I will be signing and speaking, maybe reading if Bobby and Linda are interested in that, at the Mystery Bookstore in Westwood, Saturday, April 18th, at 3 pm.  If you have never been to the Mystery Bookstore, it is a charming, welcoming place with a bobby at the door (he ain’t real).  You can say hello to me, and make a discovery of a special place in Los Angeles.

Speaking of special places in Los Angeles, the Festival of Books at UCLA is soon upon us… and you will find me there as well.  Doggone it, I seem to be everywhere these days.  I’ll be at (wait for it) Mystery Bookstore’s booth, #411, on Sunday April 26th, signing from 1 to 2 pm.  I am particularly looking forward to that event because a fellow Best First Author nominee will be signing alongside me, Tom Epperson, author of The Kind One. 

And speaking of being everywhere, off to New York a couple of days later for the Edgar Award ceremony.  This is one of those situations where, truly, I feel like I’ve already won because I’ve been nominated.  I know, I know, sounds like I’m just saying that, but I don’t expect to win (doesn’t mean I don’t want to) and I’m looking forward to saying hello to friends and comrades and celebrating the nomination. 

Probably get back to real blogging soon, when the boys go back to school.  I want to try to get those Book Passage photos up as well, since they didn’t work last time.  Going to LACMA later on today, then to Jeff’s for football this evening.  The end of holiday break means taking down the lights soon.  

This is the first real rain we’ve had in quite some time.  Oh, it drizzled a few weeks ago, but now we’re experiencing some sustained precipitation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and I suggested to my son that he take a second pair of shoes to school, in case the first got wet.  “No, Dad.  We’ll be inside,” he said with that hint (a mere soupcon) of condescension saved for a father not quite in on the grim reality of middle school existence.   I bit my tongue, thinking, Boy, you have to walk into school to the gym, then cross the playground to your first class, from that class swinging all the way back across the school to your science class, all of these journeys to be performed outdoors, ad infinitum, ad nauseum… but I kept my mouth shut. 

We did not walk to school in the (relative) deluge, I drove them the four blocks and parked close to the open gate near the gym, and close to the curb.  I watched him as he stepped not to the sidewalk, not OVER the rush of water in the gutter, but directly into it, and saw the sodden shoes as he turned to shut the car door.   I smiled inside, as this is one more in a series of small human moments that add up to life, where we learn a little here and forget a little there and go on with our lives, attempting to be wise. 

I look around and it seems that things are quiet for our friend Sweetsmoke.  I do love it so, as I still feel the growing pains from the days when I nurtured and suckled it into existence.  I do hope there is good word of mouth, that folks will find it.  But soon it will need to stand on its own, in the winds that will blow, as I will be starting to work on the next book shortly following the holidays.  I imagine Cassius will find a new set of lungs when the paperback comes upon us, but that is not until next September.   Deep breath now. 

I kept thinking there was plenty of time before Mithra’s Birthday on the 25th of December, and now, suddenly, here we are only two weeks and two days away.  Uh oh.  Stuff to do.  Children to please.  Gifts to send in the mail.  Uh oh. 

As they say in football, Be quick but don’t hurry. 

Today is Rick Natkin’s birthday.  Everyone please wish him a happy one! 

I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving today.  I wish you all a happy time with your families, those of you who will be with families, and hope you will sustain emotional peace.  All those ‘things’ seem to come up during the holidays, no matter how we try to pretend we can sidestep them.  But come up they do, so at that moment, try to find a smile. 

Happy anniversary, my sweet girl. 

My cousin, Jim Gilson, was kind enough to forward me the review that ran yesterday, Sunday, in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  I had not seen it, and had not known there was to be a review.  Imagine, if you will, what it was like getting his warm email and having the review below attached.  What a great morning!  It’s the first newspaper review to run (that I know of), and it was on a Sunday.  How cool is that? 

Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, California, Tuesday, 7 pm, September 16. 

Played a little fall ball yesterday evening, after the busy music morning with Mr. Rav.  Both boys pitched one inning, both boys struck out two.  Had some good solid hits, and our new players showed some promise.  The pitching from our returning players from the regular season looks solid.