Radio tonight

I'll be on Desert News Talk Station KNewsRadio.com 94.3 FM with host Christopher Rice tonight at 7:15 PM Pacific talking about the Crime Lab Project. If you get a chance, listen in and call in! http://www.knewsradio.com

Fallbrook's Writers Read is final 2009 appearance

I'll be in Fallbrook, California for an evening with Fallbrook's Writers Read on Tuesday, December 8 at Café des Artistes, 103 S. Main Street. Fallbrook is in northern San Diego County, just inland from Oceanside. I recommend arriving in town early enough to take a walk through its galleries and stores in the downtown area. I often have lunch at Café des Artistes when I'm in town -- definitely worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood.

Doors open at 5:30 with a supper menu available. I'll be reading and signing books beginning at 6 PM.

There's an open mic for others to share original poetry and prose from 6:45 to 7:30 PM.

My friends at San Diego's fabulous Mysterious Galaxy Books will be providing books for sale and signing.

Except for a sold-out event at the Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab, this will be my last scheduled public appearance for this year. I've intentionally kept my schedule clear until March 11-14, 2010, when I'll be at Left Coast Crime in Los Angeles, where I'm a Guest of Honor.

I hope to see you in Fallbrook and hope you have signed up for both Left Coast Crime and the special Forensic Science Day at the convention.

Happy Holidays, and thank you again for your support this past year!

Not Going to World Fantasy Convention

I'm sorry to say that due to circumstances beyond my control, I won't be at the World Fantasy Convention. I'll be offering my membership to the convention through the Live Journal site:

http://community.livejournal.com/worldfantasycon

I look forward to trying to get to this one in the future. For those who are going, have a great time!

Next Up -- More October Events

Alas, I won't be at Bouchercon this year, so I'll miss seeing those of you who are going. But I've got a full schedule of appearances this fall, so I hope we'll meet up at one of these events!

Friday October 9 - Nashville, Tennessee
Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word
12-1 PM session followed by signing
War Memorial Plaza
Nashville, TN
Evening: Authors in the Round Dinner

Thursday October 22 - Costa Mesa, California
"Will You Kill My Boss For Me?" and Other Harmless Requests:
My Life as a Crime Fiction Writer
CSULB Orange County Alumni Event
Orange County Speakers Series
Wyndham Resort, Orange County
3350 Avenue of the Arts
Costa Mesa, CA
Cost of event: $50 CSULB Alumni Association members, $55 non-members Reception at 6 PM, Presentation and discussion at 7 PM
RSVP by 10/16/09 - Click here for ticket information.

Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 1
World Fantasy Convention
San José, California
This event is sold out, but if you have an attending membership, I look forward to seeing you there!

For more information, please see the schedule page of my Website!

A Forensic Science Panel & a Book Fair-- Stop by and say hello!

I've got two public appearances coming up soon -- more to come in October and November!

Tuesday, September 29, 11:45 AM-2:30 PM
California Forensic Science Institute Forum
"Challenges Facing Forensic Science"
Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center
Los Angeles Regional Crime Laboratory
William T Fujikoka Room
1800 Paseo Rancho Castilla
Los Angeles CA 90032

Call CFSI for more information at (323) 343-4877

Sunday, October 4

West Hollywood Book Fair

West Hollywood Park

647 N. San Vicente Blvd

West Hollywood [click here for a map and link to parking info]

Noon - Crossover/Supernatural/Mystery Panel (which probably has a better name by now, but this is the only one I've been given) in the Fiction Pavilion

2:30 PM Sisters in Crime: How Far Have We Come?

in the Mystery & Suspense Pavilion

There will be signings after each panel, and at 4 PM I'll also be signing at the Sisters in Crime booth.

Coming soon: appearances in Orange County, CA; Nashville, Tennessee; San Jose, CA; Muskego, Wisconsin; and Fallbrook, CA. See my Web site's Schedule page for more info!

Brief notes

I hope you are planning to attend Left Coast Crime 2010 in Los Angeles next March! I'm the Guest of Honor -- along with some guy named Lee Child. You may have heard of him? Yeah, I think he's great, too. Anyway, we'll be there along with Bill Fitzhugh and lots of others, so please register now. And don't forget to sign up for the Forensic Science Day -- it's going to be so cool!

