BEST-SELLING

novelist James Patterson failed to impress a would-be reader.

‘One time, at an airport bookstore, I stood in line to buy a couple of books and some bubble gum,’ he says. ‘I was behind a woman and I noticed she had one of my novels in her basket. I said

something like: “Oh, you’re going to read one of my books”.

‘The woman would not believe that it was me. I finally pulled out my wallet and showed her my photo ID — but she still didn’t believe me.’

He adds: ‘She put my book back, too. That hurt.’