I’ve had a bit of an intense week or two and Maria is strongly suggesting I get some rest today. Last weekend was the Ted Talk, and my new book tour got underway right after that. I admit to being tired, I think I am getting a head cold, I am blurry-eyed and worn out. I should be. So far, so good, more than 700 books sold at Battenkill, thousands more elsewhere, a second printing, good reviews, lots of nice feedback. I don’t think I can rest one week into this new kind of book tour, but I have to say I was worried about Connie and Kate and Marilyn on Friday, they looked so tired, I remember thinking, “yes, I want to get to 1,000 books but I don’t want to kill them.”

Connie is also a very loving Mom and wife and Marilyn and Kate have lives to lead. Connie assured me that this was a problem she wanted and needed to have – I knew Friday she wanted to be home with her son and husband rather than unpacking books and taking orders over the phone, it is a small bookstore, the antithesis of Amazon, and they are not set up for crazy writers  pushing books on big blogs. Still, Connie says she is nothing but grateful, this is what the holiday season is all about, this campaign is very important to the store,  please keep it going. Today she and Kate are meeting at the bookstore to start preparing some of the signed books for shopping – hundreds have already gone out, and I think I will slip over there and try and help her and Kate figure it out. I feel responsible for all of this work.

I have also decided to hang in there with my book tour – and this one is mine, for sure – offering special topics on Facebook, writing about the issues in the book, offering podcasts and videos, this is the new way to be a writer and promote my work. I want to get to 1,000 books sold through Battenkill this week, I am determined to do it, only a tiny fraction of blog readers have bought the book at all, there is a good long way to go.There are nearly 200,000 people reading my blog and so there is lots of opportunity to sell a lot more books. This is my show, my book tour, I am not into failing.

I am ramping up for Plaid Friday and for Christmas, the book is a perfect Christmas gift for people who love animals or who love people, or people who want to grow up and older creativity and with meaning – that is a lot of people, I want this message to get out: don’t give up on love, not at any point in life. The last chapter is this happy book is called the “Christmas Miracle.” I’m giving away free photos, books, bags of dog food in the coming weeks – something every day. The new book tour.

Tomorrow I will ask people to post photos of the people they love in their lives, and Tuesday, on the dogs who have changed their loves. I love the new video and photo aspect to my online work – you can share your lives with me.

So I will blog today and rest a bit this morning, I am raring to go,  then get over to my wonderful local bookstore, take some phone calls, beat the drums for my work, for buying local, for writers and the future, and show how creative people can use these powerful new technologies to connect with people in a new and relevant way – interactivity. Let’s keep the heat on me and on Connie –  and I will keep it on you, you can order “Second Chance Dog: A Love Story” through the Battenkill website or by calling the store at 518 677-2515. As I told Maria this morning, resting is for the dead.