Have you Seen Me?

Winners, winners, winners!

The winner of the pooping snowman, cards, and pen is Linda C. And because I'm in the giving spirit, I'm giving away another pooping snowman and it goes to Lucy. Then the winner of the book, cards, and pen is Pat L. Guys email me your snail mail addresses at christie (@) christie-craig.com

And please (for more prizes) everyone pop over to http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com/ and to read an epilogue of Divorced, Desperate and Dating, http://thewritersvineyard.com/


Where am I?

Wait. I don’t mean, me physically, I know where I am. I’m at my desk, wearing my “Don’t talk to me before my coffee” nightshirt and my Donald Duck house shoes. (Hey, I like my shoes.) Besides, I’m not so loony that I don’t know where I’m at. I know I told you about the voices, but forget about the voices. My question doesn’t have anything to do with my sanity--my question is about where my book, Divorced, Desperate and Dating is on the shelves.

Non-writers may not know this, but where you are (where your book is sold at) is important. Of course, we want to be in all the wonderful places. The more places the better. The airport is one prime place that comes to mind. (I’m still waiting to see someone reading my book on an airplane. I’ll probably get so excited I’ll kiss the person and be arrested for assault or something.) Of course, then there’s Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Borders, Waldens, and a long list of grocery stores. Then there’s the drugstores. Someone once told me that when you hit the Walgreens, you know you’ve made it.

Ahh, but let me tell you, the Neiman Marcus of book spots is not the upscale shopping stores. Nope, it's the super discount stores that offer one-stop shopping. Why? Well, the most apparent reason is because of sales. Statistics seem to prove that people who shop for cleaning supplies, paint, foot massagers, motor oil, and teeth whitener also buy books. And hey, I’ll admit it, I do my share of one-stop shopping. Pop in, wave at the greeter, and go grab some extra-hold hairspray, a pack of band aids, a bit of Jenny Crusie, toilet paper (extra quilted), and some kitty litter, all the while wearing my duck house slippers. Okay, I haven’t ever really worn my duck slippers shopping, but I have accidentally worn two different shoes. Ahh, life at the Craig house.

Which brings me to my less apparent reason for wanting to be in these retail stores. I guess you could say, I’m a one-stop shopping kind of gal. Well, let's say I shop them a lot more than Neiman Marcus. Don’t get me wrong, at least once a year, I dress to the hilt and hit the Galleria for my Neiman fix. I’ve bought hats, French Perfume, and yes Gemma, I’ve even bought a pair of shoes on my annual up-town outing. However, for the everyday Craig merchandise, it’s me taking a quick run, dressed in sweats, no make-up, hair brushed, but not sprayed or styled, to pick up a list of very basic items. Items we use at the Craig house and I use in my books. And for those times, I hit the one-stop-shops.

Seriously, think about the various things I use as weapons, humor devices, or plot enhancers in my books. We’re talking: singing fish, toilet plungers, tampons, cast iron skillets, condoms, screwdrivers, cat food, and Vitamin C, and toilet tank lids. I'm using a toilet tank lid in the book I'm writing now. Seriously, can you imagine being in Neimans and walking up to a salesclerk and asking, “Excuse me, could you tell me what row I would find the singing fish on? How about the toilet plungers?”

Not so long ago I got an email from a fan telling me where she stumbbled across my book. Tina found a Craig novel for sale in an unusual spot. And because she wasn’t sure I’d believe her, she took a picture. Nope, it wasn’t the airport, or Neimans. She found Divorced, Desperate and Delicious at . . . Good Will.

Yup, Good Will. While I like the idea of being on everyone’s keeper shelf, something about being in Good Will speaks to me. Hey, doesn’t everyone say Good Will is the place to shop for real treasures? You might find a singing fish there and the money paid goes for a good cause. Plus, I figure I helped someone get a tax deduction. Now that just makes me feel all warm and cozy inside, sort of how those duck slippers make my feet feel.

Okay…so here’s what I’m wanting from ya’ll and here’s what I’m offering as this week’s prize. Remember the pooping Christmas Snowman I mentioned I’d be giving away? Yup, this is the week. I know all of you are jumping up and down. Don’t worry, he’s house trained. He’s a candy dispenser, and the black jelly beans come out his backside. I’ve even taken a picture of his backside. (I’ll bet this is the first time you’ve been mooned by a snowman, huh?) It’s Hallmark, so don’t tell me it’s not an appropriate or sentimental gift. He’s so high class, I’ll bet you wouldn’t find him at the super discount stores.

Everyone who comments and tells me where they’ve seen my book at will get your name in a drawing to win your very own pooping Snowman, a pack of “Christie Craig” Christmas Cards, and a “silly” pen. As a second prize, I’m also offering a pack of my Christmas cards, a copy of one of my previous published books, and a silly pen. So, let me know where you’ve seen my book on sale and you could be a winner.

Oh, the snowman will make a perfect white elephant gift.

P.S. Make sure you guys come back tomorrow morning to see who won.
Also pop over to http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2579 to check out a contest over there to win a $20 gift certificate from Amazon.

And if you didn't read my "Call Story/Stories" that was published here several months ago, pop over tohttp://www.writingplayground.blogspot.com/ and read about my embarrassing and funny call story. There are even prizes being given away over there, too.

Hey...want more? Okay...on Wednesday December 3rd, pop over to http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com/ and post to enter a book, a pack of Christmas Cards, and a silly pen. More you say? Okay how on Wednesday checking out http://thewritersvineyard.com/ to read an epilogue of Divorced, Desperate and Dating.

Crime Scene Christie