Austin S. Camacho's Blog – January 2009 Archive (20)

Books and Bling tomorrow!

This weekend’s big event gives me a chance to hang with some of my favorite authors, and for a good cause. Saturday, from 1 pm to 4 pm we’re holding a benefit for the Creatures ‘n Crooks bookstore in Richmond, VA. For you, it’s a chance to ingle with authors, have a sweet snack and win some cool swag. And every time you buy a book you’re supporting a wonderful genre-oriented bookstore.

Independent bookstores have fallen on hard times and this one is no exception. But the store has… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 30, 2009 at 10:04pm — No Comments

An Internet Review

I like to use this blog to direct you to interesting web sites, even if I choose my own. Today I’d like to introduce you to a fan named Earnest Frye.

Hearing from Earnest was cool because he shows how far reaching my work is, both in the real world and on the internet. Earnest was one of those travelers who met me in an airport. He decided to take home one of my mysteries, Blood and Bone, and a thriller, The Orion Assignment. As always I invited him to e-mail me with some… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 29, 2009 at 10:29pm — No Comments

A great place to post your books

I’ve recently added my novels to a web site called the Daily Book Show. It’s a brand new website made for writers to showcase their works. It’s also an easy and fun place to browse for books.

They display the cover of each book listed on the web site. If you cursor over the cover you can read a brief synopsis of the book. If you click on the cover you are instantly sent to where you can order it. What could be simpler. And you can test it… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 28, 2009 at 10:36pm — No Comments

So that's why...

Preparing to do my taxes I just checked the year-end results of my 401K. In fact I took a good hard look at all of the various reserves that are supposed to be my nest egg for the future.

And now I know why the man who invests all your money is called a broker.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 27, 2009 at 10:24pm — No Comments

Author Update

My book signing Saturday was an early one. Nine a.m. at Borders in Baltimore Washington International Airport. I don’t usually do these things in the morning but at the airport it worked out pretty well. In fact, it was better than last weekend leading up to the inauguration.

The other news of note is that I’ve ended my tenure as president of the Northern Virginia chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. Give a cheer to Larry Buttram who is picking up the reins to lead the group into… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 26, 2009 at 10:47pm — No Comments

Come Fly with Me tomorrow

Saturday I will complete the airport trifecta with a book signing at Borders in Baltimore Washington International Airport. I’ll be greeting the early travelers that day, from 9 am to 1 pm. Let’s hope that early flyers are mystery fans. If you’re not flying my way you can check out my novels at my web site -

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 23, 2009 at 10:22pm — No Comments

Another Cool Review!

I like to use this blog to direct you to interesting web sites, even if I choose my own. Today I’d like to introduce you to a fan named John Callow.

When he e-mailed me he said he didn’t think I’d remember him, but he was wrong. He stopped by when I was signing books at Border’s in Manassas. He was carrying the latest James Patterson book and I told him I wrote in a similar vein. He went home with an autographed copy of Blood and Bone and I asked him to write when he finished… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 22, 2009 at 10:44pm — No Comments

Where on the Web is Austin S. Camacho

If you remember the old geography TV show about Carmen Sandiego you’ll get the title. In this section I share my on line locations for those of you who do lots of surfing, linking and RSSing.

When I read that Red Room called itself the online home of many of the world's greatest writers I knew I had to be there. Red Room provides authors and members with free, easy-to-use online homes. It's a place for the literary community to… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 21, 2009 at 10:54pm — No Comments

Historic Inauguration

Does anyone else think it is ironic to have this particular presidential inauguration the day after Martin Luther King Day? While Obama has been called a seeker of consensus, I think Dr. King might have had some valuable advice for the new president. It was Dr. King who said:

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

I also hope that Obama will seek guidance in previous inauguration speeches, like those of Abraham Lincoln. But he should… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 20, 2009 at 10:29pm — No Comments

Busy Author's Update

A lot of people flew into Washington this last weekend and I saw many of them. Things started slowly Friday at the Borders in Washington Dulles International Airport but late in the afternoon the book-hungry crowd moved in.

