My life as a TV star!

I was on television this morning! Yikes. I barely slept last night, my brain seemed to be working on overload. I kept coming up with the worst case scenarios. It was like Shel Silverstein's poem about the Whatifs was coming to life in my mind. What if the host asks me nonsense questions about stuff that isn't even in my book? What if they haven't read it? What if they DID read it and hated it? What if they ask me what books I like and I say an answer that annoys people and they don't want to buy my book out of spite? What if they question me about a book series I can't stand and I say I hate it, and its legions of fans burn my book out of spite? What if I forget how to speak English? What if I get so nervous I can't think of anything interesting to say? What if I wear my impossibly high heels and trip and fall on set and everyone laughs at me? What if... what if... what if...

I woke up this morning just after 7:00 and got dressed. I remembered to not put on my make up and forgot my fears about my shoes. I did wear the impossibly high ones. I got into my car and hit the Tim Horton's drive through. About fifteen minutes later, I was out of the Tim Horton's drive through with my bagel and giant coffee. (I forgot how much I HATE rush hour.) Fifteen minutes after that I was at Rogers TV studios. I parked in the first available Visitor's spot I saw and was told that where I wanted to be was a different door a ways down the lot. Rather than move my car, I proceeded to totter across the uneven pavement towards the right doorway. I entered and met Anna, one of the stage managers who sat me in the Green Room (which unlike the Green Room at The Toronto Centre, is not green.). I confirmed that the information they had on me was correct, and got a microphone attached to my shirt. I sat there a bit and chatted with another guest who was there to speak about being a Divorce Doula. I also met someone there doing a spot on the Kids' Help Phone. After a while, I pulled out a bit of paper and banged out a rough version of an epilogue for Book Two. What can I say? I had an idea and didn't want to lose it. I was then taken into a make up room and got my face transformed.

Me after makeup. You can see my mic on my shirt.

After make up, I then waited some more in a separate area, where I think I was on a set for a different Rogers show. I waited there with a woman who had two small dogs with her: a pug and a Pomeranian. They were adorable and so well-behaved. She was there to talk about her line of doggy rain coats. And yes, they come in Sebastian's size. I had a bit of a snack while I waited. I had found out that they had put me at the very end of the show, so I had quite a wait to go. Anyway, check out where I was:

Where I was waiting. As you can see, it definitely looks like a set for some news show, or something.

My table of snacks. As you can see, there are juice boxes, fruit snacks, chips, and real fruit. You can't see the cheese strings or fruit cups though. But they are there.

As the doggy fashion show was going on, I was taken to an area on set where they hooked my microphone up to the sound system. Glen, one of the hosts came over and told me not to be nervous. I felt a bit better when I saw that he had a copy of my book in hand. The one I had brought seemed superfluous, but I left it on the table in front of me anyways. They gave us a ten second warning, and then he introduced me. I don't remember much of what happened next, but Glen seemed like he had read my book, and was enthusiastic about it. I relaxed, and proceeded to flub a couple of words as I spoke. But I think I came across okay. At least I HOPE I did. As I left the studio, a couple of people asked me where they could find copies of The Strings of the Violin, and I gave out the information. I tottered back to my car and came home. I expect a copy of the interview within a couple of weeks, and I'll put it up here and on my Facebook. Let me know what you think! All in all, it was a good, if nerve wracking experience. I'm glad I did it.