Elizabeth Berg

Yes, yet another in my collection of "Famous Author's I Have Met ..."

Yesterday was the Spring luncheon of the High Point Literary League. My friend, Dena, (www.denaharris.com) joined me for my annual trek to the High Point Country Club, lots of Southern ladies, a pretty lunch, and a famous author.

Dena had not had the experience of walking into this lavish place until yesterday ... "Almost like walking into a scene from Gone With The Wind?" I asked.

"This is some place," she said. My trendy, cool, hip and relocated Yankee writer friend who has already established her successful career ... still has moments of culture shock living in Dixie. Even though she's married to a Southerner, has a gorgeous home, and writing credentials from here to the nearest Biscuitville ... I think she has fun when thrown into a vat of "Southern culture." And I'm sure these ladies (or the majority of them) have no idea how "Gone With The Wind" they can seem to Northern women.

But the food, as always, was delightful to the eye and the palate, and the program was entertaining ... you want to hear the cool thing?

I was given permission by the Board of Directors to place on every seat ... AN INVITATION TO MY BOOK LAUNCH! That's over 300 seats! In addition, I was able to leave a stack on the Barnes & Noble table.

Dena took a stack of invitations, I took the other half, and we raced around the room ... I can't tell you how thrilling it was to see women pick up the invitation and read it! Hopefully, with my contribution of 50% of the proceeds from the launch going to their Scholarship Fund, it just might draw a few. Maybe a handful of these ladies will turn out for the launch party. It's a win/win for everyone ... and they get to go home with a good book!

Lyn Foscue, President, announced my book launch just before Elizabeth Berg was introduced. I wondered if Elizabeth remembered feeling so small and thrilled with her first book?

This woman has a dozen or more books published to critical acclaim ... she was an Oprah pick, for goodness sake. A few have been optioned for film ... and as she read bits and pieces from her many books, it was easy to see why. Just as our food was easy on the eye and the tongue, her words fell soft on my ears ... quite soothing to my writer soul, actually. I've read two of her books ... What We Keep and Open House. Yesterday I bought her new book, We Are All Welcome Here. Beautifully told stories that melt your heart.

I think Dena got a taste of the 'old South' yesterday, I love the networking opportunity at these meetings ... who knows, maybe someday they'll ask one of their own to speak ... Now wouldn't that be something?

Elizabeth Berg is one to aspire to ... we met briefly, she admired my invitation as the book cover was on the front, we chatted, she signed my books, another brief moment in time with a bestselling author who has "made it." I wonder if that kind of karma rubs off when you're around somebody like Elizabeth Berg?

Blessings to you and yours.