Ugh, hot and humid today, so went out with a friend to seek air conditioning. Our mission -- to get her stocked on Valerie Sherwood's backlist, because I am a book pusher, oh yes I am. Got her about four or five books, and one Colleen Faulkner medieval for me (I have all the Sherwoods, and this had a gorrrrgeous Gregg Gulbronsen cover.)

Engaged in conversation with clerk, as usual (had to bring each other up to date on things since last visit) and the Harlequin shakeup came up naturally. She hadn't known this, so we started talking about what this is going to mean for the HH authors, and noticed another cutomer waiting behind me. Clerk asked if the customer would like her to ring things up, and she said that was why she came to the register, but this conversation was more interesting.

Turns out other customer was visiting from Virginia (IIRC) and she mentioned she belonged to a chapter down there, and one of her friends pubs with Flipside, and still has books left on her contract, so what is that going to mean? I said I didn't know, it would be better to go to the source, but it spawned more talk about how publishers are seeing things vs how readers are seeing things, vs how writers are seeing things, and as my dad's ex-fiancee would add, "the green grass grows all around, all around, the green grass grows all around." (Familyspeak for talking in circles, even if it's entertaining.)

Strong views and a loud mouth...common to our sort, I'm sure. A good time was had by all, and I mentioned to my friend that I was considering PRO liason for our chapter. She said I'd be good at it. Still trying to find out exactly what that entails, but if the above qualifications plus a desire to do some good mean anything, I think it might be right.