Soulemama Book Launch

A Friend and I ventured out to Portland on a rainy Friday evening to go to Soulemama's book launch and to purchase her book and meet her. I was excited to go because I read this blog daily and I wanted to meet her and tell her how I loved to read her blog and how much we had in common. I wanted to thank her for being such an inspiration. I wanted to ask her how she manages to do it all without going stark raving bonkers.

When we arrived I sorta expected there to be more people there. It is a 2 level store and on the street level there were a few people but is was not crazy busy. It sounded like there was a party going on in the basement. Oh, and copies of the book everywhere. Finally, I get my hands on this book and it is suprisingly small. I expected it to be about the size and shape of a magazine but is smaller than that about 6.5" x 8" , somehow I thought it was bigger. But, no matter, I expect it is less expensive than a larger book and so I am all for that. I purchase 2 copies one for myself and one for my nephew's wife as a gift.

We head downstairs and there were several people in groups and Amanda was standing by a table talking with someone. It did seem like a party. A party at which I knew no one except the person I came with. We went up and sorta stood nearby with our books and no one noticed. We then wandered around looking at her show and all the other cool stuff in the store. Where else can you get a onesie with 'The Clash' on it?

We wander some more. I decide that if I want these books signed I must stand nearby and wait in a obvious way. This works. I am feeling so shy, I am overcome with it and don't know what to say (I'm your number one fan a la "misery", I don't think so.) So I look up an say Hi and notice that she is by all appearances feeling very shy too. She signs my books and is very nice but I don't know what to say and so it is over very quickly. It is a strange feeling to meet someone that you know so much about and yet she doesn't know you a bit and so it truly is this one sided thing. Weird. I did ask her if her photogragher friend was there because I wanted to tell her how much I love her pics. She says that yes she is and that I should meet her and tell her what I think of her work and that she needs to hear how good it is. So she is a good friend to think of her friend on her own big night.

So I go over and introduce myself to Jessie Fields, a photographer who does amazing work and whom is very modest. I really enjoy her work and I tell her so and we have a nice conversation. She asks for my blog address and even writes it down. Hi Jessie it was nice to meet you!

I then snapped a few pictures and it was over, rather quickly for me.

Then there is the book...