The Crime Lab Project blog is running a Death Quiz -- find out how much you really know about death investigation in the U.S. -- and then tell your friends to take the quiz. Ignoring the dead can cost us our lives.

My Web Master is as overwhelmed with work as I am, so it may be a little while before my schedule on the site shows this, but -- I'm going to have some new additions to my October schedule, including the Southern Festival of Books, October 9-11 in Nashville, Tennessee. Stay tuned for details.

Speaking of Web sites, don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but one of my nieces, Heather Cvar, is a makeup artist, and her recently updated site has some cool photos on it. You can see them at HeatherCvar.com

Artistic ability runs in the family -- her mom, my sister Sandy Cvar, will be one of the print-makers featured at the International Printing Museum's Los Angeles Printers Fair on August 29. And if you go to the Orange County Fair, look for one of Sandy's prints in the Fine Arts Professional Graphics exhibit!

That's it for now. I have a ton of stuff to post here, but it will have to wait while I work on my next book.

California Crime Writers Conference

I'll be at the California Crime Writers Conference, sponsored by the LA chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, on Sunday, June 14th at 2:00 PM. I'll be teaching a session with Doug Lyle, "CSI: The Real Facts." The event is being held at the The Pasadena Hilton, 168 S. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA. This is part of a two-day conference for writers that should be very helpful for those of you who are working on manuscripts. Hope to see some of you there!

I have some news about Bones and Liar, but I'll save that for the next post. A deadline and a few other matters have kept me from being more active on the blog, but don't give up on me!

Signing Schedule - Week of January 18

Tuesday, January 20, 6:30 PM
Murder by the Book
2342 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
713-524-8597
Toll free: 888-4-AGATHA (888-424-2842)
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/mbtbhtx

Wednesday, January 21, 7:00 PM
Borders - Lee's Summit
1664 Northwest Chipman Road
Lee's Summit, MO 64081
816-347-0044
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bblsmo

Thursday, January 22, 7:00 PM
Left Bank Books (Central West End)
399 North Euclid Ave
St Louis, MO 63108
314-367-6731
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/lbstmo

Ohio and Kentucky

I'm leaving for Ohio in the morning, getting ready for some signings and other events there and in Kentucky.

I was interviewed by Mark Perzel on Cincinnati's NPR station, WVXU, For the "Cincinnati Edition" show. You can listen to the interview online by clicking here for the complete show for January 10 -- you can find the interview at about the halfway point. If you buy the book through the station's Web site, a portion of the sale benefits WVXU.

A review of The Messenger and my interview with Vick Mickunas appears in today's Dayton Daily News. You can read that article by clicking here.

Here are a few of the interviews scheduled (more about others soon):

On Tuesday morning, January 13th, I'll be on TKR-Cable TV's Northern Kentucky Magazine show at about 10:30 AM.

On Wednesday, January 14th, I'll be on WDTN-TV's 2 News at Noon.

On Thursday, January 15th, I'll be on WKYT-TV's 27 Noon News.

The bookstores where I'll be this week are listed on my schedule page and this post below:
Is this thing on?: Schedule for The Messenger Tour - Week of January 11

Gaza Protests in Westwood Result in Cancellation of Today's Mystery Bookstore Signing

Sometimes the best laid plans must be laid aside --

Today I had two signings planned for The Messenger. I had just left Mysteries to Die For after a great signing there in Thousand Oaks and started down the 101 freeway, when I got a call from Bobby, the manager of the Mystery Bookstore in Westwood. Because of a large number of protesters at the nearby Federal Building and on some of the streets of Westwood, law enforcement had blocked freeway exits to the area and all of the surface streets leading into Westwood Village, so he asked to cancel the signing. Another author had been unable to reach the store, and Bobby felt sure I wouldn't be able to get to the store from outside Westwood.

Bobby later kindly brought preordered books to my house, and I signed them for any of you who had requested them. I also signed some stock for those who order books or come by the store after today.

I hope none of you were caught in the heavy traffic or frustrated in trying to get to the store, and also apologize to the two fans in Westwood who apparently managed to get the store. I hope I'll see you at another local event.

