Thursday, January 20, 2011
Maybe I'm NOT for everyone?
This afternoon Becca and I spent an hour at our public library to scope out the monthly "Brown Bag Book Review." Last week I had donated a copy of MOAGJ for placement in the local authors' section, and before I could even think about it, agreed to a speaking engagement there at the library to talk about my book.
I promote my book as being for everyone, just because it covers lots of subjects; some of which allow for only "black or white" opinions. I designed it so everyone would be forced to agree with something, but no one could possibly agree with everything. Most of it, of course, doesn't require a stance or opinion; it just is what it is.
A couple of the topics which are potent(abortion, religion, politics, racism, etc.) however, might not even be proper discussion in any forum for any reason, which I never considered until I attended today's gathering.
As of today 2/20/11, I am 42 years old. Becca is 38. Adding our ages together, one might be able to calculate the average age of those in attendance. And although most of the estrogen in the room had turned to dust decades ago, I was the only source of testosterone present. There were a couple ladies that didn't seem to be AARP members, but most of them had probably, in their youths, been the proud occupants of a horse-drawn wagon . They also all seemed to know each other, as if this is something they attend each month, regardless of who the guest speaker is.
According to the librarian in charge, I am slated to be the guest speaker in March. How am I supposed to stand in front of the geriatric peanut gallery and talk about my book? "Hello, ladies. I thought we'd steer clear of any controversial topics entailed in my book, so who's up for talking about poop?!"
At least there's one more Brown Bag Book Review before I'm up, so maybe there will be a more diverse group there, or at least I might come up with some ideas for when I have to be in front of them. Just glad I left the "when I was your age" essay out of this book. They would definitely have destroyed me in that respect!
I promote my book as being for everyone, just because it covers lots of subjects; some of which allow for only "black or white" opinions. I designed it so everyone would be forced to agree with something, but no one could possibly agree with everything. Most of it, of course, doesn't require a stance or opinion; it just is what it is.
A couple of the topics which are potent(abortion, religion, politics, racism, etc.) however, might not even be proper discussion in any forum for any reason, which I never considered until I attended today's gathering.
As of today 2/20/11, I am 42 years old. Becca is 38. Adding our ages together, one might be able to calculate the average age of those in attendance. And although most of the estrogen in the room had turned to dust decades ago, I was the only source of testosterone present. There were a couple ladies that didn't seem to be AARP members, but most of them had probably, in their youths, been the proud occupants of a horse-drawn wagon . They also all seemed to know each other, as if this is something they attend each month, regardless of who the guest speaker is.
According to the librarian in charge, I am slated to be the guest speaker in March. How am I supposed to stand in front of the geriatric peanut gallery and talk about my book? "Hello, ladies. I thought we'd steer clear of any controversial topics entailed in my book, so who's up for talking about poop?!"
At least there's one more Brown Bag Book Review before I'm up, so maybe there will be a more diverse group there, or at least I might come up with some ideas for when I have to be in front of them. Just glad I left the "when I was your age" essay out of this book. They would definitely have destroyed me in that respect!
Labels: library, Princeton, West Virginia
¶ 11:52 AM
