Author Book Signing 21st February,2009

21st February,2009

We left early for Cascades. Donnette gave the parking lady 20 rand and asked her to hand out our flyers. We made quite a grand entrance. I was wearing a Ghanaian outfit with gold stole, earrings, shoes and handbag. Savanah (Donnette's ten year old daughter) was wearing one of Nuna's outgrown Nigerian outfits and her sister Clarissa , eight, had a kente stole over her shoulder. Everyone was looking at them as they offered the passersby the flyers.

Colleen at the bookshop had set up a table with a cloth and two chairs. I put a kente cloth over the table which immediately looked more interesting and spread out my copies of "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" as well as "Dance to Health". "Dance in Our Footsteps" and "Calling All Musicians".

My first sale was to a "white" lecturer in psychology from the University of KwaZulu Natal who had brought along a lovely young "black" MA student in psychology. She is doing her thesis on traditional African tales.When the book signing was over she came back to the stand and we did a recorded interview.

Donnette had arranged the signing to be as near pay day as possible. But it was clear that people were not going in for spur of the moment purchases. One dance teacher expressed great interest in "Dance to Health" and took my contact details. Some people were interested in the book but found it too expensive. One woman eagerly examined the book and then asked if I had copies in afrikans. When I said "no" she put it down. There are still Afrikaaners who do not speak English and the English speakers often refuse to speak Afrikaans even if they can.

Colleen took some books for "Bookworld" and didn't seem to think the price was too high. She will be in touch with Donnette when she needs more copies.

All in all the book signing was a success thanks to Donnette's extremely hard work and imaginative approach.

After the launch I took everyone for lunch. I was the one who asked the waiter for the menu, ordered and asked for the bill. When he appeared with it he carefully put it on the table where Donnette had been sitting. I don't think he had ever had a "black" African paying for a luinch party where everyone else was white.

http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html Now available through Amazon.com
http://www.dance-to-health-help-your-special-needs-child.com
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Donnette