Monday morning we repacked the van and car and made room to add Wayne’s daughter to our crew. The seven of us set out for Bel Air, MD where we spent a wonderful hour visiting folk at the Christopher Matthew’s Christian bookstore. This was a fun event for me, because I’d met the owner, Bryan Brock, the week before at the Logos retreat in Atlanta.

We fit in a drive-by signing at a Borders, then continued to a short visit at Family Christian store in Newark, Delaware (I think the Newark name led me to think we were sometimes in New Jersey that day). We met professional story teller Michael Forestieri, who even brought his Celtic harp. We finished our day with a fourth event at The Days of Knights Store, also in Newark. GREAT people who went all out for us (a great spread of healthy munchies, which sadly I didn’t get to enjoy as much as I would have liked, since I’d gotten a tummy bug the night before and was avoiding food).

I talked to several aspiring authors about their speculative fiction projects, and enjoyed getting to spend time with Tiff Amber Miller from ACFW. She helped arrange the earlier signing even though in the midst of planning her wedding AND a cross-country move. What a hero! When we finished, the guys needed food and wifi time to update their blogs, so I napped in the van while the rest of the team walked to a coffee shop for those vital needs. Then Bryan checked his computer map, and told Wayne “this will be easy to find.”

Famous last words.

In the dark of night, Wayne drove everywhere Bryan directed . . . which included several dead ends, and finally an eerie trek down dark country roads that inspired the imaginations of all the fantasy authors. I believe there was mention of trolls.

We reached the host home – someone none of us had met (a brother of a friend of Bryan’s). They were incredibly warm and gracious (even as we draggled in late at night).

Bryan’s daughter, Wayne’s daughter, and myself all settled into a room and slumber party stories ensued. The funniest moment was when Wayne appeared in the doorway to tell his daughter to settle down and “let Ms. Sharon get some sleep” – when I was the instigator of much of the giggles. (But I’m fessing up now, so Wayne’s daughter no longer has to take the blame).

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