More Talk from the Tour

I don’t blog, OK? And I certainly don’t twitter. But my Administrator keeps bugging me for something about the tour, so here it is. The U.S. tour ended officially in Grand Cayman on March 8, but with hardly time to catch my breath for a couple of days in Toronto, I then had to head out to give a talk at a fundraising luncheon for the Brandeis National Committee in Tucson, AZ. The travel was far worse than the event, which was delightful. In the first place, I have to thank Sharyn and Nicole at Morrow for realising that it’s a good idea to arrange for most of an author’s February/March tour to take place in the southern parts of the U.S.A. Apart from stops in New York and Michigan, I was able to enjoy a bit of warm weather.

It was great to revisit some of my regular stops, where I found the audiences as welcoming, lively and intelligent as ever, and the owners and staff most accommodating and enthusiastic. It was therefore a great pleasure to be back at M is for Mystery, Stacey’s, The Mystery Bookstore, Book ‘Em, Vroman’s, Mysteries to Die For, Book Carnival and Poisoned Pen. It was also great to revisist, after a lengthier absence, Partners& Crime, Mysterious Galaxy, Murder by the Book and Murder on the Beach. Thanks, everyone!

It’s always interesting to visit a store I’ve never been to before, and in this I was especially blessed. First was Aunt Agatha’s, in Ann Arbor, where I got a far bigger crowd then I had expected, not to mention a cup of green tea and a cheese roll. A few days later, it was a bit of drive from San Francisco to Rakestraw Books, in Danville, but well worth it. The town itself is gorgeous, and the audience was terrific. Next I went to Salt Lake City for the first time, where Betsy Burton of the King’s English bookstore took great care of me, and the wait-staff at Squatter’s brewpub proved that you really can get a decent pint in Utah. I also had the honour of having dinner after the event with George Easter, of Deadly Pleasures magazine, a gentleman and a scholar. And last but not least, what can I say about Grand Cayman? Well, it’s not part of the U.S.A., for a start, but Books & Books has recently opened a beautiful store there in Camana Bay and they were kind enough to fly me out from Miami to do an event. Susanna De Saram and her husband Al took good care of me while I was there, and we had one of the best seafood meals I’ve ever eaten in my life. The beach was only about a hundred yards from the hotel, and I’m sure you can imagine the colours of the ocean and the sand. In case you can’t, I’m including a photograph. All in all, it was bloody hard work–especially the early mornings and the almost daily airport hassles–but more than worthwhile. Now all I need is a two week holiday on Grand Cayman to recover, but I’m not going to get it!
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