We had our very first book signing for “You Have Lipstick On Your Teeth”! It was just such a great evening that we’re having a hard time deciding which was our favorite part.
Ellen: Was the best part meeting and hanging with our talented co-authors Anna Sandler of Random Handprints, Kim Forde of Fordeville Diaries, and Kim Bongiorno of Let Me Start By Saying?
Erin: Yeah, we’re not gonna lie, that was pretty fabulous. Those ladies rocked the house with their readings. My abs totally got a work-out from laughing so hard.
Ellen: Was the best part having people line up for little ol’ US to sign their books?
Erin: That was more than a little gratifying. Usually I’m reading to my cats or my kids. Very different atmosphere.
Ellen: Was the best part talking with the phenomenal ladies who came out to see us and share some laughs?
Erin: That definitely ranks up there. In the midst of a jam-packed fall schedule full of fun for our kids but not-so-much fun for the moms, this lively, lovely Girls Night Out was a bright spot.
Ellen: So basically they could all be labeled “The Best”. But we do have one UNEXPECTED “Bestest Best”:
We were made to feel like World Travelers!
Erin: People were so nice, and they wanted to know all about us.
Ellen: But we couldn’t believe their amazement when we told them where we were from.
Erin: You would think we had journeyed from a land far, far away. . . like the Midwest. They peppered us with questions.
“Did you take the train?”
“What TIME did you have to leave to make it here?”
“You’ve come so far. Are you making this into a long weekend?”
Ellen: We can understand the responses because we traveled from . . . wait for it . . . Maryland to New Jersey. Now granted, maybe our journey was made to feel like so much more because of the way Erin describes where we live . . .
“We’re in the eastern part of Maryland. You know, tucked into the northern corner. So if the Chesapeake Bay is here, we’re here.” All the while her hands are pinwheeling and she is pointing to the palm of her hand like it’s a map.
Incidentally, she performs the same hand motions no matter what the directions are, so take that with a grain of salt.
Ellen: About the time Erin starts contorting her hand into a topographical map of our region, I jump in to say, “We’re the first exit off of 95 in Maryland on your way south.”
Erin: I do have to admit understanding starts to dawn in their eyes when you say that, but the fact of the matter is, it took us 2 hours and 20 minutes to get there.
Ellen: Hardly a safari, but we began to comprehend their mentality once we started talking to the folks a little more.
Erin: One sweet lady shared that even though her town, Fabulous, NJ, abuts right up against Just-As-Fab, NJ . . .
Ellen: Think stone’s throw, spitting distance, over yonder . . .
Erin: Her neighbor in Fabulous had not ventured into Just-As-Fab for months. Just couldn’t be bothered to make the trip.
Ellen: The “trip” was down the street. Now it all made sense.
Erin: Maybe Northerners think we don’t travel. What they don’t understand is that Ellen and I are about 30 minutes from EACH OTHER.
Ellen: We are a rural community. We have to travel to get anywhere except Walmart. I may live next to a corn field and a horse farm, but dang it, I can get a jumbo can of nacho cheese and a bike pump in less than 15 minutes.
Erin: But we do have to keep it real and admit that the 2 hours and 20 minutes we were so blasé about did turn around and bite us in the butt the next morning. See, we spent the night, BUT just so we could have some post-book signing fun.
Ellen: Well, really it was just your arse that got nipped because I didn’t have to go to work at noon.
Erin: I was really feeling pretty groovy about it all too until I started to do some mental calculations based on our trusty Garmin’s feedback. Ellen had been reassuring me the whole trip that it was wrong because she had entered her home address and not the school address as our final destination.
Ellen: Oh, but when we stopped for your vat of Diet Coke and we entered the SCHOOL’s address. . .
Erin: At this moment, sheer panic set in. Nothing says “cool under pressure” like screaming to your pilot to “Floor it!” on the interstate. Perhaps if we hadn’t lingered over muffins and our NJ host’s adorable offspring, we would have given ourselves the time cushion we truly needed.
