My Signing in Halifax, Virginia April 24th-Photos, Too

Here are some photos I did manage to take with my camera of the signing I shared with other authors yesterday in Halifax, Virginia. First one is of the Art Convergence building, where the writers' signing was held by Writer's Studio. The next is first looking north on S. Main Street and then, south of S. Main Street. What must be the main government building is the one after that. It was across the street saying, "Town of Halifax." Check out my half of the signing table, shared by romance author Mary Montague Sikes. You can see poetry author Patsy Anne Bickerell doing a reading, and the last picture is of her and a friend at her table. Plus some of the writers and artists (after all this is a place for artists, too).

The day began early for me, getting up to the alarm screaming at 5:30am. Yes, that early on a Saturday! After all, they would be opening up at 10am for us authors, and tables were first come, first serve. And I wanted a good spot. Besides the fact, I had to drive by myself (hubby was on call for his job for the weekend). GPS or not, I had never been beyond Amelia on Route 360 and wanted to make sure I found it.

I dressed, took my sinus medication (I woke up to a scratchy throat--not a good sign as so far me the allergic person had avoided getting the nasty reactions others had due to all the pollen for last few weeks), and downed a quick breakfast. Books loaded in the car and a few other things, I drove off to the GPS telling me where to go. I found myself on 288 heading for Hull Street Road (known as Route 360 for those not living in Richmond). After a quick stop at WaWa's for a cup of hot chai tea and a pit stop at their restroom, I roared up a relatively quiet Route 360. Relatively quiet for this part of Chesterfield, that is. I crossed the county line into Amelia County and suddenly, there were only a few vehicles that shared the road with me. Mainly trees and country, though pockets of city life of gas stations and mini marts, plus other kinds of businesses, lined both sides of the road.

When I left the area that was part downtown Amelia, those pockets grew scarce. More so, when I crossed over the line into the next county. Country with farms and woods made the drive peaceful and beautiful. A Norman Rockwell wonder. I saw the occasional road kill, too. One I suspected had been a deer, few scraps of lesh and its bone showing. I assumed that crows, buzzards and hawks had been feasting on it. It showed that the Norman Rockwell setting had a dark side to it like anyplace else.

I had left around 7am at the WaWa and arrived in downtown Halifax on S. main Street about 8:45am. I passed two policemen directing traffic at a traffic light and I saw people running down the sidewalks, heading north. I found the Farmer's Market, asked where exactly the Art Convergence building was, and drove up to the scatter of buildings it was in. I parked almost in front of it.

Still too early as most places closed (one diner that said it served breakfast was only open Monday through Friday), I walked back to the Farmer's Market to find a restroom. They directed me to a Hardee's down the street. I thought of grabbing something there, but the smell that hit me when I stepped inside the fast food restaurant had my arteries hardening and I thought, No. I left the place and went back to my car, stopping along the way to check out the Farmer's Market. Nothing much there yet, I went back to my car and grabbed couple flyers for the library by there to give them about my ghost books. They didn't have either one.

After a hour wait, someone came and unlocked the building and I walked in. I saw a sign on the glas door, talking about Earth Day and a 5-K run. I understood the people running then, though none wore nunbers or running clothing. I snapped up a table by the front doors on south of the place and went to get the stuff from my car to decorate the table and set up my books. With a sigh, I at down and talked to the few authors who came early too.

It was a day of reading ( I read too), I signed, and had a great lunch before noon, with the best barbecue I ever ate and a oatmeat cookie for dessert to die for. Things quiet down around 3pm and I left early, at 4pm. So if you came after that time, looking for me, I am sorry. I was about one of the last couple of authors still there at that time.

Lucky for me, it was party cloudy with no rain as I drove. I arrived home close to 6pm. Tired and my throat hurting at that point, I unloaded with Bill's help and relax to a bowl of chili, watching Dr. Who.