Book Party

Well, my book had to come out in the summer, because a) it was ready, and b) it’s just the right kind of book to read on the beach. Not a “beach book” per se, which I have since learned is ideally set on or near the shore, and has a picture of the beach on its cover (oh, the things you learn in marketing!) but a sexy, fun summer read. Which meant that many of the people I wanted to invite to my book party would be on vacation. Or down with Covid from their travels. Or intimidated by the heat wave which was visited upon us just in time for the party. Timing is everything.

But hadn’t I already missed out on having a 50th birthday party because of that stupid virus? And wasn’t it just about time for a post-pandemic party (an ever-retreating goal, given the latest surge)? Yes, yes, and yes!

So, out came the wine, the cheese, the fruit. The books arrived in time. (Whew!) So did the bookmarks. The masks. The hand sanitizer. In the end, the party was big enough that I was waylaid a thousand times and didn’t get enough time to spend with each guest, yet did get to check in with most of them. Best of all, it gave me the boost I needed to return to work refreshed.

Thank god for parties. As stressful as they can be to plan and even to attend, it was a return to normalcy for those of us who have been cooped up thanks to Covid for the past few years. Luckily, we had access to outdoor space, plenty of masks, and hand sanitizer.

Thank you, friends. Thank you, science.