What a day this has been! Here is Stephanie who we rented the car from from Hertz. We think she deserves a huge raise for getting us a vehicle large enough to hold us and all our luggage. When we first arrived, she took us outside to view our new mode of transportation. We kept looking and said where is it! We spied a green tin can, that would have been perfect for Popeye and Olive Oil. But where was our new ride for the 10 state, 4,000 mile driving book tour? She pointed at the can then proceeded to unlock it and show us the roomy trunk. I told her that my Elvis album covered suitcase would fit back there but what about the other 24 bags and all of our fur coats. Stephanie was so professional as she said, "I have an idea." That idea was sending a driver to Shreveport to pick up a 2008 silver Suburban and I have to tell GMC, I am now SOLD on that ride. Hertz, if you are reading this, that girl needs to be rewarded. So regardless, we crowned her a Pulpwood Queen and I gave her a personalized signed book. She was just beaming when we left and so were we.
Here we are as the women in black with Vicki Phelps in pink, that was taken when we stopped by Barron's, in Longview, Texas to sign stock. I got to see a lot of old friends at Barrons, Donna, Tammy, Al and Vickie who I use to work with at Barron's year's ago. We all hugged and looking forward to seeing them again when I go back there for an official book signing in February. We were looking good that day!
Below is the winner, Kathy Neal, of our Big Hair Makeover at Full Circle Books in Oklahoma City, our first official bookstore on the trip! This bookstore is absolutely picture perfect and what a thrill to see my books and book cover sign on my author table right in front of a roarin fireplace. We perused the books and everybody was so kind and gracious. I look forward to going back there again.
Now Kathy could not believe she won a free do and got to keep the hair, courtesy of Raquel Welch Put on Hair Pieces of HairUWear who sponsored the beauty portion of my book tour. You too could be a winner so come by one of the book stores I am visiting and enter your name into the raffle drawing, (book tour schedule below, scroll down).
That next photo is us with our TEXAS CADILLAC courtesy of Grand Central Publishing and folks, check out the custom sign. You all we "Pulped our Ride".
Now that last photo had our husbands in stitches. We Pulpwood Queens are like the Girl Scout motto, "Be Prepared!" I have to tell you there is NOTHING that we can't handle with our new ride which we have name Ruby Magnolia, the Silver Bullet!
Highlights of today!
As we drove down the Indian Nation Turnpike in Oklahoma we passed a black PT Cruiser that peaked our interest. From the back someone had painstakingly painted "One Smokin Gina". As we passed her we leaned forward to get that first look of the driver. Then she turned her grey bunned head for us to be in full view of our staring faces to view her sucking on a cigarette like no tomorrow! One Smokin Gina is right!
Then we noticed a sign at the side of the road: DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE SMOKE
As we laughed at the sign we decided that in some parts of the country, some people might not understand that sign. So we decided that the sign meant for you all to watch out for "One Smokin Gina". That's one photo I'm sorry we missed.
Got to go as have to leave at 6:00 a.m. to get to television show in Tulsa. More on that tomorrow!
Tiara wearing and book tour sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
The Pulpwood Queen
