About 300 enthusiastic Pat Benatar fans flocked to the Barnes & Noble book store in Bethlehem Township late Sunday morning to see the iconic '80s rocker and get their hands on signed copies of her book, “Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir."
The diminutive singer arrived about 20 minutes late to applause from the patient, but eager crowd lined up in a queue that snaked through the store all the way to the front door.
Wanda Reitz of Kunkletown was the first to arrive with her husband -- at about 5 am.
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“We didn't know what the scene would be,” Reitz said, adding that she called the store Saturday night to find out if people were camping.
“If they were, I was ready to get in the car last night,” she said.
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A fan “since the beginning,” Reitz has seen Benatar perform about five or six times and attended the show at the Sands Casino Sunday evening. Her husband bought her the tickets as a surprise, she added.
“I can't wait,” she said while awaiting Benatar's arrival. “I was up before the alarm this morning.”
While Reitz and her husband arrived at about 5am, others joined them a few hours later, many with out-of-state license plates.
By midday, the crowd had swelled into the hundreds, all with book in hand, quietly buzzing with excitement while waiting in line.
“She's so tiny!” said one person as Benatar arrived.
“She looks great! Just the same!” said another.
Many seemed to be looking forward to the Sands concert, discussing which songs they hoped Benatar would perform.
Just then, someone's cell phone rang. The ringtone? “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”