Grit and Grace What?

I spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at the Lipscomb University Summer Celebration, trying to sell my book, “Non-Prophet Murders. I was well into Tuesday afternoon before I realized that my display was not doing the job.
Typically, my book signings take place at a bookstore or a writers’ conference where every booth is manned by a hopeful author. In that situation, a large poster of my book, a table draped in crime-scene tape, my three small skeletons configured like the proverbial “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” monkeys and a stack of my books does the job.
At Lipscomb, most of the booths represented missions and non-profits looking for donations or volunteers. When I noticed that each featured a colorful banner or display that filled the back wall, I decided to hang my book cover poster behind me. It is not very large, so I draped it, the booth and the table in crime scene tape. Over that, a sign furnished by the University read, “Grit and Grace”, the moniker I had given them when asked for my “company name.”
My first indication that something was awry, I noticed the elderly ladies in the concession stand across the way squinting and staring. Finally one of them came over and asked what sort of grits I was advertizing. Then came the confusion between Non-Profit and “Non-Prophet.” Imagine my chagrin when I had to explain more than once that the charity I was trying to support was ME.
Children, adolescent skate boarders and Goths found my skeletons fascinating. “No,” I repeated, “there are no vampires or zombies in my book.”
My favorite reactions came from the simply curious who just wanted to know what I was doing. Their consternation forced me into action. I came out from behind my safe little table and began handing out cards and telling everyone that I was an author selling my book. (You have no idea how difficult that is for me.)
Everyone was friendly. Many reacted in surprise, “You wrote this?”
“Yes,” I said. (Ooo, that felt good.)
I sold seven books and most people promised to check it out on Kindle. Praise the Lord.