ONCE APON A TIME IN PARIS

One member of Team Saucisson leaves the rope in the ropebag for a bit (no no not too long I hope) and embarks in a new kind of adventure:

Aéropostale, chapter 1.
Yesterday night was the first event organized for the launching of my book, my first step in a totally unknown (to me) world of book tour and speed signing, yes an adventure indeed.
The location: Avenue Marceau, 2 minutes from the Arc de Triomphe in a beautiful old Hotel Particulier which was the very location for the office of Pierre George Latécoère, founder of the Aéropostale airline in 1918, of which the book tells the story.



Weather...beautiful. No one told me the Indian summer is lingering here. Yes my down jacket is a bit too cozy!
I arrived early to make sure I would see the book before people started to come in. Indeed this was to be my first look at it...the downside of living so far away!
Emotionnal moment. The real pleasure and pride to see these months of hard and passionate work find their conclusion in something beautiful.
My brother in law Gilles is already there. Then people start pouring in. In 5 minutes...I have the time to see a few pages and Philippe the editor takes me around to shake hands. Smiles....people telling "how beautiful..." more smiles more hand shaking...compliments.... my head is already spinning. I am floating in a semi state of conscious foggy euphoria. The jetlag is kicking in a bit. Nothing a glass of wine will not cure.



After Philippe Terrancle, the editor introduces us and the host of the night, PG Latécoère's grand-son's wife, Yves (the writer) gives a little speech and hand it to me...to talk to the crowd. Oh great. Now it is the time to embarrass yourself Sof, Sweaty palms. Words come out of my mouth..... Do not ask to tell you what I said, no clue. Wonder if few words in English slipped out. People smile, applaud. Good they must have understood most of it!
After mingling a bit more with dear cousins, nephews, sister...friends and total strangers who keep smiling at me, it is time to get busy. Yves and I are invited to sit at a table and the signing saga starts. I do not know how many books came under our pens, that part is a total blur! Finding the words, trying not to repeat yourself too much. Attempting wit or pseudo poetry...and then the first person who comes asks for a little drawing, Ah the trap! Because of course as soon as I did it for one.....the rest of the guests in line want one too.

Jean-Michel, Cecile and Hubert, friends from Art School (...back in the eighties...)



And here I went drawing the little Breguet 14 (the bi-plane which was one of the main airplanes used by the Aéropostale). By the end I was on automatic pilot (ah ah Burke will relate). It was like I was watching my arm draw. My brain was not involved anymore. And my hand was cramping. (Great so I get a tendonitis on my left elbow because of climbing, now a "signing elbow" is looming for the right arm...he he.
And this was the "un-official launch" of the book! The 26 is the actual date of the book release in the bookstores, and the date of a special event in Toulouse with an actual Breguet 14 rebuilt as it was in the 20s. I am "bracing" myself.
26 of November. Thanksgiving day.... A good omen.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I do have a LOT to be thankful for. Indeed.
Till Chapter 2....