At first, I wasn’t sure if I should throw a launch party for the release of The Inquisitor’s Mark. After all, this is my fourth book. And it’s a sequel. I wondered if maybe everyone I knew was sick and tired of going to events where they felt obligated to buy my books.

But after discovering this wonderful local indie store — The Hockessin Book Shelf — right over the state line from me in Delaware, I decided it would be fun to give it a try.

Of course, in this “Before” picture, I did wonder if anyone would come. (See my stiff, nervous smile?)

Before the party

I shouldn’t have worried! I was thrilled to see former co-workers, including the principal I spent most of my teaching career working with before her retirement.

Signing for Pat

Students from my old school, whose teachers read The Eighth Day aloud to them, and kids who met me as a guest speaker at the Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project last summer came out to see me.

Fans waiting

One girl drove an hour with her mother to attend this event because she bought The Eighth Day at the Baltimore Book Festival last fall and has been anxiously waiting for the sequel. She sat down to start reading immediately. I admit, for just a few seconds, I felt like a famous author!

Came from Baltimore

This little store makes the best of a small space by utilizing rolling book shelves that can slide between other shelves to clear the center of the store for events. Ingenious!

Line waiting

The event was catered by a retired teacher-colleague who now has her own catering business. LOVED the BLTs in little crunchy baskets! Also ingenious!

caterer

And my daughter was happy because she got to hold this handsome charmer and future reader!

Holding Chase

So, Saturday was kind of awesome. I am thrilled that so many people came out to celebrate with me and were genuinely Β looking forward to reading what’s next for Jax, Riley, and Evangeline. (One extremely bright young man already had a theory about why the book was called The Inquisitor’s Mark based on a detail about Jax’s family crest tattoo that’s mentioned in the first book — and he was right!)

But now it’s time to put my nose back on the grindstone. Revisions for The Morrigan’s CurseΒ are due in two weeks! Eek!