Saturday was an even more successful book signing at the Borders in Gateway Center. I made lots of new friends in Bowie that day.

Things were surprisingly quiet at Ronald Reagan National Airport on Sunday. Crowds were flying into the airport, but they… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 20, 2009 at 8:45am — No Comments

Travelers, Meet Me this Weekend!

As a reminder, today I have a book signing at the Borders in Gateway Center, 4420 Mitchellville Road, Bowie, MD, from noon to 4 pm.

I’m back to the airport tomorrow. This time it’s Ronald Reagan National Airport at the Borders Express on the concourse, from 10 am to 2 pm. I should catch the last folks flying in for Tuesday’s bash.

If you miss me in both places you can always order my novels through my web… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 17, 2009 at 10:57pm — No Comments

Signed Books Today and Tomorrow

As a reminder, today I have a book signing at the Borders in Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, VA. from noon to 6 pm.

Tomorrow I move to the Borders in Gateway Center. From noon to 4 pm I will sign my novels there, at 4420 Mitchellville Road, Bowie, MD.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 16, 2009 at 10:37pm — No Comments

Come Fly With Me Tomorrow

This is weekend before the inauguration and even though I’m not going to venture into the District, I will meet a lot of the people coming into town for the parties. Tomorrow I will be looking for travelers who need a good book in the Borders in Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, VA. The book signing lasts from noon to 6 pm.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 15, 2009 at 10:38pm — No Comments

Another Cool Review

I like to use this blog to direct you to interesting web sites, even if I choose my own. Today I’d like to introduce you to a fan named Ron Stutler.

I met Ron in a mall bookstore when I signed a copy of "Collateral Damage" for him. Recently he wrote to tell me that he read the book faster than he expected to. He compared it to past TV shows and movies, and said he appreciated that I could write an urban story without excessive foul language.

More interesting to me,… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 12, 2009 at 10:59pm — No Comments

Remind a friend

The most important reminder when you make a grievous error, suffer a dramatic loss of judgment or do that one thing that makes you feel as if you are utterly worthless in this world, is simply this:

Your friends love you anyway.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 12, 2009 at 6:03am — 2 Comments

Neat New Interview site

The coolest news of the last week is that I was interviewed by a web site. Whohub is a directory of interviews with professionals in a variety of fields: communication, arts, technology, marketing, and any other activity with a creative flair. The site, through some sort of artificial intelligence I imagine, e-mailed me and asked me to participate as an author. I was directed to a web page on which I responded to question in an interview that was… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 11, 2009 at 5:29am — No Comments

Fling into DC? Meet Me Tomorrow

On Friday afternoons, Washington's Congressional staffers often leave town to visit their home states. This week I'll be greeting them at Borders in Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, VA. I'll present my novels to the travelers from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 8, 2009 at 10:48pm — No Comments

Watch those cliches

If your holidays included a family gathering, you too may have spent some time with an older relative who speaks in clichés. In many cases, familiar old sayings are convenient as shorthand for sharing hard won wisdom. On the other hand they can be used to explain away unpleasant truths.

For example, if you asked why that one cousin just sits there and never contributes to the lively political or artistic conversation going on around him some family elder might have sagely said,… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 5, 2009 at 10:16pm — 1 Comment

The Latest Author Update

Potomac Mills isn't just a shopping mall, it's an entire town with separate numbered neighborhoods. The Books-A-Million there had a lot of traffic Saturday, but only 10 copies of Blood and Bone for my signing. I spent an hour and a half at the store and when the books were all gone I was able to get on with my weekend.

But that was by no means all that happened last week. For one thing, my second book… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 5, 2009 at 12:58am — No Comments

Meet Me in VA this weekend

The biggest and most popular shopping spot in my area is Potomac Mills, and that's where I'll be this Saturday. From 1 pm to 5 pm I'll be book signing at the giant Books-A-Million there. We'll see if post New Year shoppers are as eager to find a good read as post Christmas shoppers were.

Potomac Mills is composed of a number of buildings. I’ll be at 2700 Potomac Mills Cir, in Woodbridge, VA.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 2, 2009 at 11:05pm — No Comments