Schedule for The Messenger Tour - Week of January 11

I'll be on several television and radio programs this week in Ohio and Kentucky -- I'll post more about that soon.

Tuesday, January 13 at 7:00 PM
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Rookwood Commons
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208
513-396-8960
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/jbcinoh

Wednesday, January 14, at 7:00 PM
Books & Co.
Greene Shopping Center
4453 Walnut Street
Beavercreek, OH 45440
937-429-2169
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bcbcoh

Thursday, January 15 at 7:00 PM
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
161 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington, KY 40503
859-273-2911
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/jblfky

Saturday, January 17th at 1:00 PM
Book Carnival
348 Tustin Avenue
Orange, CA 92866
714-538-3210
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bkctca

I have more signings coming up and I hope you'll be able to stop by and say hello. Here are some stores where I've already signed books, and while supplies last, these stores will happily ship autographed books to you if you order by calling the store or visiting its Website:

Mysterious Galaxy
858-268-4747

Poisoned Pen
480-947-2974
Toll free: 888-560-9919

M is for Mystery
650-401-8077
Toll free outside the San Francisco Bay Area: 888-405-8077

Book Passage
415-927-0960
Toll free: 800-999-7909

Books Inc. in the Marina
415-931-3633

Mysteries to Die For
805-374-0084

Mystery Bookstore
310-209-0415
Toll free: 800-821-9017

Signing Schedule - Week of January 4

The Messenger is now in stores! Here's where I'll be the week of January 4th -- please stop by and say hello!

Monday, January 5, at 7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach
7881 Edinger Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
714-897-8781
This store is in the Bella Terra Mall, near the Cheesecake Factory.
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bnhbca

Tuesday, January 6, at 7:00 PM
Mysterious Galaxy
7051 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Suite 302
San Diego, CA 92111
858-268-4747
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/mgsdca

Wednesday, January 7, at 7:00 PM
Poisoned Pen
4014 North Goldwater, Suite 101
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480-947-2974
Toll free: 888-560-9919
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/ppbsaz

Thursday, January 8, at 1:00 PM
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista
Corte Madera, CA 94925
415-927-0960
Toll free: 800-999-7909
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bpcmca

Thursday, January 8, at 7:30 PM
Books Inc. in the Marina
2251 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-931-3633
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/bimsfca

Saturday, January 10, at 1:00 PM
Mysteries to Die For
2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
805-374-0084
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/mtdftoca

Saturday, January 10, at 4:00 PM
Mystery Bookstore
1036 Broxton Avenue, Suite C
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-209-0415
Toll free: 800-821-9017
Click here for a map
or go to http://tinyurl.com/mblaca

An Introduction to The Messenger & Tour Info

Starting today, I'm going to be telling you more about my newest book, The Messenger. And tomorrow I'll also tell you about an offer for those of you who faithfully read this blog or belong to my mailing list.

Q: When will The Messenger be published?
The official publication date is December 30, 2008. I've been hearing that some people are already receiving copies. You can order The Messenger on the website of your favorite bookstore, through Indiebound, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers, or by calling your local bookstore. If you want a signed copy, many of the bookstores I'll be visiting on my tour will ship a book to you -- call to ask.


Q: What's it about?
The Messenger is a supernatural thriller. I'm going to tell you more about the characters, the story, and some of my research for the book over the next few days. You can also read about the book on my website. Here's a brief introduction to it, though — and skip the rest of this section if you really don't like any kind of spoiler!

Far below the surface of the Caribbean Sea, a salvage diver hears an eerie voice coming from the wreckage of a 19th century ship. The voice belongs to Adrian de Ville, who offers the diver power and wealth if he will pledge his service and help Adrian find Tyler Hawthorne. It's a bargain the diver comes to regret.

Tyler Hawthorne lives in Los Angeles. To all appearances twenty-four, he is in fact more than two hundred years old and nearly immortal. In 1815, as he lay dying of his wounds at Waterloo, Adrian offered him a memento mori ring, and the opportunity to recover and become The Messenger. Tyler has since had the ability to hear the thoughts of the dying in the last moments of their lives and conveys their final messages to their loved ones. With only a cemetery dog named Shade to bear him company, he leads a solitary and nomadic existence.

