Today I contacted the local newspaper about a press release announcing my novel. The email exchange progressed like this:

Dear Ms. Ames,
I’m a local author. Included is a press release announcing the publication of my new novel. Thank you!
— Sara R. Jones

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Dear Sara,
Do you have any book signings scheduled for the near future that we could include in the article?
— Cynthia G. Ames, editor

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Dear Cynthia,
I have one scheduled:

Book Signing
Friday, December 4
Patrick Henry College, Barbara Hodel Center
Purcellville, Virginia
5:30-7:00 pm

There will be others, but they aren’t yet confirmed.
— Sara.

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Dear Sara,
That’s fine! I’ll put you on the list to call you and set up a time to talk to you and get some pictures.
— Cindy

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Dear Cindy,
Sounds great! Your new BFF,
— Sara.

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Okay, no, I didn’t actually say that last part. But we did go from formal titles to casual nicknames within five emails. If we’d kept going, I might have been invited to the family Christmas dinner and possibly asked to be in her daughter’s wedding.

As mentioned, I am signing books tomorrow. Follow me on Facebook (Sara Roberts Jones Author) to keep up to date.

(Note: actual names and actual emails altered. Consider this a fictionalized version. It’s what I do.)