Life has a way of mocking us, albeit gently most of the time. I was steaming today, waiting for a parking space to open on Bay Parkway. My one chance was usurped by a woman who pulled up just as someone was leaving. I had decided to play the good citizen, staying beside a hydrant rather than blocking traffic by double parking. I tried to tell myself to be happy that it was another beautiful indian summer day, but I couldn't fool myself. After 45 minutes I surrendered. Unfortunately, option two at 24th Avenue and 86th Street wasn't any better. I dreaded going to Avenue U, although many Italian-Americans still live there. Studies have shown that as a group we are not avid readers. There is also a significant Asian presence there now, and many do not speak English. And the pedestrian traffic is considerably less than at Bay Parkway. While en route, I wondered if the forces of nature were sending me there. Yeah, right, I thought, sniffing. Sure enough, minutes after setting up, Joey, 30-something, exited the On the Hill bar and grille, taking a smoke break while the Jets game was in commercial. He noticed the floating book shop and approached. When he learned I was a goombah, he bought A Hitch in Twilight. He dropped out of Lafayette HS his junior year, earning a smack on the head from Joe Gambuzza, the legendary baseball coach, and went to work on Wall Street. That didn't work out, but, given the wad of cash he pulled from his pocket, he seems to be doing fine. Thanks, sir, and also to the young woman of color, who bought two self help books. I have only four copies of Hitch left. I've been building my paypal account up with earnings from survey sites in anticipation of the purchase of more.
I signed up for Kindlegraph this morning at the the urging of a member of our All Things That Matter Press family. The service is free and allows readers to secure an electronic signature from an author. The idea seems so silly and is an obvious marketing ploy, but silly ideas have taken off in the past. It isn't even a genuine signature, but one that is chosen. Then again, what do I have to lose? Here's a link to my page there:
http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/vfortez
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