Gosh, after reading her post, I think I might cry.
I sent my copy of Dancing in Heaven to Marion at Figments of a Dutchess almost exactly one week ago. The US Post Office, and other international postal services, came through. I’ll be posting more about the Netherlands later so we can all see where Dancing in Heaven has found a new home.
I had tweeted out a thank you to the friends of the library at Kettering College for inviting me to speak about Dancing in Heaven to them and students in a psychology and sociology class.
@cmsmith57: A big thank you to Kettering College for inviting me to speak yesterday about Dancing in Heaven. Great student questions. Great event.
A blogging and twitter friend of mine named Marion, from the Netherlands, responded right away.
@MarionDriessen: And you did great, I’m sure of it! 😀
Exemplifying yet again, how supportive my blogging friends can be. I decided it was time to move forward on my idea of getting Dancing in Heaven into the hands of some of my international friends.
@cmsmith57: Thanks, Marion. I’d like to send my book out into the world, across the sea. Can I send you, or someone you know, one?
@MarionDriessen: YES, I’d love to read it and can give it to friends after. Just tell me what to do 🙂
@cmsmith57: I just sent you an email asking for your address. 🙂
@MarionDriessen: ROFL, and I just sent you an e-mail too hahaha, they have crossed above the ocean 😉
In case you’re as internet illiterate as I am, ROFL means “rolling on floor laughing.”
And the idea of Dancing in Heaven, dancing across the ocean (Marion’s phrase) was born.
I stopped by Book Bums, the local coffee shop and book club place, and sat at one of the antique tables scattered about the room.
I opened the book and signed it for Marion.
Then I placed it in the padded envelope for its long trip over seas.
I sealed the envelope and headed for the nearest FedEx.
What a surprise.
It was going to cost me $85 to send this little book over the ocean to the Netherlands. “Yikes,” I said. “Never mind.”
Now I know people like to complain about governmental organizations in general, and the post office in particular, but I’m happy to say that the good ol’ U.S. Post Office will carry my book across the sea, making sure it is delivered into the waiting hands of Marion in the Netherlands for a mere $10. And they’ll do it in 6 to 10 business days. FedEx was charging me 8.5 times as much to get it there by Monday (or 5 business days).
You might think that $10 for shipping is a lot for an inexpensive little book, but it typically costs me $2.41 to send the book to most places in the continental U.S.A. so I figured an extra $7.50 to go across the ocean wasn’t all that bad.
My little book is on its way.
Stay tuned.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Marion Driessen, the Netherlands
Marion Driessen blogs in English at Figments of a Dutchess and Dutch on Doldriest. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociological recreation and is working as information manager and e-learning coach at a university. She blogs about art, poems, music, and life. I think she is a sensitive soul with an adventuresome spirit.
Her tag line on her blog header reads, “On Figments, I share my travel through life, my dreams and treasures found. Often with a dressing of humor. And YES, ‘Dutchess’ is misspelled, but hey, what do I know? I don’t belong to the English nobility… I’m just Dutch!”
The Netherlands is about half the size of South Carolina. It is located on the North Sea, bordering Germany and Belgium. The climate is northern maritime, with cool summers and mild winters. The government is a Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch.http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3204.htm
Christine M. Grote 