16/05/2026
Yesterday at the Women's Lifestyle Expos NZ, in Palmerston North, I had the most wonderful comment from a lady. It just about made me cry…
As she was walking past my booth, I said hello and asked her if she likes to read. (seeing as my booth is full of books ), and she gave me a bit of a wistful look and said, “not really”.
That look sort of grabbed at me I and I felt compelled to ask, (heart-in-throat) if it was because she didn’t like to read, or because it’s difficult for her?
She looked at me sadly and said “it’s because when I read the words, I can’t see the pictures of what the writing is about.”
That made me swallow a bit. I asked her if she could do me a favour and sit down and read the first two pages of A Long Trail Rolling. I was sort of surprised that she took me up on it, but she did. While she read, , I spoke with a few other people, and when I came back, she was waiting for me , the book still in her hands. She was looking at me with a shocked look on her face. I will never forget what she said next. And it will motivate the care i take in writing all the senses into my writing, forever.
“ I think it was the books.” She said. “Because I can see everything. See.Feel. Touch. EVERYTHING you’ve written on those pages.”
That alone makes everything I do in my writing journey completely worth it.
Needless to say, I didn’t take a picture of this lady, but I do have a picture of this gorgeous wee girl with her new Odin on the Farm book. Her dad said “If she likes reading as much as I do, she will love this book.” Thay was the start of my day yesterday. It was wonderful.
Hope to see some of you at the expo today. It’s on 10 to 4 at the Fly Palmy Arena, and I am in site 504, easy to find because it’s on the other side of the wall from the very tall, green Basecamp Salami flag.
Have an awesome day. I plan to.
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Lizzi
