‘Can I see some ID?’

Over spring break recently, I spent some time in Milwaukee/Wauwatosa promoting the book. During some off-time, my wife and I went to the Barnes & Noble store at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa. I wanted to make sure all the copies of “Murder in Wauwatosa” there were signed, plus I was interested in seeing the new Wisconsin books.

I was standing at a table filled with books of local interest, checking out a copy of the recently published “Milwaukee Garage Bands: Generations of Grassroots Rock,” when two ladies came up to the table. One of the ladies picked up my book and showed it to her friend and said that this was the book she’d seen yesterday but had not bought.

I said “I wrote that book.”

Her eyes got huge and she looked at me like she couldn’t believe what I’d just said.

“Really?” she asked. “Can I see some ID?”

I understood completely her desire to make sure I was who I said I was. So, I showed her my drivers license. I also pulled one of my author business cards out of my pocket and handed it to her.

She said that she’d been considering purchasing the book, and meeting the author right there sealed the deal. Even though the book was already signed, she asked if I’d wait for her to buy the book and include a personal note in it, which I did. She was thrilled.

My wife and I talked to her and her business associate for a bit about the book, and we asked a nice man in the coffee shop to take a photo of all four of us. I told her that if she emailed me the photo, I’d put it on my website, if that was OK with her. So, perhaps one day that photo will be up here.

I also found out that her friend’s professor (Peter Roller) had written the book I had been looking at. Also, these ladies were at the mall helping take the Easter photos of kids with the Easter bunny.

All in all, quite an interesting experience.