Midnight Magic in Mukwonago

 I had a taste of Mukwonago’s Midnight Magic on Saturday afternoon. In my second signing event for Anatomy, I joined several other local authors at the Mukwonago Community Library, which was taking part in the village’s day-night holiday festival. While dog sledding, a Christmas parade, horse-drawn carriage rides, an arts and crafts market, chorale concerts and fireworks took place outside — snow and all — the library hosted a bake sale, hot drinks (the chai spiced tea coffee hot chocolate — that’s all in one, not a choice of — was to die for) , a children’s activity of making Christmas ornaments from CD disks and book signings by 10 authors.

After setting up my display — several books, a small poster in clear plastic stand, book marks featuring a picture of Anatomy and pertinent information including how to order, my business cards with contact information on one side and ordering info on the other, credit-card machine, box with change for cash payments on a green plastic-covered card table and a large poster on an easel behind me —

I perused the books on the other tables.

Janet Halfmann, also of South Milwaukee, had brought her her picture book Little Skink’s Tail and her children’s nonfiction Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story. I had been wanting to buy Seven Miles since hearing about it a few months ago. So I did — an autographed copy. 

Janet Halfmann

I also bought one of Mukwonago resident Rod Vick’s books about a teenage Irish dancer for my neighbor teenage girlfriend who’s an Irish dancer, and a copy of children’s fiction writer Deborah Lynn Jacobs’ Choices for my other teenage girlfriend (the Irish dancer’s 16-year-old sister).  I absolutely couldn’t resist picture book illustrator Jeff Miracola’s Monster Isle for my little grandchildren. And I bought Jennifer GoLightly Lowden’s late 1700s historical fiction Time Of The Eagle: A Story Of An Ojibwe Winter for, well for me, in the hope that it might help me with my own young adult historical fiction I’m struggling with right now.

After about four hours, I figured I had about broken even with my sales versus my purchases. But at least I got some Christmas shopping done.

Something’s to be said, though, for the folks of Mukwonago — or maybe it’s people who frequent libraries — but of the dozens of people who came though the library Reading Room and past us authors and our book displays, I didn’t see a one — not even a teenager — talking on a cell phone or texting on a BlackBerry (or other texting device).