Laughter is the Best Medicine

My first book reading couldn't have gone better

When was the last time I laughed like a child? When had I let out a giggle so contagious I got other children following along? I didn’t have to look far back into my past to find the answer, and I’m still reeling with joy.

Four days ago, I entered a children’s camp with a stomach full of butterflies, hoping the seventy little campers, aged 18 months to five years old, would welcome my show. Not only had I intended to read a copy of my new book, Huey, No! but also to give them a morning full of fun.

As a woman in her sixties, I knew entertaining children wouldn’t be a piece of cake. At least, not like it was in my twenties when I donned a clown suit and went from birthday party to birthday party, singing and dancing to party games in front of a young crowd.

I was limber then. Today, not at all.

I knew reading the book would take only minutes. Undoubtedly, the children would love Huey’s silly antics in this catchy interactive picture book, but I knew I’d need to present a performance that brought much more.

The moment had arrived. One by one, spanning over two hours, five groups of varying ages, ranging from ten to twenty children, came into the room to face me. The youngsters exuberantly entered and sat before me with a welcome gleam in their eyes.

“Breathe,” I told myself. “The kids are going to love you.”

And that’s when it hit me. When you do a book reading, are you promoting the book or yourself? I concluded that to be successful, you need to do both.

As the children sat wide-eyed, I started singing. It was a catchy tune about Huey, a curious kitten none knew about. Now that I had their attention, I showed them a photograph of Huey and then read them the picture book. Class after class, the room roared with laughter and excitement. With each page turn, the children shouted, “Huey, No!” along with Mom, a primary character in the story.

The children were engaged and joyful, and in those moments of focused interaction, my young audience assured me that my book was a winner. My goal in writing it was to see children smile, and I achieved this seventy times over.

After the story finished, we played a couple of related activities, and I ended with the same catchy tune, which was moderately revised.

My first book reading was a humbling and wondrous experience. It’s one I won’t ever forget. It’s the day I once again laughed like a child and had eager youngsters belly laughing, too.

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Recently, while focusing on promoting my book and leading a social life like never before in the last thirty years, writing and reading on Medium have had to share time and space.

I am extremely thankful to those readers who have bought a copy of Huey, No! and given me positive feedback through comments and Amazon and Goodreads reviews. To all my newsletter readers, I appreciate you for your support in reading me each month.

I look forward to sharing future news about what I’ve learned in my self-publishing journey and other facets of my life as I grow into the woman I’ve always wanted to be.

Until next time, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.

Karen