Now, in L.A., he finds himself drawn to a woman named Amanda Clarke, who has secrets of her own.

The dying give messages to Tyler, too, and lately they've indicated that his life is about to change. But will this change allow him to grow closer to Amanda, or bring him under the power of his old enemy?

Q: The Messenger isn't an Irene Kelly book -- does that mean you've stopped writing about Irene?
No. I'm working on a new Irene Kelly book now.

Q: Will you be on a book tour for The Messenger?

Yes. Here are the places I'll be:

Monday, January 5, 7 PM
Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach, CA

Tuesday, January 6, 7 PM
Mysterious Galaxy San Diego, CA

Wednesday, January 7, 7 PM
Poisoned Pen Scottsdale, AZ

Thursday, January 8, 1 PM
Book Passage Corte Madera, CA

Thursday, January 8, 7:30 PM
Books Inc. in The Marina San Francisco, CA

Thursday, January 8, TBA
M is for Mystery San Mateo, CA—stock signing

Saturday, January 10, 1 PM
Mysteries to Die For Thousand Oaks, CA

Saturday, January 10, 4 PM
Mystery Bookstore Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, January 13, 7 PM
Joseph Beth Cincinnati, OH

Wednesday, January 14, 7 PM
Books & Co Dayton, OH

Thursday, January 15, 7 PM
Joseph Beth Lexington, KY

Saturday, January 17, 1 PM
Book Carnival Orange, CA

Tuesday, January 20, 6:30 PM
Murder by the Book Houston, TX

Wednesday, January 21, 7 PM
Borders (Lee Summit) Kansas City, MO

Wednesday, January 22, 7 PM
Left Bank Books St Louis, MO

Be sure to keep checking the schedule page on my website for updated information.

The Messenger

I invite you to visit my Web site, janburke.com, to see information about the new book, The Messenger. The site currently says it will be out in "December," but that's kind of misleading. Officially, at this moment, the release date for the book is December 30th, and you can pre-order it from online booksellers now for delivery then.   The tour for the book starts in early January.

All of that nitpicking aside...if you follow the link on my home page, you'll find information about the book.  And as on this blog -- some new artwork.  Enjoy!

An Overdue Update

I'm excited to say that The Messenger, my next book, is a step closer to actually being a book.  The revisions are in, cover art is nearly ready (I'll put it up here and on my Web site as soon as possible), and it looks as if the publication date will be set for January, 2009.

As some of you already know, this book has a supernatural element.  It has thriller elements as well, and I think those who read the Irene Kelly series will enjoy meeting Tyler Hawthorne and friends.

Especially those of you who love dogs.  Wait until you meet Shade!  I'll talk more about him, and the plot of The Messenger, very soon.

I'm also working on a new Irene Kelly book.  That one will possibly be out in the fall of 2009.  The main reason you haven't seen much of me here is that I'm trying to get two manuscripts finished this year -- hoping to make it up to all of you for not getting a book out this year.

I'll soon have a story coming out in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, too.  I'll give details about that and tell you how you can make sure you get a copy of it in my next post!

It was great seeing those of you who came to Mayhem in the Midlands.  That's one of my favorite conventions, and next year I'll have the pleasure of serving as its toastmaster.  The guest of honor is my good friend Dana Stabenow, so we'll have fun.  When the 2009 registration links are available, I'll let you know.

Mayhem is held in Omaha.   A lot of my extended family can be found in the midwest, so I arrived a little early, and drove through four states during my visit there.   I saw cousins, aunts, uncles, and nieces and nephews.  One day I joined cousin Martha Burke and one of her friends, artist Paula Fagan, for lunch in Kansas City, Missouri.  We had lunch in the city's art district, at a fabulous place called Pizza Bella.  Just down the street on Baltimore Ave is the historic TWA Building, recently restored, Moonliner II and all.  You can see a better photo of it than the one above on this Wikipedia link, but this is one I snapped with my iPhone.  If you have a chance to visit this part of the city, go!

This is a beautiful time of year to be driving past farmland,  and some of the most lovely and serene vistas can be found in the Flint Hills of Kansas.  I spent a lot of hours in the rental car this trip, and I think that part of the drive remains my favorite.

