Rhys celebrates pub day of FOUR FUNERALS AND MAYBE A WEDDING.

RHYS BOWEN: When you read this I'll be in the air. Not levitating with excitement because my new book has been published, but because I'll be flying between Phoenix and Boston on a leg of my book tour. I'm really looking forward to this part of the tour because it has become a Jungle Red Event.

I'll be meeting up with Hank, Hallie and Roberta (who also has a new book out this week) at the Brookline Booksmith bookstore where we'll have a fun and funny discussion. Then tomorrow on to Madison CT and the RJ Julia bookstore where Hallie, Roberta and I will have more witty and wonderful things to say (we hope! It might depend how much alcohol was imbibed the night before).

I'm so delighted to be sharing part of my booktour with friends because usually they are lonely travels, sometimes quite stressful. I remember all the times I sat at an airport staring at the board announcing the flight had been delayed, knowing that I was due in a city several hours away to give a talk at 7 p.m.  Or I ran into traffic and sat in the taxi, knowing I was going to be late. There was the time I was due to be picked up by a car in San Diego and taken to Orange County, at noon.  At 12:15 I called them. "That car was cancelled," they said and couldn't tell me by whom.
I'm standing outside the hotel and need to get to Orange County, I shouted into the phone. You have to get here right away.
They tell me they don't have another car for half an hour. It arrives and then we are stuck in traffic. My 2 p.m. event ends up with a 4 p.m. arrival, and, miraculously many of the people have stayed, bless their hearts.

Bumpy monsoon skies ahead!

Before I was sent on tour I always pictured them as glamorous events. One flew into a city, a big black limo whisked one away to a luxury hotel where one ordered room service, went to speak, came back to dine. Yes, all of those things are true, but often there is just enough time to change before an event, and one returns at 9:30 feeling too tired to eat anything. Many meals are skipped. Those lovely rooms with antiques in them are only used for a few hours before a 5:am car shows up the next morning.

A couple of hotel memories: the first time I stayed at the Hotel ZaZa in Houston. It's very boutiquey and artsy. I was welcomed by a young man who personally escorted me to the Splendida Suite. He opened double doors and there was a full size glass dining table with chandelier over it, then a giant curved sofa in front of a TV. Asian antiques everywhere.

 Then through a bathroom to a bedroom.
This hotel specializes in art photographs. I went to take a shower and there, in the bathroom, was a giant photo of an Afghan tribesman--staring at me.  Do I wear a burka in the shower I wonder?

And this was the photograph in the loo!

Another time I flew into Denver with snow piled six feet high around me. I was driven to sign at various stores, then dropped at a hotel at 2:30 with the promise my escort would pick me up again at 5. I hadn't eaten since six that morning. "Where's the coffee shop?" I ask at the desk. "It closed at 2," I am told. And no room service. I stare out at a vast expanse of snow. Any restaurants within walking distance? I ask. She shakes her head. Not really. Then you need to call me a cab. I need something to eat.  Finally she takes pity. We have a bus, she says. And she is the driver.
So we set out, in this 20 seater bus, cruising through the snow drifts until I spot GOLDEN ARCHES.
And we drive through the drive-through in a 20 seater bus.

This is the glamorous life of the book tour!
And this week I look forward to seeing friends in Boston, Madison CT, Ann Arbor, Houston, and various stores around Northern California. The whole tour is on my website www.rhysbowen.com

FOUR FUNERALS AND MAYBE A WEDDING is the 12th in the Royal Spyness series. And if you're wondering if Lady Georgie finally gets married.... well, you'll just have to read the book!
But I will give a signed copy to one of today's commenters.

Luxury or Necessity?

RHYS BOWEN: Luxury or Necessity?
Every five years I buy a new car. For the past twenty years that car has been a Camry-- good, solid, dependable family car. But this time, with the books flourishing, I thought I might treat myself to a little more luxury.  So I started looking.....
 I had always dreamed of a Porsche but my logical side says why pay for a car that can do 130 m.p.h when I get a ticket for anything over 65? And it really is rather small for that long journey between San Francisco and Phoenix.

