DAY 5: THRUSTING WESTWARD


5/16/09

After toying with the coast for several days, today we at last penetrated deeply into the heartland. And it proved to be a day of new discoveries for us.

Our first stop was Pittsburgh, for a signing at the local Joseph-Beth Booksellers. The store was located on the city’s South Side, a part of town neither of us had visited before. It turned out to be a vibrant neighborhood that mixed both the historic and the avant-garde. Neither of us had appeared in a Joseph-Beth store, either, and it was another revelation: attractively laid out, beautifully furnished, and bustling.

The second stop of the day was at the Books-A-Million in Triadelphia, West Virginia. In this case, neither one of us had appeared in a bookstore anywhere in the state, and we weren’t quite certain what to expect. But the event proved to be a pleasant surprise. The store’s staff was very friendly and accommodating, and the audience asked interesting, perceptive questions. The slightly smaller scale of the event allowed us to interact with the audience on a more informal level, and our presentation was refreshingly laid-back. Afterwards came the obligatory group shot in front of The Bus; then we climbed aboard and Gerry dutifully pointed our chariot northward into Ohio.

Onward!

LBC

Mileage for the day: 371