I have done a book event, and lived to tell the tale.

You couldn't find a friendlier, more welcoming place to start your book touring career than "M" is for Mystery.  Ed Kaufman owns the shop, and he and his wife Jeannie were fantastic about having a dubious debut author on the premises.

I don't seem to have got it too badly wrong, the only feedback later being to speak more slowly.  Which I instantly told my daughter Catriona in email because she's an excellent debater, except I keep telling her to speak more slowly.  Clearly it's a genetic fault.

Ed had a whole row of books lined up that were prepaids, meaning people had already ordered them from afar and they needed to be mailed off once signed.  Now logically, this makes perfect sense.  When one publishes a book, it's generally because you want to sell it.  But I was signing books for people I'd never met, and this is an odd sensation the first time you do it.  One book was to be dedicated, "To Cindy."  Which made me wonder about Cindy.  Who is she?  Why did she choose my book?  Will she enjoy it?  If you're reading this, Cindy, do let me know!

Yes, I'm getting metaphysical here, but it really is one of the oddest sensations, and very, very cool.

The first person ever to ask for a signed copy of a book I wrote was a lovely gentleman named Charles.  So I instantly asked for his autograph, which caused some slight confusion because the process is supposed to work in the opposite direction.  Here is Charles (my first signing!), Ed (owner of "M" is for Mystery), and me.  A normal day for most people, but an historic event for me.