Just before loading up to leave for the first official presentation and book signing for The Plant-Based Journey (story follows), Fed Ex delivered this to our porch.
Not me silly! The beautifully framed fabric cover of The Plant-Based Journey!
Did I tell you how much I love my publisher, BenBella Books?
What a perfect sendoff!
Off to The Bookstore
From there, it was a two hour drive to the location for book signing number one.
Good thing I’m a veteran teacher, skilled in the dance that more often than not ensues when all best-laid-plans don’t quite come to be as planned.
Let me explain…
Though I had spoken at length with the manager of the bookstore regarding the plan for the book party (we had a party planned, not just autograph time!), when I arrived there was not quite the match for what I envisioned, based on our conversations.
Thanks to the Sacramento Vegan Society and leadership of Linda Middlesworth, there were at least 43 people signed up via a Meetup.
So I told the bookstore we would need more than forty chairs. Plus tables for the food my team was bringing. And a projector so that I could show the pictures of plant-based food to get everyone in the mood.
We ran out of space and chairs, but no worries – people just populated the bookstore balcony!
By the end of the event, the bookstore had come within a few copies of selling out the robust order of Journey they had placed (over 40 copies were snapped up), so they were thrilled!
The projector was finally put into place – just in time for the Q and A. Everyone got to see the pictures anyway and we all had a good laugh.
Thirty Minutes To Start Time
When I walked in the door a good half hour before presentation time (the manager and I had planned to make sure my computer would hook up with the projector), there was very little in place. There were about 6 – 8 chairs set up, no projector, no tables for food, and no water (they were going to provide). And no manager in sight.
As a teacher, I’m used to equipment not working, rooms being unavailable, and any kind of technical disaster you can imagine taking place. Unfazed, I greeted those who had arrived early (putting a copy of Journey in their hands to read) while the clerks scrambled to get the projector (“if we can find it!”) and went about putting my items on the table in front of the feeble chair count. Within seconds, the meager display of The Plant-Based Journey on the shelf behind me wobbled and pitched all the copies of Journey there forward onto my back and the floor.
At three minutes to the hour, staff (who were already overwhelmed with people in line at the counter to buy books), were scrolling through the online instructions of how to set up the projector.
All’s Well That Ends Well
Undaunted, the arriving guests (over sixty people pressed enthusiastically into the small book store) and my team got everything in place – and within minutes of ‘official’ opening time. That mean chairs materialized from the sister store down the street, we arranged all the arriving eats on the table intended for my ‘signing’ station, and we were off!
Many people bought multiple copies for friends, and several people who had already pre-ordered and received their copies of Journey brought them in for me to sign. I also got to meet so many who I had never met before, and was able to see many old friends.
My food crew brought in delectibles from the recipe section of The Plant-Based Journey. Have you tried the Chocolate Cherry Truffles yet? ( page 210)
Or how about the Game Changer Chili and Country Comfort Cornbread (pg. 193-194)?
Bethany Davis, Andrea Seppinni and Linda Middlesworth, Anna Nova and others generously and graciously prepared from Journey so we could feed the crowd some delectable plant-based eats!
Meet You Soon?
Though must of my travel in the months ahead is for presenting The Plant-Based Journey at conferences, festivals, and even a medical school, there is another book signing on the near horizon.
Barnes and Noble in Chico, California, is hosting a Plant-Based Journey book signing on Sunday, October 11 at 2:00 p.m. Which just so happens to be the same day that the large local newspaper will be running a review in Dan Barnett’s popular Biblio File column (I’ll let you know when it’s up) and announcing my appearance on NPR the 16th. What a nice tidy package of events…
If all goes as planned, of course!
Hope to see you soon!
Lani, I was at the book signing at Avid Reader in Davis and had such a good time! Your presentation was so interesting and entertaining too – my husband loved it as well.
I was the one that bought 3 copies to give as gifts. Everyone should have this book, it’s that good!
Thanks for coming to my town and have fun at your next stop!
This was an awesome event! There were so many people and I can’t believe you had enough food to feed them all. It was really fun and I’m glad I got to meet you and get a personally signed copy of your book! Which I am about halfway through, I am more than impressed.
Keep up the good work!
Paul
Hi Paul! It was so great to meet you on Sunday and I’m glad you had a good time! The crowd was such a friendly and enthusiastic bunch, you spoiled me for future book presentations!
Thank you so much for your note!
