What a shock—coming back to Denver last Saturday from San Diego where it was low to mid 70’s to be greeted by 17 degrees and snow. I’ll never get used to it. But as my husband always reminds me, when we moved to Colorado I looked forward to REAL weather. Well, we’ve certainly got that. Real weather. Yippee.
The trip was good, though. Had two signings. One was a solo-- in a great indy in Glendale called Mystery & Imagination. Since I'm from SoCal it's like a high school reunion whenever I go back. There were friends from before I got published, new friends including some I met at Comic-Con this year, and a group of writing students who have a class at the store every Thursday evening. It was so much fun.
The second was held in perhaps my favorite bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. Since I grew up in San Diego, high school and college friends as well as co-workers from my various day jobs and new readers who just discovered the series made it a real celebration. That was a holiday party with three other authors: Celia May Hart, Theresa Schwegel and J.V. Jones. It was billed as "something for everybody" and we had fun. I enjoy joint signings. Takes a little of the pressure off! :-)
The rest of the week, I ran around to the big box stores to sign stock and schmooze the managers and employees. It really is work, but well worth it. The reception is always warm and more often than not, there's at least one aspiring writer itching to talk about the business. (My apologies to those of you who may have read this before. It was posted on an e-loop and I’m too brain dead to be original.)
Took some pictures but don’t have them ready yet. I should have them next week. Now I’m just hoping the weather improves this weekend. I have a signing here at the Denver Book Mall Sunday afternoon. Keeping my fingers crossed.
The writer’s strike is still on—Here’s an interesting prospective from
Sarah Fain, a woman in the biz. Thought it was of interest.
Something fun—Joss Whedon vs. JJ Abrams in a battle of
fake commercials.
This from the U.K. Seems James Bond gives the real M16 recruitment
nightmares because too may crazies want to join looking for a life of “fast cars, fast women and shaken not stirred Martini cocktails.” The license to kill appeals to many, as well. Too many, evidently.
The late Norman Mailer was the first to win the “
Bad Sex in Fiction Award” posthumously. His winning excerpt: “His mouth lathered with her sap, he turned around and embraced her face with all the passion of his own lips and face, ready at last to grind into her with the Hound, drive it into her piety.” From The Castle in the Forest. The Brits do come up with the most interesting awards!
And real life
Quidditch—Timing is good since the fifth installment of the HP movies, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released yesterday. In Middlebury, VT the first intercollegiate Quidditch match was held last month. The broomsticks are held between the player’s legs and the Snitch is a person not a golden ball, but the spirit is there and the participants are willing!
This is for Mario: