Friday, May 30, 2008

A lousy criminal

I'm a lousy criminal.

I just can't seem to do anything wrong and still look normal.

Trust me, I've tried.

So, I was in Barnes and Noble the other day.

They had this nice big display in the center of the children's books area: New Arrivals.

Greetings from Nowhere was not there.

So I look on the regular shelves and they had several copies.

I glance around, then scoop up the copies, intent on putting them on the New Arrivals display table.

I round the corner of the shelves and there is a beady-eyed store clerk.

Me: Tra la la (whistle, whistle)

Beady-eyed Store Clerk: Can I help you?

Me: Who, me? Um. No, thank you.

Beady-eyed Store Clerk: [narrows eyes, purses lips]

Me: [pretends to look at picture books while clutching four copies of Greetings from Nowhere and turning abnormally red]

Finally, Beady-eyed Store Clerk leaves.

I plop my books onto the New Arrivals display table and hightail it out of there.

Phew!

Note to Clyde: If you need a Bonnie, I'm not your gal.

10 comments:

TheHQforHQ said...

I'll bet if you'd explained it to the lady and that you were the author, they would have been more than happy to let you place your books very visibly. Don't bookstores like local authors?

Stephanie J. Blake said...

Good for you because I was in a Borders recently and couldn't find a single copy of your books. It frustrated me beyond belief.

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

That is too funny, Barb! I got GREETINGS in the mail from Amazon last week and it's in my stack and getting very impatient! Everything I hear about it is *glowing*. Have a good weekend!

I can't wait for BEA to be over . . . if ya know what I mean! ;-)

Sam's Mom said...

Good girl! Keep moving those books to the shelf where they belong. :)
My students were shocked and appalled when our Scholastic book fair featured no Barbara O'Connor books. (You're a household word with us, you know.) We were told by the rep that your books would be on the next caravan...whatever that means. My son said to tell Mattie way to go for getting the bunny.

Barbara O'Connor said...

Thanks, Sam's Mom - and Sam!

Barbara O'Connor said...

Sam's Mom - It just occurred to me who you are! Sorry about that! Hello - and thanks again for your support.

Anonymous said...

Oh my...normally I just find your books, pull them and face them out on the shelf. NOW I have a much more exciting adventure idea at the big box store! AND I would have absolutely no problem telling the clerk that this ia one fine book that should be featured. Hey, they need to order more! Nope, I would not have any problem blowing your horn. JAZ

Barbara O'Connor said...

JAZ - you're my hero

La Prof said...

it worked for carrie bradshaw!

mbpbooks said...

hey, at least your books were SOMEWHERE in Barnes and Noble ... you should have titled your book GREETINGS FROM SOMEWHERE because mine are nowhere when it comes to that store ... how's that for an eeyore moment?