This was a big week! I spent yesterday at The Corner Store in Sonoma, California, for a “Dogs on the Square” event held to benefit Guide Dogs for the Blind. The Corner Store and four local restaurants donated a portion of the evening’s proceeds to GDB. I signed books from late afternoon to early evening, met some wonderful people and connected with old friends, and got to pet a bunch of good lookin’ pups. The president of Guide Dogs was there, many board members, and quite a few local puppy raisers. The store was packed!

This little sixteen-week-old puppy is named Ginger. Bristol, a working guide, kept one eye on that little puppy. Ginger liked to pounce, I noticed, cat-like.

The funny thing…I was at a desk by the door for my book signing, and there was a wine tasting going on in the store. People kept coming by, talking to me, picking up the book, setting down their glass. I’m sure many customers thought I was one of those author-lush types…sitting there with all of these empty wine glasses on my little desk! (“No! No! They’re not mine! Really!” I kept insisting.)

In other news…(good news only, since it’s Friday)…

Found out from my publisher that pre-orders for The Choice are over 53,000! FIFTY-THREE THOUSAND! That is so…so…well, words fail me! I just feel very, very grateful! To my publisher, my readers, and mostly, to the good Lord.

Yesterday, I learned that Romantic Times has given The Choice a 4 star review…which is excellent news. Their highest rating is 4 1/2 stars and RT is pretty stingy with their stars.

Even better is their write-up: Fisher kicks off a refreshing new series, Lancaster County Secrets, with characters that are strong, both in body and spirit. They also have weaknesses that develop into strengths with the choices they make.

Can you handle one more piece of good news? Crossings chose to include Amish Peace in their Christmas catalog with a huge block of space. Crossings is a book subscription club that is printing up a special hard cover edition of Amish Peace.

This morning, my 18-year-old looked at the tearsheet and said, “They sure did put a big picture of your face on that ad, Mom.”

I gave him a look that read, what does that mean?

He shrugged. “It means they don’t think you’re ugly.”