We’re headed for Tsunami on Sunday for my Eugene launch of The Shifting Winds.
The store’s banner, caught in the late afternoon light, speaks of a storm of waves rushing fast against a vivid sky. And I guess that’s the hope for every book. May it create its own waves, bringing readers into a world of adventure and romance, or wherever the author’s imagination seeks to carry them.
I took this photo last night before my Willamette Writers meeting. The mid-valley chapter holds its regular monthly meetings here. Our speaker at the end of her talk asked the audience why we write, and many answers were offered, but then she told the story of the 1001 nights of Scheherazade and suggested we write so people ask, “What’s next?” That was Scheherazade’s key to saving her own life and the lives of 1001 other virgins in the interim.
I enjoyed a private smile of my own, recalling that after I read a scene from The Shifting Winds at my launch party in Elkton, I opened it up to Q & A. And one of the questions was, “What happens next?” We laughed, but that’s the key, isn’t it? Getting the reader to ask, “What’s next?” That’s what keeps them reading–not just this book, but another and another. And the waves keep coming and keep storytelling alive.
So I’ll be at Tsunami Books at 2585 Willamette Street from 3 to 5 on Sunday afternoon, April 10. I’ll do a reading, probably around 3:30, open it up to Q & A, and sign some books. We’ll have light refreshments, including some Elkton wines from near my home, and have time to chat. The weather forecast looks good, promising some blue sky again, if not as warm as yesterday.
The event is open to the public. If you’re in the neighborhood I hope you’ll come by and enjoy getting caught on the waves of story.
Janet fisher 