 I have always wanted a convertible but most people have stopped making them, apart from VW Beetles and companies like Mercedes for the price of a small house.
 And Lexus has exactly the same body as my Camry. And Mercedes gas mileage isn't great. And I don't like Audis very much-- so the question is what exactly does luxury mean for me?
 A good looking sleek exterior, but then my Camry looks pretty elegant.  Heated seats would be nice for winter, but my winters are in Arizona where they are not necessary.  I don't need wood trim. I don't like leather seats--too hot in summer.  But I would like a moon roof. And a built in GPS system. And blind spot warning would be nice and something that flashes if I stray out of my lane. And a car that parks itself?  That would be great. So I'm going to keep looking. I may well end up with another Camry!
And this has started me thinking, dear Reds. What does the word LUXURY mean to you? Not just in cars but in life?
For me it's not designer clothes or expensive wines. Oysters and lobster any time, definitely. Being pampered with a massage occasionally although I died of boredom when I had a facial. I find as I get older I am less attracted by things. Time to myself  is a great luxury. And I have to confess that traveling business class really is fabulous and worthwhile. And being able to visit far off and exotic places.
So how about you?

HALLIE EPHRON: A Camry IS luxury... said the woman who's driven a long line of Honda Civics into the ground. Reliability is what I care about in a car. Period.
I'm sure this will come as a surprise to no one, when it comes to luxury for me it's all about food. The occasional really good steak. Lobster of course. Fresh fish right off the boat. Ripe garden tomatoes. Real saffron and fresh herbs. A really swell bottle of champagne to wash it down.

ROSEMARY HARRIS: There have been trips when a flush toilet was a luxury for me.
When I was young I thought the Jaguar, British Racing Green of course, was the coolest car. Now I just want something I can throw all my toys in. My car is a 12 yr old Jeep Grand Cherokee. Pushing 150,000 miles.
Luxury is now mostly experiential. Less about the thing and more about the experience. Privacy is a huge luxury for me. I would rather have a tiny house on a plot of land with no neighbors than a MacMansion chock-a-block with the next guy. Not a jewelry person - I'm wearing a $6 ring from Urban Outfitters next to a Cartier. And I'm happy shopping at TJ Maxx.
I don't really have Food Envy either. I have framed the menu from Paul Bocuse but no desire to go back. And nice hotels are fine but I've really taken the kool-aid on house or apartment rentals. I don't really like all that bowing and scraping.
Lest I sound boringly high-minded or highly-evolved...last May we stayed at Villa San Michele in Fiesole. Their scraping was mighty fine. Luxury is the perfect thing at the perfect time. And just the way you want it.
And I confess when we travel, when I can afford to I stay in nicer hotels.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: My Honda Accord is five years old. I traded in my last Accord at five years, but think I'll be driving this one at least another couple. It has 40K on it, and is still great. It is an EX: leather seats (a must for me because of the dogs), seat warmers (which I ADORE), and a moon-roof. And I do like high-performance cars (I once had a Honda Prelude, which was fabulous,) but they just don't make any sense for my lifestyle.
Other luxuries? I don't care anything about expensive jewelry, or fancy-label clothes. Nice restaurants are an occasional treat, but most of the time I think I could make better at home. My idea of a fun evening out is a couples' date with my daughter and her fiance at Mi Cocina's. (Mambo limos!) Or dinner and a movie at iPic. I like nice hotels and room service when I'm traveling on book tour, but am happy with a Hampton Inn or Hilton Garden--middle of the road and just fine.
$10 a bottle Sauvignon Blanc is my wine of choice, although I dare say I'd enjoy better but it's not a priority.
I'd like to travel more, but when, between book tours, trips to England for research, and deadlines!
Most of our money that could be spent on "luxuries" goes into the old house!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: This is such an interesting question. It really is. What is luxury? Ah...I love to travel with extra legroom seating, love to get on the plane first and stash my carryon without battling for space.. i  love to have a comfortable hotel room, and room service.  (Part of it is--just wanting to have some time to myself. I love my profession, and the book tour--it's a dream! But sometimes, the luxury is quiet, and time.
I'm not big on jewelry, and fancy food is nice but not something I think about. I love to go to Costco--but buy rack of lamb. Does that make sense? I love nice t.owels, and bathrobes, and great shoes, and  perfume. I have a lot of clothes--but I've been on TV for35 years.  And RO, to quote Sue Grafton, I don't do rustic.
Our car! Oh, dear. it's a 12 year old Avalon, which we love which has, I think, 145,000 miles. We love it. I always look at BMWs on the road, but I don't need a BMW. I really don't care about cars. And, more than you ever needed to know, I have never had a massage or a facial. But I do use a Chanel compact and I insist it's the only one that works.

