I wanted to write this blog before I finish up with all the RWA stuff I have planned to tell you all this week.
Yesterday I flew home from Denver. Due to severe storms in the Colorado area and on the eastern seaboard ( where I was heading) my flight was delayed for 2 hours, 90 minutes of it spent on the tarmac just waiting in line to lift off.
Not fun. Not even a little bit.
There were two shining lights during this waiting time, though, that made this trip home one of my favorite ones to date of all the places I’ve traveled.
First, some backstory. My husband loves to fly on Southwest ( me, not so much) so he booked my trip through that carrier to Denver. I always sit in exactly the same seat on Southwest if I can. Last row, right before the lavatories, close to the stew crew and the kitchen. Why, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. My legs cramp when I sit down for too long and in this seat I can stretch them out fully without worrying I’m going to trip someone coming down the aisle. I can stand whenever I want ( that is if the seatbelt sign isn’t illuminated) and stretch, plus I tend to drink a lot more water on flights to stay hydrated. And when you drink more, you…..you can finish this sentence!
So, I sat in the same seat as always when I boarded. About ten minutes later the plane was almost full when two lovely women around a similar age to me came down the aisle and asked if they could sit in my row. Of course they could! And did.
Well, when you put two or more women of a similar age together, conversation will ensue, and ensue it did. While we waited FOREVER on the tarmac all three of us got to talking. They asked what I’d been doing in Denver – working or vaca, and I told them both and then explained why I was there and what I do for a living. To say they were excited would be an understatement!
By telling them I was a writer and of romantic fiction, it opened a flood gate of more questions about writing, publishing, how I get my ideas, did I always want to write — and on and on.
It was wonderful!!! Truly wonderful!! For a few hours I actually felt like a famous author instead of the relative unknown that I am. I was so enamored with these two lovely women I gave them each a signed copy of COOKING WITH KANDY that I just happened to have in my carryon. I was never a Boy Scout but that thing about always being prepared is smart! I also gave them some swag and my business card with all my author info on it.
Now, when I was reaching up to put my carryon back into the overhead compartment, the second shining light appeared in the guise of another lovely woman who was sitting in the row in front of ours. She excused herself, told me she hadn’t been eavesdropping ( with the loud way I talk it’s unavoidable for people around me not to!), but she was a Librarian, and could she have my card so she could look up my books?
Well, this is me, peeps, so I did one better – I gave her a copy of my newest release CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, which I also had in my carryon ( see? always prepared!) as a donation for her library, and I gave her my business card as well so she could look up my other titles.
Best. Trip. Ever.
I lovelovelove making new friends, and friends who happen to like reading are my absolute favorite people! So, Mary Pat and Honoree – here’s to you!
I told those lovely ladies this, so I’ll tell you, too; you can find me here if you need me:
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Peggy Jaeger, Author 