my books in stock to hand sell them…
Comments
I love it! :)
Posted by Debbie McCool on 26 March 2010
This is so funny, I totally would’ve given the cashier a fake name!
Posted by Kate Hamlin on 27 March 2010
If I’d been thinking faster, I would have. Although that might have been awkward if she noticed the name on the credit card.
Posted by Stephanie on 27 March 2010
Still laughing at this. Though I maintain you might just have made that cashier’s day. =)
Posted by Roseanna White on 26 March 2010