LUCY BURDETTE: I love good food, but it needn't be fancy or expensive. I like to read about tasting menus costing hundreds of dollars, but more for the theater of it and the personality of the chefs than all that frou-frou food.
Cars I don't care much about either. But like Debs, I'm crazy for seat-warmers--on days when your back hurts a little--heaven!
And the times we've upgraded to business class with miles have been very very very pleasant. Seats and baggage space are so tight on planes these days--I find the whole business quite stressful and not at all civilized. Some years ago we were taking my elderly father and stepmother to England for a last hurrah. I worried ahead for months and months about getting us upgrades for the trip overnight to London. When we got to JFK (a horrible airport!), I sent my wonderful hub up to the counter to check our status. He came back after a while and reported that we'd been offered the upgrades to business class but he turned them down.
"They were going to charge us an extra $75!"
You can imagine how fast I sent him back over...and how much we all four enjoyed those reclining seats with foot rests and the little packet containing slippers and an eye mask and a toothbrush. Ahhhh, heaven...

RHYS: I'm amazed that so many Jungle Reds seem to drive 12 year old cars. I like to have a car within warranty when I drive those 800 desert miles between SF and Phoenix. So I think our combined confessions seem to indicate that luxury is not brand or style, it's comfort and good food and time. Amen to that.
How about you dear readers? What is your idea of luxury?

TRAVEL TRAMP

DEBORAH CROMBIE: It's mid-week confession time on Jungle Red, and mine is that I am a travel tramp. (You realize, of course, that I'm using the most polite terminology so that we don't turn up in the wrong search engines.)

This last year I was 500 flight miles short of keeping my Priority status on American Airlines, which I'd had for years. No longer do I rate priority check-in, security clearance, priority boarding, or upgrades, AND I have to pay to check a darned bag! I didn't realize how spoiled I was until I no longer got special treatment. I'd like to say I've shrugged and sanguinely come to terms with this, but NO. Such is not the case.

And then there are hotels. (Can you guess I've been on book tour, folks?) I'm married to a guy who would happily sleep in a Motel 6, but would prefer a sleeping bag and a tent. He watches self-sufficiency videos, where men (and a few hardy women) make fires with flints and sleep in snow caves in the Austrian Alps. I like watching them, too. Do I want to actually do this? I do not.

I like 4 Star. I like nice clean white linens and puffy down comforters. Boutique bath products and complimentary candles. Soaking tubs. Spa robes. And most of all--room service. Having someone bring me nice food on a tray, which I can eat while I read a good book or gaze at a nice view, is close to my idea of heaven. (And then they take it all away again and you don't have to do the dishes. What an amazing concept!)

I am unapologetic about this. In my ideal life, I would always fly business class and stay in the best boutique hotels. Maybe I would agree to camping if it was one of those luxury safari trips in Kenya... Maybe.

In the meantime, however, I'll be cleaning out kitty litter boxes and figuring out what on earth to fix for dinner.

What about you, REDS? Would you choose the high life, or would you rather rough it? (My husband might be up for a camping buddy...)

ROSEMARY HARRIS: At the risk of winding up on the wrong search engines, my husband and I swing both ways. I can be very happy thank you very much at The Hassler looking down at the Spanish Steps and wondering where to have my evening bottle of Prosecco and I can be just as happy at Curry Village wondering if they're serving the gooey mac and cheese that night.

When I'm traveling on a book tour I'll stay anywhere that has free wi-fi and a free breakfast - even if I don't eat it, I like to know it's there!

BTW, the luxury camping I've done in Kenya and Tanzania with white table cloths, champagne brunches and Pimm's delivered to your tent was pretty nice but as we know, I've also stayed in a hut, so I'm flexible.

DEBS: Ro, you are too funny! But I do want the white tablecloths and the Pimm's delivered to my tent!

JAN BROGAN: My husband went to great lengths so we could stay in the St. Regis in New York. It annoyed me. Although I got to run on a treadmill next to Morton Downey Jr., the number of hotel employees fussing over every last thing made me wildly uncomfortable. The whole concept of the room valet - I think that's what he was called - coming in to instruct us how to use the TV remote and wanting to pour our coffee - reminded me of that scene in Coming to America with Eddie Murphy as king sitting in the bathroom calling for his "wipers."

I go for local character over opulence any day. But clean linens, yes. And when I fly, although I don't need first class, I pay extra for leg room.

