Windy City Authors & Local Libraries! by DL Larson

Good golly, I love libraries! Look at all this free publicity for the local authors of Illinois who belong to the WindyCity RWA Chapter! The displays have been going on for several weeks in the branch libraries in the Naperville area: 95th Street, Nicols, and Naper Boulevard. I believe the displays will be up for a little longer, so if you get the chance, check them out!

The timing on these displays couldn't come at a better time for me. Just when I'm thinking I'm standing at a crossroads and getting nowhere, some kind souls do this and there my books are standing face out for all to see! There are so many great writers in the WindyCity chapter and I'm proud to be a part of them, glad my books belong with this family of authors.

I'm a great believer in asking for and receiving signs. I know we're not supposed to talk religion on this blog, but I want to share with you what happened recently. I've been asking the good Lord to give me a sign if I'm on the right path, with my life and with my writing. Imagine the pestering child pulling on mama's skirt while she's doing a dozen other things that HAVE got to get done. But I persist; I'm a stubborn child.

I get my answer, not in words, but through action. A RWA friend sent me nine pictures of the WindyCity Author displays. I don't go to Naperville very often so seeing these pictures is the closest I will get to being there. I'm thrilled! My books are right there in the thick of things. But it doesn't stop there.

Two days ago I had a few free moments to chat with my fellow librarians between our preschool visits to the library. We were chatting at the circulation desk when a lady stepped off the elevator and approached us. "I've been looking for you," she said to me. "Would you autograph these for me?" She had two sets of my books, Memories Trail and Promises To Keep. She'd purchased them through Amazon.com. She had the urge to do some Christmas shopping and decided on books. My books.

I didn't know this lady, but somewhere she heard about me. It's been two years since my last book was published, so my books aren't in many stores, and I have to admit I haven't been pushing them like I did awhile ago.

Some might call this coincidence and that's okay. I like to believe it's an answer to a question. All this happened at the right time for me. I simply needed a little nudge to remind me, yes, I'm right where I'm supposed to be, and yes, struggling is part of being an author. If only I could remember that!!!

Til next time ~

DL Larson