My next public appearance will be June 13-14, at the Hardboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats Writers Conference, which is sponsored by the Southwest Chapter of MWA.  If you live anywhere near Dallas, Texas, and are working on a manuscript, I hope I'll be see you at that event.

Now I'm going back to work on a manuscript of my own....

Malice Domestic

I hope to see some of you next week at Malice Domestic!

This convention is always fun and friendly, and of course, I love having a chance to visit the Washington D.C. area. This year's worthy honorees include Charlaine Harris, Lindsey Davis, Daniel Stashower, Peter Lovesey, and Elizabeth Foxwell. For a list of attending authors, visit this page of the Malice Website.

See you there!

Cyril Wecht Institute at Dusquene University

I've had a couple of radio interviews here today, including a lovely hour spent talking to lively Lynn Cullen, talk radio host on WPTT.   I was also able to talk briefly to PJ Maloney on KQV.

This is all in preparation for the 8th Annual Forensic Science and Law Conference, presented by the Cyril Wecht Institute at Duquesne University.  The theme this year is "Where Fact Meets Fiction."

If you are anywhere near Pittsburgh between now and Saturday, come to this conference!   The faculty includes writers, hosts, and producers of CSI, Criminal Minds, Monk, Forensic Files, Autopsy, 48 Hours Mysteries, Trace Evidence, Diagnosis Murder, and other television shows.  I'll be joined by writers including Robert Tannebaum, Ann Rule, Lee Goldberg, Jon Jefferson, and D.P. Lyle.  Leading forensic scientists and law enforcement experts, including Henry Lee, forensic pathologists Michael Baden and Cyril Wecht, former FBI agent and criminal profiler Mark Sarafik, law professor James Starrs, forensic psychologist Michael Welner, Judge Donald Shelton (who has studied the "CSI Effect") and many more.  There are still a few places left, so please call 412-396-1330 or register online here.  The cost is very reasonable, $35-75 depending on how many events you want to attend.

Pittsburgh Television

I'll be on WPIX's "Night Talk" show, hosted by Mike Pintek, tonight.  The program begins at 8 PM.  Viewers can call 412-333-PCNC to tell the station what you think of the topics discussed.  

This is in connection with my appearance at the Wecht Institute Conference, "Where Fact Meets Fiction."  Hope to see some of you there!

Left Coast Crime in Denver

I hope to see you at Left Coast Crime 2008, which will be held in Denver, Colorado, March 6-9. The convention is honoring Stephen White, and Elaine Viets will be the Toastmaster. Those of you who have been to mystery conventions will realize why librarian Michael Masliah is the Fan Guest of Honor. In what I believe is a first, this convention also features a Celebrity Chef, Joanne Pence, and a Celebrity Singer, Parnell Hall.

You can learn more about the convention at its Web site, http://www.leftcoastcrime.org/2008.

If you want to learn more about where I'll be appearing in the coming months, visit the Schedule page on my Web site.

Kidnapped

Kidnapped is now out in paperback!

For those of you who've waited for the paperback edition, it's out now. I hope you'll enjoy this most recent Irene Kelly book.

I hope to see some of you in Santa Barbara this Saturday at the book festival.

You've all been extremely patient with me this month, and I appreciate that. I have a lot to tell you about, but for various reasons, I need to wait a day or two to post again. Meanwhile, know that I am truly thankful for my readers!

Yours,
Jan

Looking forward to

1) The Down Tight gig at The Starting Gate next weekend.*

2) Getting my copy of the final installment of Harry Potter's adventures at midnight. I will NOT spoil the book for the rest of you, so don't be afraid to read the blog after today. ;-) I can't tell you how many Web sites and television broadcasts I've been avoiding this week.

3) Going to the NIJ Annual Conference next week!

4) The appearance (on July 22) of a post I wrote at the request of Rhys Bowen for The Lady Killers blog. They've been gathering posts from friends on the theme of "wish you were here/wish I was there."

*Sorry about the mix-up -- I had the wrong date up here for a few hours!


Photo above courtesy of Scott Liddell (hotblack), from Morguefile.com

If you're anywhere near Brentwood tonight...

meet me at Dutton's! I'll be there for a booksigning by Dick Lochte -- I'm looking forward to reading his latest, Croaked, a comedy-thriller set in Los Angeles in 1965.