Ellen: But what would’ve been the excitement in that because who doesn’t love a good adrenaline rush? Helps the carbs to sit like a lump in your stomach. But you know what? Regret is for suckers!
Erin: Exactly! We were now not just Erin and Ellen, Sensible Moms Extraordinaire. We were Ellen and Erin, intrepid travelers on our own amazing race.
Ellen: You are fully aware of the irony of the words “sensible” and “extraordinaire” in that last statement, right?
Erin: Well, we’re not changing our name now. We did pull into the parking lot of the school with a solid ten minutes to spare and no traffic violations. So I popped a couple of Sour Patch Kids in my mouth, grabbed the rest of the world’s largest travel soda, and set off to light some young minds on fire ’cause that’s how I roll.
Ellen: Yeah. How you roll. If being chauffeured and not looking at the time is what you mean, then I’ll agree.
Erin: And on that note of agreement, maybe we’ve inspired you to take a little trip of your own. Hmmmm . . .
The journey has just begun!
Sad you missed our signing?
Dying to unravel the mystery of the penguin?
Need a Girls Night Out with wine and cupcakes?
Wondering if Erin’s hair really is as soft as it looks?
You are in luck because you have a second chance!
On October 3rd, we’ll be in Downingtown, PA.
You are Invited!
Can’t make it? Don’t let distance or schedules keep you from enjoying “You Have Lipstick on Your Teeth”. Buy it here!
Want a copy for your iPad, Nook, or Sony Reader too? You can buy those here.
Thank you so much! Now put your seats in the upright positions, we are ready for take off!
-Ellen and Erin
Just so you know, I pricked your fingers as you slept and you signed your names in blood promising to attend all future Jersey book singings.
Kim at Let Me Start By Saying recently posted..How a Craft Helped Us Communicate
Well, if we signed in blood, I guess we HAVE to come. I really need another lesson in Skylanders, so save me a spot in the basement. ; ) Erin
I love this post!!! Oh you girls are freaking hilarious!! I am glad you had a blast at the book signing- and made it back in the NICK of time!!! That is just too funny…
I can only imagine how awesome it was to hang with those talented and fun ladies!!
Chris Carter recently posted..What’s Your Love Language?
Thanks, Chris! It WAS pretty special! These ladies were a good time for sure! Erin
So great to meet you and the penguin (totes obvs). I also felt like you had come from sooo far away until one of you summed it up with “we’re like right outside of Philly.” Talk about taking away the world traveler mystique!
And yeah, Jersey girls tend to stick to their town or the one right next door, so we really appreciate you making the trip!
Anna recently posted..Where’s Ziggy?
Anna, please know that meeting you was one of the highlights of the trip for us AND the penguin, but we thought waxing on adoringly about you would send us into the stalker zone. Can’t wait to hang out again (hopefully sometime soon!), Erin
First, congratulations on the book and the book signing! Two, and I mean this, I would have paid money to be the third in the car with you two, I imagine I would still be laughing!! You guys are the best!! xo
Kathy Radigan recently posted..Playing the Guilt Market
You ladies are SOOO much fun! I now want to ride in a getaway car with you! Does this mean I will have to commit a crime? Oh well, it would be worth it. Bring all that fun (and the penguin) to Downingtown! It’s on!
Meredith recently posted..Oversharing, Crazy, AND Exhausted
So funny! Awesome 😉
Soooo wish I could have made it.
Me and my Dr. Pepper.
Lady Estrogen recently posted..Picture this… baby!
When is the Elkton book signing?! I have my book! And would also love to go on a road trip…seems like the only ones we take involve lots of kids and bug spray. You girls look super cute..love the red and the pics:)
I am so proud of you for all your signings. So thrilled that you made it up for a great girls’ night. And I feel damned lucky that you were right before me on this link up. Will you drive out to Chicago if I do a signing too 🙂 ?
It would be our greatest desire to meet up with you in Chicago! Ellen and Erin