Riders and Real Life, you may as well laugh, too!

Hello folks, let’s chat… In the event that you heard a very loud “Yippy Skippy!” from the direction of northeast Louisiana earlier, that would have been me! I put a bow on my manuscript and emailed it off to my publisher a full week ahead of the deadline, which is something close to a miracle. Had you asked me about it a few short weeks ago I would’ve shared my concern that I was going to make that deadline at all, let alone slide it in early. And yet, Devotions for the Hungry Heart, Chasing Jesus Six Days from Sunday is a wrap, for now.  (My editor will take a go at it and send it back for my next pass, but for now. It’s a wrap.) I was already excited about this project, but I grew increasingly more so as I put the finishing touches on it. My prayer is that you will embrace it when it releases January 2018 and that our good, good Father can use it to draw you closer to Him. I’ll share the cover reveal as soon as I get permission, but I couldn’t resist posting one of the dishes in this week’s web update from the recipe insert we’ve included in the middle of the devotional! It was my editor’s idea to include a few recipes. After all, this is a “book baby” from my storytelling cookbook, Hungry is a Mighty Fine Sauce.   I thought that was too cool! But, enough book talk for now, how about a story?

Not long ago I spent 72 mind-numbing hours drinking from a fire hose of valuable information with some new friends in the entertainment industry, including a hilarious comedian and a cooler than I’ll ever be hip hop artist.  (I’m looking at you Jason Earls and Beacon Light.) We were all at the same communications event in Nashville, TN when the subject turned to things you don’t know until you do. I have plenty of those shirts.

For instance, I told the group I had spoken here there and somewhere else before I ever heard the term “rider.” I didn’t know a rider was something one specified when booking an upcoming appearance. I’ve since learned that A-list celebrities get straight running crazy with their contract riders. My favorite bit of SRC is Mary J. Blige demanding a brand-new toilet seat for every room she uses in every city in which she performs.  Yes, seriously, but we have a story on the table.

Now, please bear in mind that I’d never spoken at an event that was large enough to ask about a rider, and you don’t know what you don’t know. I was on a phone call with the event planner so, unfortunately, we can only guess at the woman’s facial expression. I will never, however, forget the conversation.

“Do you have a rider?” the lady asked.

A rider? It seemed like a strange question, but who was I to say? “Yes’m,” I said. “My best friend usually rides with me.”

There was silence as the gracious woman composed herself. And then she reframed the question. “Would you like anything special back stage?”

“No, ma’am,” I said cheerfully and we ended our conversation.

Months later I was at a different event when I heard another speaker comment something to the effect that she had “learned the hard way to put honey and throat lozenges in her rider.”

Ah, ha! I may be slow, but I’m good with context clues. Somewhere an event planner is still telling this story. I hope she enjoys it half as much as I do.

Hugs,
Shellie