After the book signing, a hotel banquet worker helped me transport my books to my room. He went above and beyond his job description and is one of the many reasons I loved The Hutton Hotel.
Rae Ann and I went to lunch with the lovely Jane Sevier. I loved my brats and sauerkraut.
Rae Ann and Jane were the most gracious hosts and showed me around the city all afternoon. We started at French’s Boots in downtown Nashville, where I ended up purchasing two gorgeous pairs of boots. And no I did not opt for the Pepto Bismo pink socks.
BTW, do not bother looking online and identifying which boots you want. The stores stock is not as complete and you have to shop aisle by aisle anyway.
Photo by Rae Ann Parker
We continued our adventures at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Rae Ann volunteers there so she got me in for free and gave me the insider’s tour. Beyond cool.
They had an entire room dedicated to Reba McEntire!
This was Elvis’ car with gold records in the ceiling and a phone to call the driver.
Photo by Rae Ann Parker
Me beside the second wall of gold records.
Wow. Just wow. Imagine wearing this.
Smokey and the Bandit II car.
Country Music Hall of Fame–where it’s good luck to rub Ms. Wells nose.
Entry way of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Great giftshop. I dropped a pretty penny there.
Rae Ann and my last stop was the Loveless Cafe for dinner. Over biscuits and preserves, we commiserated over the difficulties of being indie authors.
My fried chicken, fried green tomatoes and mashed potatoes and gravy was worth every single calorie.
After Rae Ann dropped me back at the hotel, I had to get my books shipped back to CT. Unfortunately the hotel cannot do ground shipping. But the front desk made it completely possible for me. They got my books to the free shuttle, loaded them on the shuttle, and the shuttle driver brought me to Fed Ex and carried my books to the counter. All at 9:30 at night.
After my books were sent off, the shuttle driver drove me back to the hotel. We talked about my book and it turned out he knew a country singer from Butternut, WI.
Can you guess who? Yup. Hugh Bob and the Hustle. I laughed because I’d just been at Hugh’s show in Williamsburg a week ago. What a wonderful world it is when you have a Butternut connection.
The next morning, my cab driver requested a signed bookmark on the way to the airport. I got to listen to good country singers over lunch. And I made it to Laguardia in record time. My driver got me to Grand Central where I caught a train back to CT. Standing room only. Blared Hugh Bob and The Hustle and time passed quickly. Got a seat and gave out two bookmarks to fellow passengers on the train.
The next day, I packed a bag and set off for Madison, CT for my RJ Julia’s local author event.
I sold one book to a really lovely woman named Andrea. And I met several nice authors. And RJ Julia’s will stock my book for 3 months. So it was a very good night.
I met my best friend’s mom for dinner and crashed with her in Old Saybrook for the night.
Next morning we breakfasted at the Paperback Cafe. The Kielbasa Scramble was delightful.
Then I headed back home.
Wow, what a busy time, but it sounded fantastic. Enjoy!
Thanks. It was pretty hectic but when you get an opportunity you take it. Especially from RJ Julia’s.
Another great adventure story. I love these!
Thanks Gwen! It’s cool when you can combine work and fun in one trip. 🙂
Oh how I love the Loveless Cafe, Kourtney! I’m not a big biscuit fan, but boy, they are good and it’s fun to watch them being made. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. It sounds like a fun time.
It’s a really cool place. And the food. You could die after that meal and go with a smile on your face.
Sounds like a whirlwind — but a great one! (with great food … that chicken and those biscuits looked delicious!!!!!!) 🙂
It feels like one too! Definitely worth it though. The food was AMAZING! The conference really taught me so much and helped me network and connect with new readers and authors. 🙂
Wow, you are constantly on the move. You sound incredibly busy but you’re seeing a lot of cool places and meeting a lot of great people. Your energy for what you do is endless!
It was a busy month. September’s got more events. Three somehow in a week. Two workshops and an author talk. Busy working on those. Yes, I’m trying to get to new locales and hopefully garner more readers. I crash–I just do it offline. 🙂
Looks like there’s a lot of good eating involved in writing books! So fun to hear about the on the road parts!
