Sometimes my planning just fails – I’m double booked!
23 Mar 2011
Today I went to work. I received an email asking me about my anticipated days of leave during the Easter break. In the peaceful, relatively quiet silent office, I check the diary. I looked up the book club reminder email about next week’s meeting and sorted out my leave days for after the Easter break. These days of leave are to ensure that I can travel to Sydney to go to a book launch. Not just any old book launch but the launch of Kerri Sackville’s book, When My Husband Does The Dishes. It was a quiet audible expletives deleted exclamation of surprise when I realised that next month’s book club date was Thursday 28 April. Next month I am presenting for book club, Kylie Ladd’s first book, After The Fall. In case you are not keeping up with what a total balls up this is, let me explain.
I used my book club privilege of choice of book for this year to recommend we read After The Fall. In fact, Kylie Ladd offered to have my children if I did this. (The things we say on Twitter, honestly! Naturally, I declined her kind offer.) My choice was accepted, I agreed to present. I even wrestled control of the Twitter book club meet up on this book, from my dear friend Michelle, so I could ask lots of questions and give myself material for a good presentation. I was feeling pretty smug about all that. Mistake number one.
Last month, book club met. We confirmed the books and dates and places for March through to June. After The Fall, April, right. Got it. Not to be moved because of Easter, it’ll be right. 28 April. Then the reminder email came and I filed it, with the tag book club. But what I didn’t do was print the schedule with the dates and places there and then. Mistake number two.
Last week, my invitation arrived to the book launch of Kerri’s book. YIPPEE. Planning began in earnest. I wangled an extra night away from home. In Sydney. By myself. Alone. Not really alone though because lots of lovely people are going to the launch including, wait for it, no really wait, it’s the denouement after all, KYLIE LADD!
Here’s what I said next on Twitter
Fortunately, I was assisted immediately, by Kerri, who offered to write to book club personally on my behalf. Later, Kylie called me the ‘village idiot’ but she said she meant it in a loving way! (Yeah right.) Either way, I now have to try to move the book club meeting and inconvenience twelve lovely and clever women, so that I can go and meet two of the best most fantastic people ever. That and have two nights (count em!) to myself in SYDNEY.
I’ve started to draft the email to book club
Dear Bookies,
Remember when we agreed to read After The Fall, and I said I’d present? And we agreed to have it on the last Thursday (as per usual) of April? Well sorry, but I can’t present because I will be in Sydney smmoozzzing with the author and her friends, at a book launch!
Now you will excuse me, while I go and find the right words (quoted with tweezers) to write to my book club friends.
Mar 26, 2011 @ 18:00:15
Ok, so how could I have not known about another fabulous Canberra chick rejoicing in having a solo night in Sydney for Kerri Sackville’s book launch? Clearly, we must become friends (if only because my poor neglected Twitter Circle clearly already knows and loves you!)
Amanda aka @bugmum aka @HerCanberra
xxxx
Mar 24, 2011 @ 21:22:36
I am one of Louise’s bookclub buddies. Should I have used past tense? I am one of the women described as lovely and clever. I thought we had something special. But it seems that in the battle for a place in Louise’s diary, lovely and clever gets dumped for a good grope, sleeping diagonally in a bed and a launch with two wicked authors whose names start with K. Louise, we expect exceptional inside gossip, insights and to hear about Kylie’s impending pregnancies. Nothing less. And I mean NOTHING! xxxxooo
p.s. hello to my fellow bookies including Kirsten’s, Karen’s, Kate (well Cate but still), Kamla.
Mar 24, 2011 @ 21:34:54
Ah Tallulah, you are both lovely and clever.
I shall deliver to you a signed photo of us drinking champagne.
MWAH x
Mar 24, 2011 @ 22:01:11
And I shall send you the first ultrasound!
Thanks for sharing Louise/Stella with us. We’ll give her back when we’re finished with her. xx
Mar 24, 2011 @ 22:03:32
Tallulah,
If I had known your name was Tallulah, I would NEVER have encouraged Louise to ditch you and come to my launch. Tallulah is a magnificent name. I wanted to be called Tallulah but my parents called me Kerri which – despite starting with ‘K’ – is totally lame.
I congratulate you on being called Tallulah, and assure you that my victory in winning Louise is a hollow one. The launch will only last for a few hours. You, however, will be called Tallulah forever.
K xxxx
Mar 24, 2011 @ 05:07:28
Could you pass it off as “research” , and offer signed copies of both After the fall & When My Husband Does The Dishes as consolation to your book club members, or better yet, autographed copies of photos of yourself with both Kylie and Kerri. Actually I’d save those for Christmas gifts.
I think your bookclub friends will be more than impressed that you are hobnobbing with such literary royalty and they will completely understand.
Tina xo
p.s put me down for one of the autographed photo’s :)
Mar 23, 2011 @ 22:05:48
If anyone comes along to grope me I’m sure they will be very disappointed! Not that I’ll stop them, just that there isn’t that much to grope.
Ahhh, Stella, what a post. I love how Kerri offers to help you and I abuse you, yet we are still equally (and, it has to be said, theoretically) fantastic. I suppose I did offer to have your babies though, and the offer stands… but not at the launch. I’ll be too busy being groped and fending off calls from angry stood-up book club members.
Mar 23, 2011 @ 22:03:38
Dear Bookclub,
Unfortunately Stellaorbit will be unable to attend her presentation of After The Fall. This is because she has decided that Kylie Ladd and I are more stimulating, interesting and fun than you lot. Please don’t take it personally. I’m sure you’re very stimulating, interesting and fun, but Kylie and I have the added advantage of having names starting with ‘K’, and ….. nah, that’s about all, really.
So the bottom line is, if any of your names start with ‘K’, this argument is null and void. Hopefully, they don’t.
Best wishes,
Kerri
Mar 23, 2011 @ 20:54:11
It’s too exciting!
And a night off – what could be better?
See you there.
Mar 23, 2011 @ 20:35:41
The other option is that the whole book club goes to Kerri’s launch and get to grope Kylie Ladd. Erm….I mean TALK to Kylie Ladd. ;-)
Mar 23, 2011 @ 20:53:16
LOL!