Random Thoughts

Posters of the Urban Mermaid cover

It has finally stopped raining, here in Charlottesville, VA. For the moment, anyway. It’s bound to start up again. More sooner rather than later.

I’ve been involved in the seemingly Sisyphean[i] task of getting ready to attend BookExpo America – 2016 in Chicago, IL. This is a rather large trade show and Urban Mermaid will be on display, there. I won’t go into every incident which has helped to drive me barking mad. I will, however, tell you about the latest one.

Posters. I need posters. Not many, really. Just one.

I’ll be signing copies of Urban Mermaid on the last day of the event and need a poster-sized copy of the front cover to use at the IBPA signing table. I ordered one in three different sizes since the IBPA wouldn’t tell me how big their easel would be. The print department at the Staples in Colonial Heights, VA was running behind last Friday when I placed my order & promised they’d call me as soon as it was done.

They never did.

For some odd reason, my wife wants to see me every now and then so I decamped for Charlottesville on Sunday. Since there’s also a Staples in C’ville, I decided to hedge my bets by ordering a second copy up here.

It was supposed to be ready on Wednesday afternoon.

The C’ville Staples did manage to call and tell me that the poster would be ready as soon as their printer is repaired. I depart for Hopewell, late Saturday afternoon.

I am not holding my breath on this one.

I will return to the Colonial Heights store on Sunday to find that the original print order has either been completed or it hasn’t.

I fly to Chicago on Tuesday.

Fortunately, my brother – the successful writer – gifted me a bottle of fine single-malt at the holidays and I plan to seek consolation therein.

Meanwhile, the Epic Urban Mermaid Giveaway is chuntering along. The winner of the latest prize will be announced on Saturday or Sunday. It all depends upon when I break the seal on the aforementioned bottle of single malt.


[i] Pertaining to or resembling the unceasingly recurring and fruitless labors of Sisyphus, the king of Ephyra (Corinth). He was punished by the gods for his self-aggrandizing craftiness and deceitfulness by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, repeating this action for eternity.

Urban Mermaid Side-bar logo
You can buy your own copy via this website
Paperback
Urban Mermaid
Kindle Edition
Urban Mermaid
Howard Parsons' author logo
The Author Is Reading