Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Readings, Signing and MORE

It’s been almost six months since Feint of Art hit the shelves, and it’s been a busy half a year! My debut signing was at the home of my very gracious friends Irma and Mark, who held a release party for me with dozens of friends and neighbors in attendance. Then I spoke at Borders on Union Square, SF, followed by an appearance at our wonderful San Francisco Mystery Bookstore.My sister and I (together, we are Hailey Lind) met up in Arlington, Virginia for the convention called Malice Domestic, which brings together cozy writers and fans in a flurry of activity. It was fun to “come out” as the two of us under one name. Among so many others, we met Frank Ahearn, a skip tracer who spoke on “how to disappear” in today’s small world…that’ll get the old creative juices going.Later I went to the Los Angeles Times Book Fair at the UCLA campus…who knew there were so many readers in SoCal? (So says the native Northern Californian!) My friend Shay drove me down, insisting she would change my opinion about LA. We stayed in Manhattan Beach with her friend Kaye and had a grand old time. I didn’t see any celebrities, but I signed at the Mysterious Galaxy booth, guest of the wonderful Terri Gilman, and sold out of books…twice.After that came a trek to Seattle to sign—alongside India Ink—at the Seattle Mystery Bookshop in Pioneer Square. Lovely staff, great customers. But the best part, for me, was that sixteen or so members of my extended family showed up. Aunts, uncles, parents, cousins, their children and children’s children….amazing. My Aunt Suzy was the first actual author I ever knew, and has always been an inspiration. My Aunt Mem has always been a second mother, and my mother…what can I say? After an overnight in Seattle, we all went out to Whidbey Island for a mother’s day cook-out.Back to the Bay Area, where I’ve been trying to catch up on work, plus get Book 3 finished up (it’s due to the publisher by the end of the month!), plus starting to promote Book 2, Shooting Gallery. Last week I was on a panel at the Castro Valley Library with Camille Minichino, Louise Ure, and Mark Coggins…lively talk, and I always enjoy speaking in public libraries.
BUY THE BOOK !