Scott Mehno's Blog

Omigosh so much has happened since my stop at WORDS bookstore late October. Went down to Toms River for the American Legion Holiday fair and had a very fun and successful event. Sold more books than I ever have at a single appearance, and the people who came and other vendors who worked the fair were wonderful! Thanks to Laurinda Miller and all involved, and it was a very impressive Americn Legion hall. Huge. Nice bar but I quit drinking years ago though I still like to size those saloons up:) I enjoyed the drive down from Union, too, listening to Frank and Bing and Nat and getting in the holiday mood. On 12/4 I appeared at a wonderful, cozy little bookstore in Milburn called The Bookhouse. It was bitterly cold that night and I didn't get many folks attending, but my neighbor Joe showed up and I enjoyed his company. Tory, the bookstore manager couldn't have been nicer and she makes a killer cup of coffee too. Next day, 12/5 I appeared at my first Barnes & Noble. It went very well, the staff was great (shoutout to Cait who recommended me to the manager months ago to let me dazzle 'em at B&N even though I'm new and Shorte List is still wet-behind-the-dog-ears). I sold 5 books which they tell me is pretty good for a relatively unknown author in an hour and fortyfive minutes, and B&N asked me for books to stock and they are on their shelves. It's the B&N in Menlo Mall, and I'm grateful to everyone there who made my appearance a success. On Monday night, 12/8 I did a reading at the Kenilworth Library in Kenilworth NJ, a lot of friends showed up for that event and it was fun and good to see some familiar faces while I read. If you read Shorte List - a big part of the plot is a AI Dickens and I bring along a pretty good replica of AI CD to my appearances, which makes it fun for me because Dickens in all forms is a hoot!! This Saturday I'll be appearing at the Town Book Store in Westfield, and I am very much looking forward to that. Lisa Schwartz, the owner and a very dedicated supporter of local authors and rarin'-to-go readers has been instrumental in spreading the word about Shorte List! I'm quoting her here: "The characters jump off the page and the story speaks to the magic of the season, from the tiniest act of kindness to the biggest spectacle...." I'll contiue the blog in a couple days, as I have appearances all the way through the 20th. In the meantime, as Mr. Dickens would say: 'Keep Christmas in front of you.'

I've written the holiday novel SHORTE LIST and kicked off my scrappy little book tour at the wonderful, acclaimed WORDS bookstore in Maplewood NJ yesterday, October 26 (yes..5 days before Halloween...yikes!). SHORTE LIST is a fun family read with an AI Dickens and a 9 year old girl searching for the real Santa in a small town Christmas Eve blizzard. Its snagged some pretty good reviews 'Mehno has written a captivating novel that is difficult to put down' wrote the Union Daily, but the purpose of this blog is to give you some behind-the-scenes yuk-yuks on what it's like to promote a fun-and-frantic holiday novel in our even more frantic, thousand-miles-a-minute world.

I do want to note that everyone at WORDS bookstore was delightful to work with. It's one of THE best bookstores in NJ, and the hard working staff reflects that ethos in every way. Events Maestro Carrie Harmon couldn't have been kinder and more attentive, and thoroughly committed and caring about the authors she hosts in the store, and the readers who love books and look to WORDS as a beacon of comfort and sanity in this 'koo-koo- world (as Frank Sinatra would say) lol. It was local Authors Day there and the whole event was an inspiration. It ain't easy to write a book and it's gosh-darn ga-ga trying to promote it, and WORDS shows they care on a daily basis! Its located in the beautiful town of Maplewood,so get over there and buy some books! On my next blog I may get into the funny-funky hornet's nest of trying to prepare to do a 'reading' of one's novel. Particularly when you are no spring chicken, and your holiday faves like Its A Wonderful Life and Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol are echoing in your head while you're trying to work the levers of all the up-to-the-minute social media boxes one has to check these days! But here's to the holidays....Huzzah!!!!!!