A new book!

Okay, the fact is that I have a weakness for books. Libraries are fine and dandy, but OWNing a book... there's nothing like it. Owning a book where the author has signed inside the cover, and you stood right there and shook the author's hand as the book was handed to you... well, that's almost better than chocolate.

So I had the following conversation with Dear Hubby before I left for the Kansas Author's Club meeting today:

Me: Potential problem about me going to club.

DH: What's that?

Me: New books... I know that Max has a new book out and Mark has a new book, too. I could get signed copies.

DH: But we are broke.

Me: I know... but signed copies.

DH: But we are sticking to a budget.

Me: I know... but signed copies. New books.

DH: You'll see Max and Mark again, right?

Me: Likely, yes.

DH: (He didn't say anything else, just gave me THE look.)

Me: Okay, I won't buy books today.

So I went to the meeting and I looked around. Max's books were being passed around. The woman next to me bought one. I salivated... but I restrained myself.

"Later," I told myself. "I'll get a copy another time."

Mark wasn't there... perhaps he was thinking of me and being kind.

However, Thomas Fox Averill WAS there... and he was our speaker... and he was delightful... and I was feeling so inspired. I slipped my wallet from my pocket and flipped through my cash. I had enough.

I spent about 2 seconds wondering how I'd deal with my guilty conscience. Then I spent another couple of minutes thinking about all those delightful short stories I had just heard snippets of... and about having a book the author himself had signed.

Budget or no... I bought myself the book.