Ouch ...at the Show!

Last Saturday I was at the Fair!

Well, to be more precise, I was at an Agricultural Show at Banchory in Aberdeenshire, selling my novels.

Banchory Show 2018 approx 9. 30 a.m. 

It was probably my fourth time inside the Craft Marquee and most likely the worst weather for such an event. Every time I’ve attended, it has rained at some point of the day, but last Saturday it was relentless. It seemed so unfair of the local rain god! For weeks we had had such stunning dry and hot weather and then…just before the marquee was set up late on Friday afternoon, the rain started. And then the thunder and lightning came, and in my part of Aberdeenshire it was quite spectacular for a while around 10 p.m.

Yes, I knew it was going to be a horrible day weather wise on Saturday but that doesn’t always put off the hardy fairmin’ folk from attending. Sure enough, those who had signed up to show their animals attended, but otherwise it was a muddy desert at 9.30 a.m. It’s generally heaving with people at that time with both fellow farming supporters and tourists alike. Sadly, that wasn’t what happened last Saturday. I guess many of them decided that donning the wellies wasn’t the best use of their time.

Selling only 8 paperback novels that day was pretty pathetic, though it’s highly likely that I have sold more in ebook formats. I could totally understand that the very lovely palaeontologist from Ohio couldn’t add any more weight to his luggage - I’ve personally been there before! However, I had a wonderful chat with him and that was a great way to pass some very heavy drumming. I’m not talking about the Pipe Band playing, but the noise of the downpour on the marquee roof, which was deafening. 

My thanks go to those who stopped by my table and bought the books, and to those others with whom I had a lovely conversation.

Somewhere around 3 p.m. - a walkway of sorts having been laid down to soak up some of the excess water.

Disappointing sales aren’t the worst result of last Saturday. That accolade might go to my new back problem. I’m not often afflicted with back issues, but I’m now hoping that the nasty stiffness at my lower spine will have eased off before next Saturday because I’m booked to attend the FOCUS Craft Fair at the Aboyne Games, one of my most favourite venues of the craft fair season.

Generally my trusty little ‘wheels’ bear the load of my book crates when I attend a fair, but when the ground is so churned up the little trolley is useless - hence me having to personally carry the boxes from car park space to table inside the marquee. I’ll be very careful next Saturday and avoid slip-sliding around,  because the carrying factor will be similar, unless the ground is exceptionally dry!

These big guys are incredibly noisy! 

Upwards and onwards in the author experiences of selling and signing books (yes, some customers were ecstatic that I was prepared to sign their purchases.) **insert smiley face here **

Of course, when did the sun appear on Saturday? Around 5 minutes before our pack-up time at 5.pm! It was a pleasant drive home....

Slainthe!