“A wonderful idea,” she replied, obviously pleased. “We’ll make up a box for you with a selection of all the cakes you haven’t had a chance to enjoy yet.”
“Splendid!” chimed in another of the book club members. “Perhaps Mr Stone will enjoy eating our cakes while he writes the next Maura Shaw mystery!”
“Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful? Here’s an idea; we can use this cake tin. I brought it from home and have plenty more where that came from. Let’s get it filled up with some delicious goodies!”
“Yes, let’s! This young man needs to keep his sustenance up while he’s working, after all!”
The two women, both somewhere in their late seventies Travis thought, turned their attention to the table where the cakes were laid out and got to work filling the tin for him to take home, cramming in samples of everything brought along by the book club members and chattering away to themselves as they worked.
Sipping the dregs of his coffee, Travis felt a tap on his arm and turned to see the librarian, Ellie, at his other side.
“Thanks again for coming along to the book club today, Mr Stone,” she said with a warm smile.
“Please, call me Travis,” he replied. “Thanks for having me. And sorry again for being so late.”
Ellie waved off his apology. “No need to apologise. We appreciated you coming along on a weekday afternoon to talk to us. Being a small town, we don’t get the chance to invite many big name authors like you into our midst. We’re very grateful.” Her smile turned coy before she added, “Although I know youmight not have come along at all if your sister hadn’t twisted your arm.”
“She didn’t have to twist it. It was a pleasure to be here.”
It was the truth. The book club members were generous and kind, and most of them were obviously huge fans of the Maura Shaw series, judging by the clever and detailed questions they’d asked.
“I had no idea you were Michaela’s brother until only a few weeks ago,” Ellie said. “If I’d known before now, I might have badgered her sooner to ask you to pop into the library sometime. Although she did say you live in London and you’re only here in Hamblehurst for a few weeks, so I’m just glad we’ve had the chance to grab you while you’re around.”
“How do you two know each other?”
“We go to the same exercise class at the sports centre, and Michaela comes into the library every now and again to borrow books. A few weeks ago, while she was checking out some paperbacks, I unwittingly recommended your latest book to her, telling her I’d read it almost in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. She laughed, because I suppose she found it amusing that I was recommending her own brother’s books for her to read. That’s when she told me she was your sister and that she’d get a kick out of telling you about how the local librarian suggested she’d enjoy your books.”
Travis laughed. “Michaela was my first reader when I started writing. She still reads all my draft manuscripts and gives me feedback, some of it gleefully brutal.”
“I know she loves your stories, because she told me so, and I’m sure she probably just enjoys giving you a sisterly hard time with her reader feedback. Your books are wonderful, and when I mentioned before your talk today that I was excited to read the next Maura Shaw mystery, I meant it.”
“That’s very kind of you. It’s a nice book club you have here, Ellie. You must put a lot of work into running it, considering how many people turned up today.”
“Actually, all I do is help by ordering books for the club to chat about and pinning up a few posters around the place. The book club chairwoman does all the heavy lifting. Over the past year, she’s become more receptive than usual to new ideas and new book suggestions and the club has taken on a new lease of life because the members are enjoying what they’re reading as part of their programme compared to previously. The club has grown in size lately too, with people who’d previously left coming back into the fold. I know they were all excited when your latest Maura Shaw novel was added as a late addition this month once you agreed to come and speak to the club.”
Travis gave an easy shrug. “I loved meeting everyone and there were some brilliant questions about the mystery series. I only wish I could do more of these sorts of events, but…”
“But the writing comes first,” Ellie finished for him. “That makes perfect sense.”
“Oh, Mr Stone, I hope you don’t mind if I ask you to autograph a copy of your book!”
Travis turned and saw one of the book club participants approaching him. The older lady had a sweep of silvery hair and a warm smile and was clutching a hardback book and a pen in her hands.
“I’d be glad to,” he smiled, setting down his cake plate and coffee cup and taking the book and pen from the lady.
“Wonderful,” the woman beamed.
“What’s your name?” Travis asked.
“My name is Olive Nimmo, but I don’t want you to sign the book to me. This is a gift for my daughter, Gillian. She is a huge fan of your stories, Mr Stone. She lives in Toronto, and I’ll be flying over there soon for my grandson’s wedding, and when Ilearned that you were coming along to the library for a special talk today, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get hold of a unique gift to take with me and surprise her with.”
“That’s a lovely idea, Olive,” Ellie said, smiling at the older lady.
“I think so too, dear,” Olive replied and then looked back at Travis. “So, if you could dedicate the book to Gillian, that would be perfect, young man.”
Happy to oblige, Travis opened the book to the title page and wrote the usual version of his dedication, tweaked accordingly.
To Gillian, Thanks for joining Maura Shaw on her mystery adventures! With best wishes, Travis Stone.
