I learned a valuable lesson Friday night.

I was getting ready to go to a book event that a local church was sponsoring. I knew it would be a wonderful evening! This church’s Women’s Ministry offered a church-wide book club for the summer, in which they read “The Choice,” and then had an evening to meet the author (that’d be me). The planning committee is incredible and their events are well-attended…they do things like customize the dessert and cookies to match things mentioned in the book.

But…I digress.

I was just about to head out the door for this event. My summer goal is not to run late but I haven’t mastered being early yet. I didn’t have time to spare, but I wasn’t late! Not yet.

Last thing I did was to squirt some perfume on. Bad idea. Bad, bad idea.

The perfume stained my blouse. And without the blouse, the entire outfit didn’t work.

I looked through my closet, trying not to panic, pulled out a couple of things but they all needed ironing (which I had no time for!)…finally ended up with something.

I am not very good at this fashion stuff. If I get the outfit right, I usually forget jewelry, or don’t have shoes that work. Or my hair looks stupid! It’s hard work for me to pull an entire look together. I’m going on a book tour in October and I’m already angsting about how to look put together, every day, for a week!!! (Another thing I admire about the Amish! Clothes are no big deal to them. Jewelry? Skip it. Hair? Pin it back and cover it with a prayer cap!)

Anyway…I’m digressing again.

I finally got out the door, 15 minutes late! GRRRR!!! No one to blame but myself.

But the evening was awesome–lovely women, great questions, fun discussion. Even the weather was perfect!

Connecting with readers is the best part of writing, and I especially enjoy encouraging aspiring writers. This is such a hard path…no one is looking for you in the publishing industry…if I can help a writer achieve goals, I will do what I can.

And I’ve learned a lesson I’ll never forget. Perfume goes on first!

In other news…

Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life has officially released! Revell and Litfuse Publicity have teamed up for a terrific launch, including a grand prize giveaway of a Kindle! For more details, click here and get connected to my Facebook public figure page. That’s the place to be!

Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, is being offered for $5.20 on Amazon! That is outrageously inexpensive!!! Far less than I can get it for, direct from the publisher with my author’s discount.

This week’s Amish Wisdom show is one I’m looking forward to (actually, I look forward to all of my guests!)–on Thursday, Mary Ann Kinsinger, who writes a blog called A Joyful Chaos, will be my guest. Mary Ann was raised Old Order Amish and has a unique perspective.

Hope your August is off to a good start! Mine is a little bittersweet. We’ll be taking my youngest to college in a few weeks. Sigh. To quote the Amish: “Time flies like a flock of birds.”

Savor every moment! I sure am.