Cheryl Kaye Tardif, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Cheryl Kaye Tardif
Richport Chapters is Rich with Wonderful Customers 6/12/2007 11:00:09 PM
:) Well, it took me a few days to post this update. I'm just a tad bit tired from traveling. I can't get over how much the Vancouver area has grown since I lived here 16 years ago. I don't recognize a thing. Except the dark cloud and rain! lol Seriously though, I miss seeing all this greenery and the mountains.
On Sunday, June 10th, I had my last signing in this area. It was at the Richport Chapters in Richmond, BC. I was happy to see a table set up and waiting, with signage announcing my event. And the scented roses on my table were a lovely touch. Thanks to the managers Josie and Stephen, and the awesome staff--Mark, Megan, Daisy, Jamie and everyone else. Your store beat all the others in sales! :)
I'd like to thank some very special customers. Some I'll mention a bit later in this post, but thanks to all the wonderful people I met at Richport Chapters: Lee, for buying my "heart book" and for sharing her story about the loss of a young man in her life; Wally, who noticed the ankh on The River and wished me success; and a special thanks to Lizzie, a young writer and avid reader who was so excited to get a copy of Whale Song. You all made my day! :)
I arrived at the store after only 4 hours of sleep (because of the after party after Julie Blue's concert/CD release party), but I felt great. I believe Julie's concert energized me. During the concert, some of her music made me think of my brother Jason, who was murdered in January 2006. It made me feel connected to him, like maybe he was close. The next morning, I thought of him. And then the strangest thing happened...
Not even 5 minutes after setting up at Chapters, I had my first customer--a young boy named Jason. He bought Whale Song.
And weirder still...my second customer arrived about 3 minutes later--a young boy named Anthony. He also bought Whale Song.
Now you probably saw the obvious connection--young Jason and my brother Jason...but I bet you didn't know my brother's middle name was Anthony.
And since I had just been thinking of my brother, and Whale Song is my "heart book", and it's dedicated to my brother and a percentage of my royalties are going to the three organizations that helped my brother, I found this all quite odd and miraculous. Wouldn't you?
Some of you may know that Whale Song has become a multi-generational success, with readers from 7-96 years old. But the Richport Chapters was the only store in BC where more than half of the Whale Song sales went to kids under 13, and mainly boys.
Whale Song was the only one of my novels that my brother Jason had ever read.
Whale Song--my heart book.
I invite you to check it out. And don't forget that every copy you buy will help support three worthy organizations--the Mustard Seed Church, Hope Mission and the Bissell Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, where my brother lived and died.
I thank you for supporting these organizations and Whale Song.
Please consider ordering Whale Song on Amazon (on sale - 20% OFF) or Chapters.
