The Joys of Touring

[Kris Neri]

I'm in Yuma, AZ, on my way to San Diego, where I'll present a writing workshop tonight at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore. Since Sedona to San Diego is such a long jaunt, I decided to break up the trip with a night in Yuma. However, the state of Arizona is intent on destroying every state highway, and making them impossible to navigate -- in Sedona they're putting in roundabouts that everyone hates; here it's medians that prevent turns almost everywhere. Last night it took me a half-hour to find my motel, and especially, to find a way into its parking lot. It was so crazy, I skipped dinner rather than go out again. It never hurts me to skip a mean, and besides, I made up for it this morning, so don't feel sorry for me.

But all this is on my own dime, of course. I do think it helps sell books, to some degree at least. At least it gets them into some stores, and creates some buzz, though I don't exaggerate how much it helps. But I sure envy those authors who have escorts, who have someone driving them, rather than having to navigate insane obstacle courses themselves, and especially, who have someone else paying for it.

This is really a crazy business. Sometime I feel nuts to be doing it. Am I the only one?

[I. J. Parker]

Wow! There are escorts! Who knew? Much luck, Kris.

The best I've ever done was to be booked into a luxury golfcourse hotel for one night in Raleigh, N.C., courtesy of the publisher. A gorgeous place. I made up for it by flying there in a tiny plane that crashed a couple of weeks later. And I only signed one book there.

[Kris Neri]

Ingrid, despite the one book and the tiny plane (that didn't crash for you), it still sounds great.

Once I had an anthology signing at The Mystery Bookstore in LA. Since I was early, I parked across the street and waited. I saw a limo drive up and wait, and Margaret Coel came out and climbed into it. Sigh...

[I. J. Parker]

See? They treat us like dirt. :) Just kidding. The hotel was wonderful, but I felt so guilty that the talk and signing didn't go better.
Coel does Indian stuff, I think, following in Hillerman's steps. I had no idea she was so successful.