Lani
Wow! Sounds like it was awesome!
Susan, yes, the bar has been set high for book signings! Next one coming up on October 11 has its work cut out for it!
Thanks for your note,
Lani
Lani, I love the book. If you get to the Mall of America in Minnesota for a book signing, I’ll be there!
Patti,
I am so glad you love Journey! I have to get to Mall of America to meet you? I’ll do my best!
Thanks so much for stopping in and taking the time to leave a note – it means a lot to me!
Lani
Hi Lani, I can’t express how much Ilove your book.
My dad is a medicine doctor specialized in Kidney and of course also a veggie 🙂 that looks 10 years younger than his age and still work in his 70s.
I was raised vegetarian (not strict but pretty much) and happy. Since my teen years my hair became thin and have some excessive falling every now and then, so I introduced meat and fish and now in my 30s I was not eating vegetarian at all. Of course this does not feel right to me, from a compassionate perspective and health as well. So I am back to a fully ovo-vegetarian diet (gluten free and dairy free because I am intolerant to both. Also intolerant to all nut except walnuts)
I would love to be fully vegan and follow your way of eating, but I’m scared of losing hair 🙁 Any advice here?
Thanks!
Hi Ada,
I am thrilled that you are enjoying The Plant-Based Journey, and thank you for telling me! I’d love to hear more about that – what features are most helpful or interesting to you? How did you find out about her?
As for the hair loss, this can be due to so many reasons – reasons that may simply be co-incidental to diet changes. I did some research for you on this and found a thorough conversation on the topic from vegan dietitian Virginia Messina, RD. – you’ll find the passage on The Healthy Librarians site here: http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/hair-loss/
At the same time, I’ve pulled pertinent content to post here but you can easily follow the link above for more:
Here’s what Ginny Messina MPH, RD, a well-respected vegan dietitian, says about hair loss:
“Every so often, we hear from women who believe that they have been losing hair since going vegetarian or vegan. While there are no studies of this issue in vegans, there is research on general nutrition factors and hair loss.
Reasons for hair loss vary among individuals, and they are not necessarily related to diet. About 1/3 of all younger (premenopausal) women experience some hair loss at one time or another (and the vast majority of these women are not vegan). And it is an unavoidable fact of life that hair thins as we age. Women going through menopause may notice a significant thinning of their hair.
Hair loss can be associated with certain medical conditions, including thyroid problems, so if you are convinced that you are losing hair at an unusual rate, it’s important to see a physician. Sometimes a dermatologist can diagnose the problem.
Rapid weight loss can cause an increase in hair loss, and the hair growth should return to normal after the weight loss ceases. Women who become vegan sometimes initially lose weight quickly and this might account for the hair loss.
At one time, there was a widespread belief that zinc deficiency was a common cause of hair loss, but zinc supplementation has not been shown to help. Some studies have linked low iron status to hair loss in women, and it is possible that iron levels that are at the lower end of normal may not support optimal hair growth.
The essential amino acid L-lysine plays a part in the absorption of iron and zinc, and vegans who don’t eat many legumes could find themselves falling short on lysine. (H.L.’s recommendation: Head straight over to Jack Norris’ most excellent page on protein and lysine–with his chart on the lysine content of common foods.)
Iron supplementation alone doesn’t always increase iron stores. But in one study, iron supplementation plus a supplement of 1/5 to 2 grams per day of L-lysine increased iron stores and decreased hair loss by half.
Other supplements, like excessive intakes of vitamin E & folic acid, can adversely affect hair growth. (Rushton, DH “Nutritional Factors and Hair Loss,” Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 27(5):396-404, 2002.)
Finally, women who feel they are losing hair may choose to shampoo less frequently in the belief that this will preserve their hair. This hasn’t been shown to prevent hair loss. In fact, since everyone loses some hair on a daily basis, if you shampoo less often, you’ll see more hair in the tub each time you shampoo, which may convince you that your are losing more hair.
If you believe you are losing more hair than usual, be sure to consider other factors first. If you’ve recently lost weight, gone through menopause, are shampooing less often, are dealing with increased stress, or have been taking supplements of vitamin E or folic acid, any of those might be the culprit.
If you think diet might be the cause, you may want to have your iron levels measured.”
This comes from: Jack Norris, RD & Virginia Messina, MPH, RD. Vegan for Life. Everything You Need to Know to be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet, pg. 80-81. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press, 2011.