DEAD CONNECTION tour - Day 8 - July 23

[Alafair Burke]

Today kicked off the second week of tour. The lowpoint was the start of the day, when my four year old nephew in Phoenix realized that mommy, daddy, Auntie Alafair, and he were all going to separate places after a weekend of nonstop fun. I thought his little heart was crushed by my imminent departure, but then he started counting all the toy cars he had to bid farewell before school, and I realized he'd probably survive the day all right.

The high points were seeing my 100 year old Grandmother (dad's mom, whose mother was my namesake) and the outstanding group of friendly faces, both new and familiar, at Houston's Murder by the Book.

After the reading, my newly engaged pals from the bookstore and I celebrated their upcoming marriage, first over a ridiculous number of Fried Green Tomatoes and other foods I won't see again any time soon, followed by a champagne toast.

Tomorrow, it's off to Denver. If you haven't gotten a first printing of Dead Connection, and you care about such things, call the bookstores on tour. The folks in Houston tell me their first printings are gone, and they're on to the third printing (don't ask me where the seconds went - I never saw them).