Monday, June 14, 2010

What I Learned from Murray Costco


The best part of doing signings at Costco may just be all the vicarious shopping an author gets to do. You can tell a lot about a person by looking in their shopping cart!

One cart contained about 6 boxes of granola bars, grape juice, Ex-lax and Prilosec. Another, candy, candy, candy, candy, cups, and olives.

I passed (punny) on asking about the first cart but I did inquire about the second: it was for a wedding with a candy bar... still trying to figure out the olives... :)

Every cart is different and Costco, and the contents vary from entire playgrounds to bedsheets and bacon. I don't know where they hide it all, but Costco may very well have everything!

As for what I learned, here we go:

  • Belts look best on people who technically don't need them
  • It is "in" to turn full-length pants into capris with one fold mid-shin (this fad will pass quickly, methinks--especially when paired with gladiator sandals)
  • Everyone is going camping but me
  • Don't pass me 4 times, or you will succumb to my charm
  • My old drama teacher is doing great
  • My friend's son just got back from his honeymoon and needs a refridgerator
  • I am very good at selling other author's books--maybe too good...
  • When pronounced correctly, American children have no interest in eating Daims.
  • Kindles/Nooks kind of rock... even if I still technically prefer books
  • Strangely enough, no one wants to buy a magazine when the magazine rack is positioned behind a signing author
  • If only I had stayed 4 hours longer, I might have run into someone I knew :)

As a side note, Welcome to Stalk Lake City goes to press tomorrow, all new and improved and stuff. I think I'll be up until 2 proifing it, but the good news I finally know what the dedication will be. Nothing felt right until I got it right. And now, I feel peace :)

7 comments:

  1. Love it- and it's certainly true about the magazine rack... I miss Costco. When is your next signing?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It takes 4 passes to succumb to your charm? I don't think so! :) I'm glad you figured out the dedication and hope you got some sleep last night.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thursday at Murray, 4-7pm. If you're in the neighborhood, feel free to drop by. Friendly faces welcome!

    And yes, Rachael, I got 3 hours. And when I brought in the manuscript it was discovered that I was revealed that 16 MORE pages needed to be cut for length by the end of the day... that was fun ;)

    Some joys only we authors know...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good luck, and congrats! this makes two down, and how many left to go? such amazing progress!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Could that be MY son?? :) Did you get to meet the Mrs.? Isn't she awesome in every way? Fortunately his fridge broke before he left so they could clear out the rot potential pre-honeymoon. I haven't seen them yet. I'm in Denver with the munchkin for a lacrosse tournament. Which is why I had to miss your Costco appearances. Sad. And for the record...Costco is my happy place. I blog about it regularly :) SO HAPPY FOR YOU and your success m'dear! XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  6. Holy crap- I totally fold up my jeans and wear gladiator sandals. Sorry to have missed all your awesomeness at the Costcos. I'm at a Costco at least twice a week, but have been traveling so I missed you.
    And, I always feel super neat when the only thing in my Costco cart is a jumbo pack of tampons and Dino Nuggets. Just the necessities.
    -Sarah R.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice necessities :)

    I really do need to do another Costco post, because I learn so much every time :)

    Until then, rock the sandals and hope to see you at Costco!!!

    ReplyDelete