BE PREPARED FOR UNEXPECTED TREASURES

Today I am going to talk about an author that I have known for a little over three years. Mr. +Austin Camacho

We met by accident at the now closed Borders Book Store in Waldorf, Maryland. I was the debut author coming out with my very first novel and he was coming out with his seventh. Yes, at that time he was on number seven but now he is on number nine.

He whizzed in with his cart full of books, a tray of assorted cookies, bookmarks and postcards. And there I stood, with a table full of books and that was it.

Since I have a competitive nature, I couldn't let him show me up. I told my assistant to find a store and buy me some candy. I didn't care what kind, just get me something. I then walked back to see just what this 'guy' was doing.

He was rushing around in a flurry, setting up his table, his books, his postcards and oh yes..those damn tray of cookies. The nerve of him! I wanted to talk but instead I became intimidated by him and didn't want to seem so amateurish, which I was but I didn't want HIM to know that. He asked me how I was doing, I told him I was a new author, he asked me what my book was about and I told him and then he told me about his. I had to buy it because I couldn't let on that I was really on spying on him. I bought, Russian Roulette and promised to read it.

Well, I didn't read it because my youngest son read it first and wouldn't give it back. When I tried to retrieve it he said, "Mom, go get another one, this book is really good." What just happened. I HAD bought a book, the one he had and yet I was being told to buy another one. So I went back to Borders and bought Damaged Goods

My goodness, I was hooked. I had just found another author that I could start a series that was foreign to me. I had never read any mystery novel before and this gave me a great first timers look inside what a great story a mystery could be. I loved it and read it four times. (guess I really DID like the book, huh?) I finally got up the nerve to email him about how I like the book and then proceeded to ask him for advice; (you knew that was coming didn't you. I mean c'mon, he was on number seven, I was on number one)which he said he would give, as long as I didn't ask to many questions.

I'm so lucky that Austin S. Camacho was in that book store on that day promoting that book. I learned so much from him, namely, never show up without something that will bring people to your table. Always smile and never sit down. Oh, and I've had some kind of treat at my table!