Dr. Frank's What's-it

Meat the Author

New York City is perhaps not quite at its best in the summer, but soul-sapping heat and peculiar smells aside, so far so good over here. I dropped in on a handful of bookshops in Manhattan to say hi and "sign stock," and all the bookshop people were, as usual, surprisingly friendly and gracious about the whole thing. A couple of them had even read the book, which is nice. I mean, that doesn't always happen. One of those who had read it was a buyer at this great children's- thru-YA bookstore called Books of Wonder. If you are interested in Frank L. Baum, it is definitely the place to go. Plus, they have cupcakes and such. (Anyone in NY who is interested: I noticed a couple of first editions among the ones I signed. I only mention it because people have asked where to get them. While supplies last, in New York, that is where. Here's how to tell if it's a first edition: at the bottom of the copyright info. page at the front there is a kind of "count-down" from ten. If it goes all the way to "1," that's a first edition.) A girl at one of the Barnes & Nobles actually carded me to make sure I wasn't just some guy getting his kicks by signing somebody's else's book.

I had a fun time in (or should that be on?) Long Island at the Village Book Shoppe and at this Irish bar afterwards with Lorraine and her entourage of hip librarians. The heat was rough though. I was pretty wilted by the end.

And yet: onward.

(Don't forget about Coliseum Books on Wednesday the 12th and the Sidewalk Cafe on Thurs. the 13th. Details here.)

Posted by Dr. Frank at July 9, 2006 01:51 PM | TrackBack