As I exited Stop n Shop early this morning, the music of Rogers and Hammerstein, from their classic Oklahoma, entered my mind: "Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day, and I've got a beautiful feeling everything's going my way." The sky was blue, the temperature was clear, the humidity gone. And no rain-sodden tree had fallen on my car. Later, as soon as I had set up shop, a Russian gentlemen overpaid for thrillers by Stephen King, Nelson DeMille, Tess Gerritsen and Clive Cussler - and he asked how often I was out there, which means he may return. Spasibo, sir.
John and his wife showed. He's a retired teacher who spends most of the summer upstate. Years ago he self-published a couple of novels through a printer, and was dissatisfied. He is trying to find a home for his third and has sought my advice. I suggested Lulu.com, which he fears will edit his work. I said it was unlikely unless it demonstrates advocacy of racist policy or deviant sexual practices. His book is a thriller. I think it's safe from the big blue pencil writers so loathe. I also told him it was possible to publish through amazon.com. He was so appreciative he bought the huge hardcover edition of Stephen King's It, which I was glad to see go simply because it weighs so much.
I also did business with three pre-teens, who were thrilled to learn children's books were three for a dollar. In a pleasing bit of democracy, each selected one. Thanks, kids. And thanks to the middle aged woman who purchased Dean Koontz's Whispers. The only disappointments of the day were the two potential customers who looked at and passed on A Hitch in Twilight. The second, a gentlemen of modest means who has made many purchases at the floating bookshop, asked how I would rate my books on a scale of one to ten. I refused to do it, saying only that they were well written, professional. He read about three pages and did not comment. Oh, well - maybe tomorrow.
I'm listening to Martini in the Morning, a station specializing in standards. Now playing: the great Judy Garland singing the Harold Arlen-George Gershwin standard, The Man That Got Away, composed for the film A Star Is Born (1954). "...The road gets rougher, lonelier and tougher...." A work of genius, perhaps the greatest torch song ever written. The track on Live at Carnegie Hall is unbelievable.
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