I love his writing, and anyone who has read his books can tell you that he is a keen observer with a delightfully wicked sense of humor.

This event is tonight, Tuesday, May 8, 7-9 PM
Dutton's is at 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles 90049.



This weekend, on Saturday, I'll be in San Diego at Mysterious Galaxy. You can read about that event below, on the May 1 post.

Living Wild in Los Angeles County

You've all been patient while I've been working on the Elaine Viets "Tour by Proxy" Project, and I appreciate that. If you are in the San Diego area, I also hope you'll join me, Randy Hicks, and other authors as we do our part to support Elaine on Saturday, May 12, at 10:30 AM at Mysterious Galaxy Books 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite 302 San Diego, CA. And if you can't show up, consider ordering a copy of Murder With Reservations from your own favorite bookstores.

So I am still putting in a lot of time for the project for Elaine and writing and getting ready for the grand opening of the new Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab and all kinds of other stuff. Today I also found time to walk the dogs in our local park. (They usually get night walks.) It was a beautiful day to be outdoors.

For those of you who think the LA area is nothing but concrete and cars -- well, mostly, you're right. But we have our enclaves of wildlife here, too -- both local and imported. And we make celebrities of our wildlife. Yesterday both Reggie the Alligator and the Three Bears of Bradbury made the local evening news.

Reggie isn't a native, but we are an area that enjoys a population with roots from just about any place you could name. Reggie's living in Lake Machado, a place you'll hardly recognize as LA County if you click on that last link. There are those who want us to believe Reggie is blogging and selling his own "official" (puh-leeze!) gear. But the blog is a nice way to keep up with the news on this LA-based gator.

Black bears (even ones that look brown) are native to California. And bears in Bradbury shouldn't be such a big surprise. It's been hot, the people in Bradbury have ponds and pools, and put their trash out today, all of which makes it really attractive if you are foraging in a fur coat. Which should not be unexpected in Bradbury, because it's in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Which could get me talking about how much wilderness is actually part of the big county of Los Angeles, and that could lead me to talk about why I decided to set Nine there and make the protagonist a member of the LASD.

I won't do that just now, but I feel so much better actually bringing all of this around to talking about books again....


Photo above is clearly neither an alligator nor a California Black Bear. But global warming going unchecked, I fully expect to hear any day now that someone in LA has found a polar bear in his backyard pool. This photo is used courtesy of Monica Mueller, from morguefile.com.

The Schedule is Updated

Think of the above as the way I'm beginning to feel about my to-do list, from the view of the mother bird. One of those weeks, but I did manage to get a note off to super-Webmaven Heidi Mack to let her know about a few additions and changes to my schedule of public appearances. So, if you're wondering if I'll be in your area any time soon, you should take a look at this page of my site.



Photo above used courtesy of Shadetree, from morguefile.com.

The Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away...

Okay, a bus from Vroman's Bookstore with yours truly aboard is waiting to take you to Westwood...hop aboard with me and you'll miss all the traffic and parking hassles at the LA Times Festival of Books!

Here's the deal:

I'm going to be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 28th, and I'm getting there and back in a really fun way -- even if I do have to be alert at 8:30 AM!

Vroman's, the fabulous independent bookstore in Pasadena, California (which you should check out online, even if you are nowhere near this state) has kindly invited me to be one of the authors for its 6th Annual Book Bus Ride to the L.A. Times Festival of Books. As their site says:

Join us Saturday, April 28 for a day that begins with a bagel & juice breakfast before our 8:30 a.m. departure, a Vroman's Book Bus hat, a bag full of books & goodies, games and prizes, milk & cookies for the ride home, and a 20% off coupon good April 28 - May 4 at our main store.

Tickets are $45+tax per person, and they sell out every year -- so sign up early to reserve your seat! If you want to be on the bus I'm on, be sure to tell them your preference when you make reservations.

For reservations, please call Vroman's Customer Service at (626) 449-5320.

Back home -- kind of

I'm back from the road, but tomorrow I'll be in San Clemente, California for their sold-out Friends of the San Clemente Library event. You have to love a community that shows that much support for its library!