Book
signings sound prestigious and a road to quick money for an author, but they
are also work—a lot of work. We just attended the Oregon State Fair’s author’s
table. This was our forth year, and for me, the hardest.




People
were less interested in talking to the authors this year than previous years.
They would stand way back as if they were afraid we would force them to buy a
book. Of course, we want to sell books, but most of the time, we just want to
talk with people.  Although there were
nineteen of us this year, ten to twelve hour days standing around books is boring
if there is no one new to talk to.




This
year I also had a sad, bizarre occurrence. I found an abandoned baby! Shocking
right? Yes it was! A baby in a stroller caught my attention as I was coming
back to my station. I’m not really sure why. It was in the middle of a walkway
triangle between exhibits. I soon realized that no one was paying any attention
to it at all. People were walking around it, but not really seeing it.




I
stood and watched for a couple more minutes. Believe me, those were long, excruciating
minutes. I approached the vendor by the piano who was selling music CD’s,
pointed at the baby, and announced to her that he/she was abandoned. I was
shocked when she replied, “Oh yah, it’s been there for a while.”




Seeing
my shocked and appalled expression, she only then wheeled the stroller to the
first aid station which was ten feet away. I and another lady stood there expecting
some frantic mother to come screaming about her child being gone. No one came.
No one!




Later
that evening I returned to the first aid station and inquired about the baby. I
was told it had been collected. I asked what that meant. It meant that the
State Police was called and the father came to collect the baby. I truly hope
that whoever left that baby in the middle of the fair was also, “collected”!
The memory of that baby being abandoned haunted my dreams all the nights we
were at the fair. I am still reeling in disbelief about the whole thing!




Strange
things do tend to follow my path. My husband says it’s because I’m intuitive. A
friend of mine said it was because God wanted me to save that baby. I say it’s
because I pay attention—and will act. No more babies though!!    Everyone, take care of your own responsibilities!




The
author’s table was straight across from a, “Feeding the Hungry” booth. All the
time during the fair, they gave out soy veggie sliders (burgers). It was soon
apparent that they were doing the work of a mission. The same people kept
coming around for the free burgers. Some of them with their beds on their
backs. Some so cracked out that they made no sense at all. Most of course, had
to come over and converse, spitting food from their mouths, and trying to hold
our books with gooey fingers. I didn’t bring my small Acer computer back after
the first day. Too many people eyeballed it. I realized it would be awfully
easy to snatch and run.




I
did have three books ruined this year. Pop,
the three lettered word all of us authors dread. Of course, she didn’t even
consider buying any of the books she
had ruined. They were ruined as far as us selling them as new. She could have
still enjoyed the reading of them. What can you do? She didn’t even clean up
her mess which spread to around five feet in front of my books. I was actually
very lucky that only three books got hit. I pulled out my roll of paper towels,
got on my hands and knees, and cleaned up her
freak’n mess.




The
authors are great. We have several old timers in their eighties with us. It is
unfortunate that more people did not gather to hear what they had to say. They
will not be able to do these marathons much longer. Their knowledge and
experience is invaluable. Their passing a sorrow.



Life has a way of getting in your face at the
fair. We interact with all types of people from many different perspectives. I
would truly say that not one author leaves after the fair with the same world
view of when they arrived. Will we go next year? I really don’t know. Sales
were okay, but not great. The fatigue was excruciating. This is the third day
of being home, and I am only now writing it up. We’ll answer that question next
year after the invites go out.