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Opening night for THE SENTRY
was at Diesel Bookstore in
Brentwood, California. So
many people jammed the store
we took over the food court
outside. |
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Inside
Diesel...hardcore readers
jockey for position in line.
Take no prisoners! |
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The lights
went out in Seattle. This is
me, signing by flashlight at
Third Place Books in Lake
Forest Park, Washington. |
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After a noon
signing at Seattle Mystery
Bookstore, I jumped back to
Los Angeles for an SRO event
at the now departed Mystery
Bookstore in Westwood. Linda
and Bobby, we miss you! |
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Imposters had
been sighted at the Mystery
Bookstore earlier, but the
crowd wasn't fooled. |
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Life for a
touring author isn't all
airports and signings. After
a spectacular event at
Murder By The Book in
Houston, I'm out for dinner
with booksellers McKenna
Jordan (she owns the joint),
Anne Kimbol, and Robbie Tinn.
And martinis. We also had
martinis. |
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The next
night, I was in Dallas, and
once more thinking of food.
This time, it was Dickey's
Drive-thru BBQ. Hey, man,
it's Texas. Even drive-thru bbq in a gas station is
terrific! |
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The best
thing about touring is the
awesome people you meet.
Check out Jason's tats.
They're real. |
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Another
reader made Joe Pike lemon
desserts. Love those red
arrows! |
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Bet you think
that's Don Johnson behind
those Wayfarers! Nope--just
me, livin' the dream. We
barnstormed straight outta
Texas to Florida. |
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...where
Murder on the Beach in
beautiful Delray Beach,
Florida, gifted me with
another SRO event. |
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Then it was
on to the frigid midwest,
where almost 200 people
braved the snow to make the
scene at the St. Louis
County Library. Some of
these folks drove for seven
hours to see me. Ladies and
gentlemen, you will never
know how deeply you touch
me. |
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It was on to
Chicago, where there was
snow... |
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...and
Milwaukee, where there was
MORE snow. There were also
great signings at Anderson's
Bookshop in Naperville
(outside Chicago) and
Milwaukee's own Mystery One
Bookshop. |
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This is Kandi
Rich, who makes all the
amazing Elvis and
Joe-inspired nail art videos
you see on YouTube. Kandi
came out for my event at
Anderson's. With killer
nails. |
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After a few
days in the snow, the kind
folks at Putnam airlifted me
to San Diego to thaw. And
also to sign at Warwick's
Bookstore in La Jolla.
Another killer crowd. |
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Then north
again where another huge
crowd waited at the Belmont
Library, courtesy of M Is
For Mystery Bookstore in
nearby San Mateo. Folks,
back in the day, only three
or four people would come to
my signings. I can't thank
you enough for turning out
like you do. |
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Then home
again to LA where the tour
was winding down with
signings at Borders in
nearby Torrance, Mysteries
to Die For in Thousand Oaks,
Book'em Mysteries in South
Pasadena, and Book Carnival
in Orange. Here's the crowd
at Mysteries to Die For,
which was packed to the
rafters... |
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Nobody enjoys
my signings more than me.
That's because I have the
World's Greatest Readers. As
Joe Pike would say, "Stay
groovy." |
