*UPDATE* I'll be on WVCC 720 AM in Atlanta today. 3:30 p.m. (CST)

WHOOPS! Sorry Atlanta folk! The interview happened at 2:30 p.m. -- time zone mix up. Darn.

Good Lord.

I must have kicked puppies for sport in a past life because this past month seems as though I've been paying penance for something. I've been sick, had money stolen from me, gained at least five pounds, been stranded at the airport with no money -- more on that later -- watched as my head sprouted at least fifteen new strands of gray hair, sounded like a knob on live television, Ben Folds did not play my new favorite song of his at the show on Tuesday night. And of course I'm sick once again, leaving me about five hours to get well before I have to do an interview for the book.

If you're in Atlanta and are flipping through your radio dials around 3:30 p.m. today, and hear the congested mufflings of what sounds like a woman yammering about weight loss, it's me. And that reminds me I should find out which station it is ...

Ahem.

I've decided that it's time to cease with wallowing in the muck and make like one of those Python boys. My money has been refunded, I've purchased a new purse, tomorrow I have an appointment to have highlights put in my hair, and next week the local readings for Tales From The Scale begin.

To all of you Chicagoland folk, here is the skinny, or the fat, as it were:

1) The first reading takes place at Transitions on Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. Now, it should be noted that I'm competiting for the Fat Girl Contingency with Kirstie Alley that night. For those on the fence, I can assure you that I will not show up wearing what amounts to a nightgown festooned with rhinestones, and while I may utter the phrase "Weight Watchers," I won't talk about how "yummy" their snack bars or smoothies are and I won't care if you join their little POINTS party or not.

Promise.

2) The next reading takes place on Friday, May 13 at 12:30 p.m. at the Borders on State Street. I love how they say "Don't miss this opportunity to meet Erin Shea" and I have to tell you that I've waited my entire life for someone to think that this would be the only opportunity to meet me when, really, all one needs to do is canvass the bars on the north side of town on a Saturday night. I'm usually at one of them.

I'm also willing to bet that the majority of the people who will be there on May 13 have already had the opportunity to meet me, but, you know, whatever!

A quick note: I'm getting email from those of you who went to the Borders on State Street to purchase my book and were told that the books were being reserved for the event. I'm sorry about that, and I can't control what they all do.

What I really love is that two of you who had this problem forced sales clerks to give you copies anyway.

3) The Official Book Launch Party. You didn't think I wasn't going to have a party, did you? Thursday, May 19 at 7 p.m., at Tre Via Ristorante we're going to have cocktails and cocktails and more cocktails to celebrate Tales From The Scale. There will be a band later on in the evening so it's a full night of frivolity.

Thanks to all of you who have written to say how much you enjoy the book; to all of you who have carried on the time-honored tradition of irritating book sellers because you think my book needed to be placed better on the shelves; and to all of you who are coming out next week for the events.

You're all the best.

Posted by Erin at 09:09 AM | filed under: Odds and ends