I thought January and February would be a slow time for me when it came to marketing Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges that nobody would need any, and I would get some down time. But there’s just enough demand to keep me busy at least two or three days a week.

However, I got a break during the week (January 15–21) when Mother Nature hit the central Oregon coast with a vengeance––snow Sunday and Monday, hurricane-strength winds and drenching rains steady from Tuesday morning through Thursday evening (winds peaked at 110 mph at nearby Sea Lion Caves), and flooding Thursday through Saturday (combination of melting snow and intense warm weather front put many rivers over flood stage, including the Siuslaw that crested at 29 feet over). I live on a ridge, so lots of wind and rain and power outages but no flooding. I hunkered down and stayed home all week. Many roads were closed, including ours at times, with landslides and trees down. I lucked out, none of my trees came down––just a zillion branches everywhere.

The following Monday, as many communities were in the midst of cleanup, I delivered books to Mari’s Books in Yachats and the Sea Lion Caves (whose power was still out except for a generator keeping lights on in the gift shop.) A few days later––last Saturday, I delivered books to the bookstore at Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. While at Hatfield, I took the time to check out the exhibits—many of which are hands-on. The star attraction is still the giant Pacific octopus, and I learned more about wave energy, everything imaginable about oysters, and lots more.

As of last Saturday (January 28), both lanes of Highway 101 were open and repairs made south of Newport in the place where one lane of the highway had dropped off during the previous week’s storm.

This week I spent the better part of two days on the phone and sending e-mail attachments to new venues—bookstores, libraries, museums, gift shops, and chambers of commerce/visitor centers—on the North Coast preparing for a trip up the coast this weekend. It finally hit me awhile back that about a third of the coast doesn’t even know about the book, and that I needed to do something about that. So that’s what I’ll be doing February 3–6—an extended weekend.

I’ll get up really early tomorrow morning  (Friday) and leave about 7 a.m. and make stops in Tillamook to drop off books and then hit new territory––Nehalem, Manzanita, Cannon Beach, and Seaside before arriving at friends in Astoria. Over the weekend I’ll visit several places in Astoria and at least one on the Washington side in Ilwaco. On Monday before I leave, I’ll see those folks not available over the weekend. Up to this point, everyone will be expecting me. On my way home, I may stop at some places that won’t be expecting me—cold calls. Not my favorite way to sell books, so I’ll play it by ear. I should get home some time Monday evening. Next Friday, I’ll let you know how it all works out.

Even when I’m just running errands around town, I can’t seem to get away from pitching my book. I had six stops to make in town yesterday and a friend who lives nearby was with me and she had three stops. On her last stop at Happy Kampers, I recognized the car of a neighbor I hadn’t seen in awhile, so I went on in instead of waiting in the car. Once inside, I began chatting with my neighbor and the business’ owner, and they asked me what I’d been doing. Well, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I headed out to the car and brought in two copies of the book. . . . And I didn’t walk out with them. Sold two, just like that!

And in February, I’ll be going to the South Coast Writer’s Conference in Gold Beach. I’ll leave extra early on that Friday and spend a few hours in Brookings—more new territory for the book––before checking into the motel in Gold Beach and attending conference activities that evening and all the next day. On my way home on Sunday, I’ll spend a few hours in Port Orford setting up and giving a PowerPoint presentation and, hopefully, signing lots of books that folks will be buying.

The fun continues—even in January and February. Like I said, what down time?

Note: I’ll continue with Experiencing McCullough Bridges–Parts 2,3, and 4 when I have some ‘down-time’ weeks.

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Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges can be yours for $24.95 plus $3.99 shipping. Order from Pacific Publishing at http://www.connectflorence.com or pacpub@oregonfast.net. It is also available on the coast in bookstores, museums, and gift shops; in Eugene at the airport, the historical museum, and several bookstores; and in Portland at Powell’s and the Oregon Historical Society.

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Judy’s PowerPoint presentations with book sales/signings:

February 19, Sunday, 3 p.m.––Port Orford Library, Port Orford (1421 Oregon Street [Hwy 101])

March 29, Thursday, 7 p.m.––Coos Bay Public Library, Coos Bay (525 Anderson Avenue)

Judy guest on TV show:

March 13, Tuesday, 2:30––The Author’s Forum, a talk show with host Dr. Veronica Esagui, chiropractic physician, author, and public speaker, on Portland area public access television (channel TBA)