Sunday, February 26, 2012

On the Road Again

RHYS BOWEN:
I hope you've enjoyed our travel week here at Jungle Reds. I'm sure the travel gene is connected to the writing gene--we love to take ourselves to other places and times in our imagination when we are not actually traveling.

My next travel jaunt is coming up in March and it's not to far away places, but a short book tour with Cara Black. Cara and I have done many events together and I always enjoy her company. In fact I really like doing a book tour with another writer or two. It's more cheerful than the solo tour when you come back late at night to a lonely hotel room, order room service then head for the next city. With a companion the journeys are more pleasant, you have someone to celebrate with when the event goes well, someone to drown sorrows with when they are poorly attended. And above all, someone to laugh with.

I've done some strange events in my writing life and probably one of the strangest was with Cara and David Corbett when we were invited to speak at a nudist colony. David was the one who was freaking out most on the way there! He swore he was going to hold his book up in front of his face and not take his eyes off the page once. Actually it was a cold night and most people were clothed--except for one man who wore nothing but... a beard. He carried a tiny backpack on his back and insisted on walking up and down in front of us. Rather disturbing when I was trying to speak coherently.

I also remember speaking to an audience resembling the cast of Deliverance in North Carolina, including one girl who was crying hysterically. Nobody paid any attention to her. Oh, and there was the time we had to meet the store pet, and it was a pig. And the store that hosted a tea party and two old women didn't seem to understand that I was giving a speech. They wolfed down cakes while chatting in loud voices. "So, have you seen Sarah, lately?"

So you see, you never know what you are going to get. That's part of the fun. I'll keep you posted on how Cara and I fare this time. And if you're in Arizona, Southern Cal or the Bay Area, please check out our schedule and come to see us. Our schedules are on our websites.

16 comments:

  1. Rhys, I am so sad I'll be missing you in Scottsdale (wonderful place where I got my service dog, Kendall), but I won't be able to attend the Tucson Festival of Books and travel up there, too. This is the 2nd or 3rd time, I think. Cara Black will be here, though, so I am looking forward to seeing her.

    Have a good time in Scottsdale at the Poisoned Pen, and if any beautiful service dogs come to your signing they're probably from Power Paws of Arizona, wonder trainers of dogs and recalcitrant recipients like me.

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  2. I loved this post and laughed out loud - delightful reporting of your weird travels and that nudist colony must have been a high point! Did you know they were what they were ahead??
    T. Straw in Carnegie Hill

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  3. hysterical Rhys, hope you come back with some grand new adventures--and sell lots and lots of books!

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  4. Yes, I did know we were going to a nudist colony. Luckily Cara knew about them and warned us. They were very normal and friendly (apart from the large man with the small..........beard.

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  5. Rhys, too funny! I can just see our cosmopolitan David turning red to the top of his head...

    Wish I could see you and Cara together--or better yet, sign with you.

    Travel safely, meet many lovely readers, and have fun!

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  6. Bon voyage--and what a wonderful time you two will have! (What are you packing?)

    Wish we could ALL cme with you..but we'l lbe there in spirit and waiting to hear all your good stories.

    Don't forget to bring JRW bookmarks!

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  7. Rhys, I wish you were coming with Cara to Kansas City in early April! Or that I could be in Arizona or California. Have a great time and come back with lots of great stories and many books sold!

    I finally had a chance to read my copy of NO MARK UPON HER last night. (The indie I ordered from is open limited hours & I've been missing them in my attempts to pick up the book.) Fabulous book, Debs. Had to stay up until I finished. Hope your tour is going well.

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  8. Linda, so glad you liked NO MARK UPON HER!

    And, Hank, I was just going to say that readers who are coming to the signings are LOVING our Jungle Red bookmarks--even asking for more. And quite a few have said, "Oh, I read JR every day."

    Here's to Rhys's turn to bask in our collective glow:-)

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  9. Debs, I'm going to do a post about NO MARK UPON HER and you on my blog in Literary Mystery Novelists. I know you're on a tour right now, so we'll skip the interview & I'll review the book instead.
    www.LindaRodriguezWrites.blogspot.com

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  10. I'm sorry I'll miss you, Reine. And you in Kansas City, Linda. I may be sent there for my book tour in November.

    And packing, Hank? I know what Cara will wear--it's black, black and black. So I have to blend it. Anything too bright and I look like a peacock. I have a gray silk blazer and a pale blue leather jacket with black pants.

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  11. Have a great trip, Rhys! So jealous - wish I were coming along (or you were stopping here in Boston.)

    I was at the store with the pig.

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  12. Hurray for coming to KC on tour this November! If you do, it will probably be Rainy Day Books. If so, let me know. They're great, but not always the best promoters. I'll get people out.

    And why not look like a beautiful peacock? Black is a great setting for jewel tones. Strut your stuff!

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  13. Rhys, I wish I had the good sense that you do about dress.

    Hank et al at JRWs, I think those bookmarks are brilliant.

    Question for the webperson: Wondering if I'm the only one not getting email notifications. They stopped suddenly a day or two ago. Trying to figure if I messed it up in settings. So far can find nothing I've changed.

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  14. Reine, I dont think anything changed...hmm..I'l check!

    xo

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  15. Reine, I'm still getting email notifications, so I don't think it's changed on the Reds site.

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  16. Hank & Linda, thanks for notification info. Could be browser settings changed on upgrading. Will try adding JRW to trusted sites and email address book, too. xo and nite-nite.

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