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Got back late-ish Sunday from the ALA in Chicago. It was nice to see everybody that came out for the signing. A special hi, to Jodi, always good to see you. Since it was my audio publisher, Brilliance Audio, that flew me out I signed MP3 CDs containing the complete A STROKE OF MIDNIGHT. There isn’t much room to sign on a CD. It gave me a new sympathy to all those musicians out there doing signing events. Much more room to sign in a book, even a paperback.
It was great to see everyone, but Jonathon and I are both beat. I know for myself that it’s the plane ride. If I go too long between plane rides the phobia tends to get bad again. Sigh. First class isn’t a luxury for me; I’ve found those few inches of extra leg space makes a real difference to my claustrophobia. Don’t even get me started on having to transfer to smaller planes to do out of the way places. Going back and forth for my Grandmother’s final illness and funeral is only reached by prop planes. Yippee-skippy.
For those that are wondering why these phobias? I was in a plane where the flight attendants ended up plastered against the roof of the cabin with the force of the plane going for the ground. The plane inexplicably righted itself as suddenly as it had started down. (Yes, I did give Anita this little story as part of her personal background.) My claustrophobia is from a diving incident I had years ago, before that I liked small spaces. Anita is also claustrophobic but I think hers stems from waking up in coffins with big, bad vampires. I think that’d do it for most people. I initially gave Anita some of my phobias to help her seem more human, more real, and more vulnerable. Frankly, it also helps because it’s how I feel about the travel and it’s one less thing I have to write that isn’t how I feel personally. Anita always seems to push me outside my comfort zones, and I guess I push her, too. Anyway, I’m off to an early bed. I actually laid down for a brief nap today and Jonathon had to wake me so I could eat dinner. Like I said, I’m beat.