Left Isis
Right Isis
             

July 4th, 2006

The title of this entry has become rather ironic, Dear Reader, considering that I wrote the entire thing yesterday, but before I could post it, my web server went down and I lost the whole thing. So I re-enter the post today with somewhat less enthusiasm for the Technology Gods.

They did, however, allow me to finally figure out how to upload and e-mail photographs from my new digital camera, so I will grant them that. Last Friday, Nan, the production person at the press, asked me if I’d like a new picture of myself for the Hornswoggled book jacket, and if so, send it to her and make it snappy. Because it’s colorful, I like the jacket picture in Buzzard, but since that picture was taken, I’ve cut my hair and had it lightened a shade and highlighted to the tune of $113. So, I might as well get my money’s worth and immortalize the new look with a new jacket photograph.

I’ve messed around with that camera since I bought it last month without much success, but it’s amazing what a deadline will do for one’s ability to learn. Sadly, I still don’t know how to post pictures on the website. This calls for a conversation with the web master.

My talk at the Sisters in Crime meeting in Scottsdale on June 21 was great fun. I spoke about everything I’ve learned about the authoring biz from the time I conceived of the “Alafair” series until that very evening. The crowd was extremely warm and receptive, and, being writers themselves, knew whereof I spoke. I’m most grateful to Judy Starbuck for inviting me.

My editor has asked me to save September 13 for the launch of Hornswoggled. At the moment, the plan is to launch at Poisoned Pen Central bookstore in downtown Phoenix, with a date at Poisoned Pen Scottsdale shortly thereafter. I understand that I’ll be doing the program with Jon Talton, whose fourth book of his “David Mapstone” series will be coming out at about the same time.

The Oklahoma tour is nearing completion. When I started out, I planned to set dates in such a way that would minimize the driving around the state I would have to do, but it hasn’t quite turned out ito be the logical progression I envisioned. I had hoped to drive around the state in a circle, but it seems that I’ll be tracing a five-pointed star on the Oklahoma highway system. Oh, well, what’s money for, anyway? Here’s the way it stands: I’ll start out in Oklahoma City on Oct 7, Norman on Oct 8, Enid on Oct. 10, back to OKC for a television book show taping on Oct 11, then a meeting with a writers’ group in OKC on Oct 13. I’ll head up to Tulsa on Oct 14 for an appearance, then end up with a talk at the Boynton Historical Society on Oct 15. All the details are on the “Events” page.

Did you realize that there really is a Boynton, Dear Reader? Oh, yes indeed there is, even though it’s not just exactly as described in the books. I did embellish just a bit. It’s where my parents grew up and married, and where my grandmother lived from the time she was 17 until the day she died. Speaking of which, I’ve been adding more material to the “Truth or Fiction” page of this web site. I’ve also found a couple more early reviews of Hornswoggled, including the Publishers Weekly review, both of which I’ve posted on the Hornswoggled “Reviews” page. Click on the icon to the right if you’d like to see them.

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