LOL. Nah, mostly eating to keep writing at home. But when I’m promoting, I like to treat myself to good meals. The on the road stuff is still so new. I get excited and nervous before every appearance. 🙂
Ooh, these updates always leave me feeling hungry! Very cool that your cab driver asked for a bookmark. I always bring them with me when I travel, but the shy face-to-face marketer I am, all I manage to do is drop one in the hotel nightstand next to the bible. 😉
LOL. I do enjoy good food when I’m on the go. 🙂 I can’t talk myself up. But I don’t do it for me, it’s for the book. I take me out of the equation. And it’s always just a conversation. I never ask anyone to buy my book. If they ask for info on it, I politely give them a bookmark. Oh goodness, right next to the bible–that must lead to interesting conversations for the room’s next occupants. 😉
🙂
It’s funny, but I always have a hard time reconciling New York with “country.” 😉 But I guess those seeming opposites are what make the world go round, right? I’m curious what you’ll make of Loudoun County, where part of my WIP Death Out of Time takes place!
New York has so many things to discover. I guess they would have a few really good country places too. Though it definitely isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you say New York. 😉 Oh that’s interesting. I lived in DC for two years and Arlington for 2 years during college. I did venture out to Loudoun county a few times but that was a while back. Cool–you’ll have to tell me more about it when we meet up!
I really need to go to Nashville. I don’t know that I could do it as part of a conference, though. Country music would keep pulling me away. 😀
They are pretty good about giving you free time at night. 😉 I can only rationalize travel costs right now if I am promoting so I try to fit as much in as I can. 🙂
Love Love the boots and You look so happy xo xo xo xo xo xo C
Thanks! I love them too. Weather’s cooler in TO in October right? I may bring them with me. 🙂 Aw, I was. I had the best time in Nashville. Great people, great conference, great sites. It had it all. 🙂
lol xo
i am so glad you are living the life YOU love and it shows K heart xx it really does .. You are in your element > all of it – Proud to call you a friend ….. so very proud of You xo sounds cheesey and all – but hey – Following Your bliss with all Your passion and might is a path Not many have the “balls ” to take 🙂 xxx
I look up to You a Ton xo C
Aw thank you Catherine. I am doing all that I can to get the book noticed. I am so very proud of you–your music career is doing phenomenal. Your passion is inspiring to me. I feel the same way. You take chances and you make things happen. You are a great person to have in my life. 🙂 Hugs K
AWWW xxx
quadruple hugs x 10000000000000 🙂 and it will be fantastic fun to meet 🙂
<3 one thing for sure – we are Gonna Laugh XX
i look forward to meeting You xo
Super duper fun! LOL. I cannot top that. 🙂
Lots of fun. Can’t wait to see you in TO! xoxo
MUAH XO XO XO XO XO XO XO XO XO
Double that!!! 😉
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 XO
I love that you’re combining travel, sightseeing and food touring with promotion of Six Train… you are so good at juggling plates… The author event at RJ Julia’s looked like someting I’d like to do 🙂
It’s really more necessity. I can’t rationalize the cost of traveling for fun, so I sneak it into my promotional trips. 😉 zero guilt that way. I think I prefer solo events just for the element of control. It’s hard to gauge how things will work at a group event and I get more nervous with uncertainty. 🙂
Sounds like a great time. I’m glad you’re taking in the sights while you promote your book. Make the most out of being an indie author!
Yeah it’s the best way to see places on a super tight budget. 😉 traveling can be tiring so I try to give myself a mix of work and fun stuff.
I’m almost finished with your book on Kindle, Miss Kourtney. It’s really well done. I’m enjoying it very much. You surely are getting a tour of the country. Did someone book these events for you, or did you do this all on your own? You go girl! (btw, I’m out of town myself right now. My hubby is back at home while I visit the family in Chicago)
Oh that’s awesome to hear Lori! Thanks so much. 🙂 I organized my entire blog tour and book tour myself. It’s why I haven’t been writing. Promotion took up 100% of my time. Hoping to keep touring and start outlining a new book later this month. Lots of places want workshops so that’s been my main writing activity.
More adventures! Sounds great and I can almost smell the food 🙂
The food was so delish. 🙂