SUSPEND DISBELIEF IN YOURSELF
or How To Trick Yourself Into Seeing Yourself The Way Others See You
They had no idea who I was.
They had been told I was coming and they were happy to accommodate by providing a place to sit and beer to drink, but other than that, they had no idea who I was.
That’s not to say they should have known.
This isn’t a “do you have any idea who I am??” story.
No, this is one more lesson I’ve had in recent years that has taught me that, provided you’re not a jerk, in real life, people are nice.
My book, despite my publishers best efforts, has sold fairly well.
Specifically in Canada.
Not bad in the States.
And was officially released in the UK on Feb 29, 2024.
Where, known for their patience (do not see: Liz Truss), the Brits will only have to wait 2 to 5 months to receive a copy of the book when ordered from Amazon.
Modern commerce is amazing.
But I digress…
To mark and herald in the exciting new inconvenience of ordering my book in the UK I had decided to hold an informal Book Launch at the Lamb & Flag pub in Covent Garden.
It’s a great spot. Charles Dickens’ local when he was starting out and famously the location of an attack on the writer, John Dryden, by two men sent by Charles II because of a particularly witty piece of satire Dryden wrote about Charlie’s mistress, Louise de Kérouaille.
The concept was simple, I would bring a bag full of books and anyone who wanted one, signed if they wished, could pop by and get one for free.
In-between giving away books I would sup pints.
This ‘author’ thing is a lark.
It worked.
People came.
I made friends with the bar staff and other patrons.
All of the books I brought with me were eagerly taken.
I had went in with trepidation.
Who did I think I was? Book Launch. Pffft.
But I decided to suspend my disbelief in myself… and just go with it.
It worked.
It actually worked.
Be kind.
Be yourself.
Suspend your disbelief.
Be the person you want other people to think you are…
and you will be.
Someday, I’d really like to buy you & Shannon a pint. Even if I had to go to the UK to do it. (You do realize, though, that as an American I don’t really know what good beer is)
The first rule of show business (according to Young Raoul) - "Nobody cares". Don't let them know how it is going, let them know that you like them. 😎