Business is Business

I took my first business trip yesterday. All five of us on staff at Key loaded into my boss's Expedition and we were off. Granted, it was only two hours away in Mustang, Oklahoma, but it was nice to get away.

We went to visit our biggest client, Tate Publishing, which generates some 52% of our revenue. I got to see some of the books I'm working with, including a trip to the printing plant, where I got to see books sorted, bound, and trimmed. For an avid reader and writer, it was very interesting. And apparently JT knows two people that work there, so if we ever move to the Mustang or Norman area, I might have a sweet hook-up for a job!

Probably the best part of the trip -- and this is so inappropriate -- was when the founder of the company -- a man in his sixties, or so -- interrupted the meeting to show us the book "that finally put Tate on the map." He turned it around to reveal a book written like a children's picture book yet was a complete mockery of illegal immigration by Mexicans. It was called "No Papers," if that kind of sets things up. This man in his pressed suit then proceeded to read, in full Mexican accent, the story of Papi and Nino's quest to get "across the border, illegally" and six people in business clothes around a business roundtable were crying laughing, despite how off-color it was.

It was obviously rejected, but Tate is still going to print it for the author, just have no official affiliation. The author is apparently a rich, educated businessman who wrote it simply to make a statement. I want to get him a publicity package so I can try to get him on the Colbert Report or Jay Leno or something. They'd like something like that! Hey, I am Mexican myself and I was laughing!

"Papi and Nino lived in prosperity -- across the border -- illegally." That is what I will think of every time.

I'm taking a mini-weekend away! Just to Oklahoma City. One of my BFFs is going back to school in Chicago, so I'm going to stay with her before she leaves me again.

But for now, I am the only one in the office. Three of the employees are family, and they took a trip to Branson. The other works from home on Fridays. I asked if I could work from home, but no dice. So I brought some books and fun things to keep myself entertained, but when I got to the office, I had an e-mail waiting for me with a list of tasks to complete.

Ughhh.

I hate scheduling book signings. They are one girl's responsibility, but she has been so backed up that I've had to do some of them. Everyone says the bookstore staff is used to people calling to pimp books, but I don't like it one bit. People are generally cordial, but I've never had a successful call. It's just unpleasant to call a Borders or Barnes and Noble, tell them about a Christian book that a local author wrote, and try to get their support for it.

Oh well. I shall press on.