RHYS BOWEN: I used to be an avid camper but these old bones do prefer the luxury bed these days (but what is one supposed to do with ALL THOSE PILLOWS?) I certainly don't like to be fussed over by a hovering attendant. But having had my share of boutique hotels on book tour recently, I opt for a normal Marriott-type room. No strange art work on the walls glaring down at me as I try to sleep. No Afghan tribesman in the shower (yes, there was a life size photo of such in the shower area in one hotel. I thought I should be wearing a burka) And I don't need a dining table for 12 or a book case full of eccentric books when I'm only there to sleep. My observation is: the more time you are going to spend in the room, the smaller the room you wind up with.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Two little words. Room Service. Absolutely. And nice little soaps.

But you never know. Recently in Dallas, I was at a very very chic hotel where my room looked like a library, and the decor was gorgeous--but there were NO LIGHTS! NO LIGHTS! I called the desk and said--almost in tears because it was midnight and I was exhausted--can you send someone up here with a LAMP?

And this says it all--I just bought this little purse that has a woman on the front saying: "I love not camping."

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: For book tours and business travel, I agree with Rhys; give me a sold Hyatt or Marriott. All I want is a comfortable, clean room where I can order my Caesar chicken salad from room service and get out fast for the flight in the morning. I don't want to have to deal with "high-concept" or "cutting edge" rooms (those phrases always seem to translate into "barely larger than the bed.")

Some of the best fun trips we've been on have combined the high/low concept. (Notice I don't say "top and bottom," which, combined with Deb's "tramp" and Ro's "swing both ways" would plunge this blog entry into the internet's Meatpacking District.) Ross and I have done the luxury safari thing in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (before things started to fall apart there) and it was fabulous. Fishing on the Zambezi while drinking cold beers, then eating a five-star dinner at night. Another time, we took the whole family to Michigan via Canada, alternating camping (at those beautifully well-run Canadian campgrounds) with staying at B&Bs. We finished up with a long weekend at the Grand Hotel, which I commend to you all as THE most perfect hotel experience of my life.

I can rough it during the day so long as I can take a shower and have a comfortable bed (or at least an air mattress) at night.

LUCY BURDETTE: I think I'm all over the map on this question, Deb. I grew up camping, and traveling across country with 3 siblings and one or two German shepherds crammed into a station wagon. Hmmmm, good memories, but I think I'm over that. The trouble with camping is you can hear everything. If someone stays up late and drinks too much beer and fights with their spouse, it's as if they were in the tent with you. On the other hand, I'm quite squeamish about the possibility of bedbugs...which wouldn't be a problem in my own tent or camper. And because we sometimes travel with Tonka the wonder dog, we are limited to dog-friendly motels. Which are sometimes icky...let's just say I spend more time than a normal person would perusing the reviews on Tripadvisor.

And ps, we've stayed in a few Ritz's and Four Seasons and gotten annoyed by the way they charge you for everything. Separately. If you're going to charge me an arm and a leg for the night, couldn't you just fold the parking in?

DEBS: Okay, I have to admit I've never stayed in a really, really expensive hotel, and I probably wouldn't like it. Probably. I suspect it would be like Upstairs on Downton Abbey, never having any privacy. I can put on my own nightie, thank you very much.

And, um, Hank, that snazzy hotel in Dallas with no lamps? They did a story on the local news recently about people in the convention center complaining that they could see into the guests' bathrooms from the convention center windows... maybe it's a good thing there were no lamps...

Rhys, was the place with the Afghan tribesmen on the wall by any chance the ZaZa in Houston? I've never stayed there but have heard about it. Um, I might pass on that, although my two favorite boutique hotels are definitely on the funky side, both restored motor courts--the Belmont in Dallas from the 1940s, and the Valley Ho in Scottsdale from the 1950s. So for me it's more about atmosphere than big bucks. (And please, no rooms that reek of industrial cleaning chemicals...)

But I'm still day-dreaming about the deluxe safari, or a tropical bungalow, and I still want to be rich and famous enough to fly business class on the Dallas-London route. Actually sleeping on the night flight does wonders for one's attitude, and one's jet lag.

How about you, readers? Roughing it, or red carpet? (I know what Hemingway would choose.)

(P.S. Lil Gluckstern is the lucky winner of Hush Now, Don't You Cry, so Lil, can you email me your mailing address at: deb at deborahcrombie dot com, and I'll pass it along to Miss Rhys.)