Book Table Reunion by Andy Scheer
 |
| At Mount Hermon a few years ago with James Scott Bell and Angela Hunt. |
You
never know when you're going to run into an old friend, especially if
you're involved in the world of writing.
This past
Saturday morning my wife and I headed out on our daily walk,
venturing into the neighborhood just west of us. My wife had checked
online for garage sales and guided us toward a street where we'd find
a sale.
“That's
the street where Jeff Gerke lives,” I said, “the guy who runs
Marcher Lord Press.” As we approached mid-block, I suspected the
sale might even be at Jeff's house.
It was.
Technically not a garage sale, Jeff's wife was conducting a
fund-raiser for a friend with cancer. Besides lots of childrens
clothes and computer items, there were tables loaded with books. I
let my wife see if there were any nice outfits for our granddaughter,
and I gravitated toward the good stuff.
Jeff
walked from his house into the garage, spotted me at the table full
of Christian fiction, and came over to shake hands.
The
moment stood in contrast to the irony of our usual meetings. Though
we live less than a five-minute drive away, we typically see each
other only at writers conferences, at such places as Estes Park,
Colorado; Leesburg, Florida; or Overland Park, Kansas. Even when you
live in the same community—and the community is home to several
publishing houses and dozens of writers—the best place to run into
another writer, editor, or agent is still at a conference.
Jeff
and I chatted awhile, getting caught up on what had happened since
we'd last seen each other, in March at the Florida Christian Writers
Conference. That's when I glanced down at the table of Christian
fiction and had my reunion.
There on the table were lots of friends: Gayle Roper and Brandilyn
Collins and Al Gansky and Rene Gutteridge and many others I've known
for years—some just through their books and others through meetings
at conferences. I was glad to run into them again at Jeff's. I wonder
where else they were that weekend.
