I went out to NYC with my books and was greeted by the crowd with mixed reactions, one of the most interesting being a negative look given me by a very beautiful woman. She looked almost like she could have been a model and her hair looked like it had just been brushed. "Well, Lady Godiva, here I come, with my always-raggedy hair," I thought (on some level), but I, even as used to this as I am, was not prepared for the truly scathing glance she cast my way as I made my book pitch and she turned heel. I kept my chin up and went on to the next person, making sure to find someone who looked open to life in general. "Look for the yoga people, the people who are keeping their hearts open." I couldn't help thinking how ironic it was for the beauty queen--someone so awfully lovely--to be filled with such negativity for a total stranger, just because I dared to walk around the crowd with my "here ye, here ye" thing going forAngels Carry the Sun. I mean, I don't have an agent and I hate writing query letters, so right now, this is what I do okay? Deal with it, people. It's not my fault I'm crazy enough to sell books in the street. It works for me okay? It's hard work but I do it and it works. I have a product I believe in, so why keep it from humanity by hiding it away under a stone somewhere? This is one of my most effective marketing tools. My self-esteem may swing on a pendulum, but this book is my life preserver right now, okay? Ah, you don't know the half of it.

And as I go along I like to sing in my heart, happy little songs like this one. ("They got some crazy little women there and I AM ONE AND I DON'T CARE!") Open to life, people, open to life, open to life. Not reckless. But open to life!

And this one, I dedicate to snobby supermodel types with closed hearts.