Ashley McCook's Space: Have I forgotten anything?

Okay so the countdown is on - after today there are just three more days until the book signing in Waterstones. Am I excited? Yes! Am I nervous? Yes! It's a bit like 'first date nerves' - butterflies in the tummy, a sense of delicious anticipation mixed with the horrible feeling that you're going to fall on your ass (been there, done that!) and totally embarrass yourself.

I'm excited because this is a big deal - signing books in my local (and favourite) bookshop. It's one of those big dream sequences that always seem like pie in the sky and it's actually going to happen! Wow. So, yeah, I'm excited - if I never get the opportunity to do anything like this again then at least I have this to look back on. If even 10 people come along and say howdy then I'll be a very happy bunny!

So what's to be scared about? Well, the obvious one is that no-one turns up! I mean, I'm not exactly Laurell K. Hamilton here. That would be the worst, I think - sitting alone, no-one to chat to, selling no books...eek! The staff of my local Waterstones have been so fabulous - supportive, encouraging, finding ways to sort problems out etc. etc. so I suppose part of my fear is letting them down - they've taken a pretty big chance on an unknown, self-published author - if no-one turns up and they sell nothing then I'll feel terrible!

The other obvious one is that people do turn up and are disappointed - not in the book, my ego is big enough to think that the book is a decent read, but I mean me. Ooh, let's not get into that - too many insecurities and what if's down that particular road. Let's just say that beauty and charisma are definitely NOT my middle names and we'll leave it at that.

So - I have my bookmarks ready, I have a pen ready (should I bring 2 just in case that one runs out, or is that wishful thinking?!), I have ancient make-up somewhere in the house, I'm getting my hair done, my friend is treating me to a manicure, the shop has books in stock on the off chance that someone buys one and wants it signed...have I forgotten anything?

Books