Snow and Shameless Self-promotion!

So there I was, grinning like the cat that got the cream, super-proud of my 1 1/2 hour Boxing Day spree (40% off at the Nike Store!) and seconds from my home, when I passed a car stuck in a snowbank (actually icebank) on the side of the highway right at my 407 off-ramp. I stopped, put the car in reverse--had to make sure the woman was all right, all the while thinking, "Man, I should get a cell one of these days" (or a Blackberry...or better yet, an Iphone!!!!). Thankfully she was fine. Her two dogs were a bit shaken though (one had apparently flown into the front seat on impact). Luckily, I'd just put a shovel in the trunk (dug myself out of the parking lot downtown last year at OLA Superconference on hands and knees and swore to keep a shovel in the trunk ever since). I began to dig. And dig. And dig. Then chisel. Then push. Then chisel some more. Then get down on hands and knees and pulled ice out from the undercarriage. Finally, another car stopped. An older gentleman (you'd think one, just one of those strapping young men would stop to help, but no.) Together, a whole hour later, we got the car free and the woman was so grateful she asked for my business card. I said, "nah, don't worry about it--happy to help." She insisted she wanted to do something to thank me. I asked, "Well....ahem...have you got any grandchildren ages 9-11, grades 4-6?" She said, "Why yes, several." I said, "Well, how about a lovely book purchase for them?"

Okay. So I ended my good dead with horrible self-promotion. Shameful. Tsk. Tsk. Then I started to think...hmmm...maybe I should cruise the highways with my shovel, helping innocent unsuspecting victims of the weather and shamelessly self-promote my novels while I do so? Bet no one else has thought of this marketing strategy!!!! Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow!