Hi She Writers, Yesterday, August 24, I officially became a novelist. I made it to Pub Day. The book made it to store shelves and was released from download embargo.I received more than 45 emails of congratulations, a bunch of Facebook 'likes' and a whole lot of Tweets wishing me a happy Pub Day. By the end of the day, after I disseminated my first "From the Desk of Lori L. Tharps" newsletter (for those of you new to email marketing check out MadMimi.com) I'd also received two new invitations to participate in book festivals in the spring of 2011. Yippie! Before participating in the SheWrites Twitter Launch Party (which was so totally awesome!!!), I took myself to my local indie bookstore and took a picture of my book on the shelf. Sweet satisfaction. All in all, the day felt really good. But I know this harried process of preparing for the book's launch is so not over. I'll be beating the Substitute Me drum for months to come. While that feels a bit daunting having just made it through pub day, it is a relief knowing that I still have time to finish (ahem, start) my book trailer and plan a few more signings on my self-scheduled book tour. Documenting this process here on She Writes and learning from all of you has really helped. I've gotten some really great ideas from your insightful comments, but more importantly, I don't feel like I'm doing this alone. The support from you all has been wonderful. And with that, I'm going to ask for help one more time. Even though I love to make up stories and I've never met a microphone I didn't like, I'm always conflicted about what to talk about during book signings. Do you all just read from your books, tell stories from your childhood or invent haikus that summarize the major plot points in your work? As I get ready to embark on my "tour," I'd like to do less improvising and have a more planned approach. So, She Writers, what do you talk about during your signings/readings? Thanks for sharing. P.S. Any She Writers in the New York City area are invited to attend The Substitute Me Launch Party hosted by Atria Books and Up South. The fun happens on Thursday, September 16, 2010, 6:30-8:30 pm at Ristorante Settepani.