I spoke at the Marlboro County Library in Bennettsville, SC this week. It was a two-hour drive, but hubby and I needed to get out, and I simply adore a good book club visit. I have been to a lot of book clubs. Each has its own temperament. This time, I was headed to a very rural community where authors don’t bother going.

They combined three book clubs for a total of about 50 people. We had lovely snacks. I spoke for what turned into two hours because I was having such a great time, they were asking fantastic questions, and, honestly, we were having a ball.

That little event turned into not only a fun one, but one in which I earned a room full of new readers who each intend to run through all 20 of my mysteries. The financial reward tripled what I expected. And they gave me food and flowers to take home for the trip.

This was the old South that I remembered. This was a place where time stands pretty still. Yet they made a huge splash for me not just in sales of books, but in readership and long-term fans. All because I took the time to drive way out in the middle of nowhere and give them an afternoon to remember. They were the warmest group I’ve visited with in a long, long time.

Truth was, they don’t realize how much they jump-started me back into my writing world. It’s been a hard few weeks in my life. This evening made me remember why I do what I do, and I left with the biggest smile on my face and bounce in my step.

Yeah, it’s not just about how many books you sell.