Rumors

So, I was hearing these rumors, see. And when you keep hearing the same rumors over and over again, well, you just have to confirm them for yourself, right? I mean, you can't go on forever just taking the word of people who call you up or email you to tell you the juicy news. There comes a point where you just have to go see it for yourself.

Well, today was the day. I finally caved and went to see for myself if the rumors I was hearing were true. I got in the car and drove. When I parked, I thought I was going to be sick. I felt all light-headed and dizzy. My hands are sweating right now as I type, just thinking about it.

"Do NOT make a scene," I say to my husband as we park the car.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

I roll my eyes.

I pulled myself out of the car and somehow got my feet to walk me up to the door. I don't remember opening the door or even how I got to the spot I needed to go - I just got there. And when I did, my eyes went on autopilot and frantically started scanning the shelves.

Holy smokes! Since when did Chapters get so many darned books? I thought to myself as my heart did flips and my eyes started drying out for lack of blinking. It's not here. It's not here. I knew it wouldn't be...

Ack! There's my book!! Right there on the shelf above Eragon!! Somebody catch me!

A young girl was sitting on the floor right by the shelf browsing through the books. "What kinds of books do you like to read?" my husband asks her.

I knew I should have left him at home.

She looks at him like any normal person would look at a complete stranger asking her what kinds of books she likes to read and says, "I don't know," in a very pre-teen girl kind of way.

"This one's really good," says my husband, pulling Smudge's Mark from the shelf.

The girl stands up and walks away.

So do I.

Then I hear him taking pictures. Gotta love his enthusiasm.

Anyway, the rumors are true: Smudge has made an early appearance on some shelves at Chapters. So the next time you go there, take a look and see if you can find a copy. And if you see that poor pre-teen girl my husband scared off, please apologize for me.