Never had this happen before

At today's Edmonton book signing for Never Leave Your Wingman and Prairie Pilot as well as promoting The Little Coat, we sold some books (always a good thing and the goal, of course), but had two other unique experiences:
An older woman came up and handed me and my sister (who had joined us for the afternoon) each a book that she had purchased for $2. She gave us an interesting explanation (which I will pass on to a journalist colleague for a possible story) but essentially, she buys books and donates them in memory of her son who passed away years ago. I guess we looked like we needed a book or would at least accept her gift.
Also, a young man from Great Britain who writes poetry asked me how to get published and then insisted on reading me one of his poems, seeking any advice I could give him. (I told him my thoughts on his poetry and directed him on to the Alberta Book Publishers Association to find poetry publishers. I also named a Saskatchewan publisher that does wonderful poetry books.)
Topping it off, I met a woman who wants to talk to me further about the Never Leave Your Wingman book and use an excerpt for a sociology paper she's writing on health and wellness.
So that was a fascinating afternoon.

Never Leave Your Wingman hits Edmonton!

Well, Al and I (of DriverWorks Ink) have made it through the first half of our summer Saskatchewan-Alberta book promotion trip and we're about to introduce Edmonton readers to the inspiring true story that is Never Leave Your Wingman: Dionne and Graham Warner's Story of Hope. We expect you'll hear a lot more about this amazing seven-time cancer survivor (the lovely 'Woo Hoo!'-filled Dionne Warner) and her fun-loving husband Graham in the near future as events unfold but, for now, I will just concentrate on sharing the book at three events in the next two days in Edmonton (see the agenda below). Then we're dropping off some books for Crandleberry's gift shop in North Battleford, and signing again in Saskatoon on Sunday. So if you or someone you know is in Edmonton or Saskatoon in the next few days, tell them to stop by to say hi or tune into CTV Edmonton's Noon News on Friday to catch a glimpse of me (the author) as I share the inspiring love story and hope-filled message of Dionne and Graham as they battle cancer with costumes, music, laughter and hope.

Thurs. July 28 - 1 p.m. - Deana Driver signing Never Leave Your Wingman & Prairie Pilot & selling The Little Coat, Chapters Southpoint, Edmonton AB
Fri. July 29 - CTV Noon News - CTV Edmonton - Deana Driver interviewed about Never Leave Your Wingman
Fri. July 29 - 3 p.m. - Deana Driver, signing Never Leave Your Wingman & Prairie Pilot & selling The Little Coat, Chapters Strathcona, Edmonton AB
Sun. July 31 - 1 p.m. - Deana Driver, signing Never Leave Your Wingman & Prairie Pilot & selling The Little Coat, McNally Robinson, Saskatoon SK

A little something extra with your inspiring book

Today, at the Pasqua Hospital Gift Shop in Regina, Dionne Warner and I signed copies of Never Leave Your Wingman: Dionne and Graham Warner's Story of Hope. (Graham stopped by for a few minutes to sign as well before heading to a work appointment.) Among the people who stopped to buy a signed copy of the book were: two or three people who had either heard us on the radio or seen the article in the Regina Leader-Post, several people who were either undergoing chemotherapy or their spouses were undergoing chemo, some hospital staff who got to know Dionne when she volunteered at the cancer clinic before her latest diagnosis and treatment began, and a few people who saw our sign and were intrigued by her story of surviving cancer seven times. We heard some compliments from people who'd read the book and one man was pleasantly surprised when he saw another DriverWorks Ink title on a bookmark we gave him: "You did The Little Coat?" he asked. Yes. Yes, we did, I said proudly. So that was a fun conversation as well.
   And, as usual, Dionne came with a little something extra to brighten everyone else's day. She carried in a bag of small rocks and each rock had the word 'Hope' painted on it. She then handed out these 'Hope' rocks to cancer patients, survivors and customers who were purchasing the book for a patient or survivor. Continuing to do what she can to bring hope to others - that's Dionne Warner.