Last Sunday, I had a wonderful book signing at Warwick’s in La Jolla for my recent memoir, Land of Dreams: An Immigrant’s Journey from War-Torn Vietnam to America. In business in the Midwest since 1896, the iconic bookstore was first moved to La Jolla in 1939, then to its current location in the heart of the Village, a short walk from scenic La Jolla Cove in 1952.

The beautiful late summer weather drew a large crowd, packing the bookstore with eager patrons. Quite a few stopped by my table near the entrance, and I got to meet and chat with some genuinely nice folks. Among them were a white-haired lady who has a brother-in-law who served in Vietnam in the late ’60s; a 10-year-old boy accompanied by his mother and curious about my early “adventures” in America; and a lady of Vietnamese descent visiting from Texas with her American husband and teenage children. I also spoke with several young adults whose parents emigrated to the US from various parts of the world under challenging circumstances, an old gentleman who still retains vivid memories of the turmoil during the Vietnam War, a bright young man interested in all kinds of history, and many others. A few people even bought a copy for themselves and then remembered a friend or coworker and stopped back to pick up an extra one.

It was so much fun that I accepted the offer from the helpful staff and stayed on beyond the two-hour time slot normally allocated to book signings. I was reminded of how refreshing such direct interaction with readers is. It’s a delightful break from the long hours spent writing at the desk, and it certainly renews my inspiration. I’ll just have to push myself to get out more and meet face to face with other book lovers.