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My Favorite Author

I have had 'readers block' for the last month.  I also am having trouble writing again.  What better way is there to inspire you to write than to read, right?  I just can't seem to stick to anything.  I had to read Fifty Shades of  Grey for book club this month.  I got 375 pages in (only because it was for book club) before I gave up, but that's another blog post...
Readers block happens from time to time and usually, I turn to Jonathan Tropper (my favorite author)  knowing that I will cured of my readers block with the very first page.  Here's my problem - I only have one Jonathan Tropper that I haven't read.  Once I read it, there will be no more until his latest book comes out in paperback (due to my arthritis, I don't read hard cover books).  I don't like the thought of no more unread Johnathan Tropper books left on my shelf.  It gives me an unsettled feeling.
Last week, Jonathan Tropper had a book signing right next door to my home town.  I get email notifications for him on Goodreads.com and when I saw, Hey New Jersey, I'll be reading and signing at River Road books in Fair Haven, I thought 'Nooo! I want to go!'  (I'm pretty sure he won't be coming to England any time soon).  I asked everyone I could think of to go on my behalf.  No one could make it.  I even put it on Facebook.  I had one person I've only seen once in 25 years offer to go for me, but when I realized she had to get a babysitter to do so, I told her not to worry.  I had another friend who is recovering from major surgery offer to get a ride over because she hasn't been cleared to drive yet.  I couldn't in good conscious let her do it.  I even asked my mom to go (knowing it was a stretch) and she said no.  No real excuse, just she didn't want to.  I was livid.  She said she didn't want to wait on line for an autograph.  I thought, an autograph??  He's not a movie star!  He's my favorite author signing my favorite book! A signed copy of my favorite book (the book that inspired me to want to write my book), is a little different from asking to get me an autograph! I didn't say any of it because I didn't want to fight.  So, I just said, 'It's ok' and hung up with her.
A few hours later, she called me back and said she spoke to my step-father about it and they'd be going after all.  I was really happy, but also worried that they wouldn't make it a priority.  On Facebook, I had two friends from book club ask me to get them copies.  I knew this would be pushing the envelope.  Shipping to the UK is really expensive and I doubted my parents would want to do it.  So, I called the book store, explained the situation and asked if I paid for the books and the shipping if they would do it for me (including the copies for my friends).  I knew it would cost a small fortune for shipping, but figured it would make good Christmas gifts for the girls, plus I would have to worry about my parents not making it over.  The book store agreed to do it.  $100.00 later, it was arranged.
I called my mother and told her a friend would go in her place (not wanting to tell her I paid $100 for the guarantee I would get the books).  She said, 'Oh, Okay' sounding disappointed. I asked what was wrong.  She said, 'We got dressed up.  I had what I was going to say all planned out.  I was going to tell him you were writing a book and were inspired to do by his book.  I called the book store to make sure they had it just in case I had to look around for it.'  I felt awful and I was also really surprised.  This wasn't like my mom.  She's not really the type to do something like that for me (which is why I called the bookstore in the first place).  I was touched.  I told her, 'Wow, that's really nice.  You can still go if you want.'  She said no, that it would save her the trip, but asked me to make sure my friend told him about me writing my book because of him.  I called the book store and made sure they'd tell him for her.  They said they would.
In a few days, I will have a signed copy of 'The Book of Joe' Made out to me!  It's not as good as getting to meet him, hearing him read from his new book, being a part of a Q&A afterwords (I really would have loved that), but it's pretty good.
So, here I sit with my last unread Jonathan Tropper novel with a bad case of reader's/writer's block.  To read or not to read...

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