Author: Jonathon

Once again The Huntington Beach B&N had a huge crowd and a wonderful event. To all of you that couldn?t stay through to the end, we finished at 12:15AM (six hours after the event started for those of you that are counting) and everyone that stayed got books signed. If you couldn?t stay, contact the fan club and arrange it with them to get your books signed. It won?t be a quick turnaround for this, as we?ve been telling people this across the country. If you arrange to have your books signed, we?ll sign them, but it may take us a little while to get them all done. If you send it in before mid to late November, it won?t get done any sooner. Laurell?s arm is going to need a bit of a rest and recovery period. She also has a book due and is going to be spending a lot of her time working of A Stroke of Midnight.
One of the most interesting points of this event, was that Chara, the events coordinator mentioned that we had done this store only 8 months ago. No wonder we were tired. Two tours in 8 months, 3 in just under a year, as they hosted an event for Cerulean Sins last October. Is it any wonder that this store is beginning to look like home to us? And so many of the people have become familiar faces. There were a few faces that had been at the previous events that we missed. We hope that everyone that couldn?t make it is doing well and will have a chance to catch up with us the next time we come through town.
A special shout out to the young lady who gave us the Fruits Basket and Wolf?s Rain posters. Thank You! Laurell may have to arm wrestle Trinity for who gets the Fruits Basket poster.

Yet another great event in the San Francisco area. Jerry, the Barnes & Noble store manager once again wrote a poem to introduce Laurell. We saw a lot of familiar faces, some of them from the signing the day before at Borderlands. No one in line mentioned that they had to buy their book at that event, but on the way to Oakland, Darla phoned us that at least 6 people had already contacted her and said that they had. Our publicist is looking into what happened, and so are we.
On a more positive note, the event was once again huge, and we were able to do the Q & A. We began to run into a crowds that had more people in them that hadn’t finished Incubus Dreams than had, so the spoiler questions had to be saved until they saw us in line. Even then they had to whisper, as there were a few people that had things spoiled and gave inarticulate cries.
Also, lest we forget. Thanks to Crystal who modeled the Tour Shirt that was forgotten. Without her help, a lot of people would not have known what the shirt looks like.

We’re home. Yea! We’re safe. Double yea! We’ve seen Trinity, the dogs, family, friends. We’ve slept in our own bed. We are still so tired we can barely think straight. In the days to come we’ll put up blogs for the last few events that we didn’t get posted, but I just thought you’d all like to know we got home safe and sound. It was great seeing everybody. Now I’m going to bed.

The longer blog that I wasn’t sure I should put up is up under Sunday, it’s orginal date as saved in draft. I’ve cut it by about half. Let’s just say that I’d love to find a church that was that welcoming to everyone in the mid-west, and leave it at that.

We’re done.
Tour is over and we’re done.
Tomorrow, home. Reports on missing events later.
Now. Sleep.

We have just been informed that several people were told by the staff at Borderlands that they could not even get in line to see me, unless they purchased INCUBUS DREAMS, at the store. And further more, they told people that that was our rule. No. In fact, I have refused store after store if they tell me ahead of time that they will force people to buy a book at their store before they can get anything else signed.
Jon and I are appalled. I have no words to express how upset I am about this. Please e-mail the fan club and let us know if this was indeed what everyone was told at the Borderlands signing. If it was, then we’ll figure out how to deal with it. Let us know when stores do things like this. We need to know, or we won’t find out, because the store didn’t say anything to me, to Jon, or our publicist, Craig. He knows how I feel about this particuliar policy. We would never make you buy books when you already have them, and of course you have books, or why would be in line. I am so sorry to everyone that fell afoul of this. Write and let us know if it was everybody, or if a few people got the wrong employee at the store. Let us know.
Gotta go, we’re due in Huntington Beach at the Barnes and Noble.

Actually this was the conversation Laurell and I had on our way to the airport this morning. I’ve not much time to say anything, but hi and bye. But I thought you’d all appreciate the quick virtual wave as I went running past.
Tonight is the Huntington Beach B&N. Tomorrow we do San Diego. Then Home!
later

I actually wrote a long blog, but I’ve saved it as a draft while Jonathon and I decide whether I should post it, and if I do, how much flack we’ll get. Sorry, if that’s sort of a tease, but it ended up being another soap box entry and we’re just not sure we’re up to handling anymore up close and personal reactions to things this trip. It has nothing to do with the signing, or even the tour really, so we may save it.
The event at Borderlands went wonderfully. We can’t decide how many people we were told we had in line. Jon remembers around a 100. I thought 160, and someone else said 200. Take your pick. It was great to see so many familiar faces, and so many new ones. The birthday girl that flew all the way to St. Louis for her sixteenth birthday, accompanied by her father, was in line because we were close to home for her. It was very cool to see her and her father and meet more of her family. I think they were her sister and brother, but I’m not a hundred percent certain they were formally introduced, so forgive me if they were not siblings. We had a new birthday celebrated with us last night, John (yes I remember your last name, which is unusually for me, but if I give your whole name some people will try to find you in the phone book. So no full names here.). He stayed until the signing was over, so he could get more of his books signed. I am amazed and impressed that being at one of our signings is the way people want to spend such important days of their lives.
Because the signing started so early in the day, we actually were able to go eat at a nice restaurant that didn’t have a hotel attached to it. Not disparaging the hotel restaurants, but it’s nice to change the scenery now and again.
Tonight we’re going to be at the Barnes and Noble on Broadway in Oakland. The event starts at 7:00 with a Q & A, then maybe 30 minutes later we’ll be signing books.
We look forward to seeing everyone there. Lots of people told us yesterday that they’d be at the Oakland event for the Q & A, as there wasn’t space for it at Borderlands.

This was the longer blog that I had to think about before I posted it. I cut about half of it, because it was mostly a rant, and what this blog was about was good upbeat feelings not some of the unpleasant expereinces we’ve had. So here it is. We’ll post about the other events later.
We forgot it was Sunday. We simply lost track of the days. But as often happens when you are feeling a little lost and more than a little out of touch with the important things in your life, you find something, or someone to renew your faith. For us, it was Grace Cathedral. First it is a beautiful church, but second, and most important it was a very welcoming church.
The moment we stepped through the doors, we felt better. The area leading up to their gift shop, yes gift shop, was bright and full of a sense of light that has nothing to do with white walls or light that only the optic nerves can see. It was a wonderful building, and we never even got all the way upstairs. We were, as always on this trip, running to a very tight schedule, but the small bit of time we were able to give to exploring the cathedral was time very well used. In the gift shop among the more traditional holy items, were Halloween things for sell. A hat with wizard written on it’s pointy top, another that had boo written across it in light up letters. There was a plaque with a quote for Blake, “Imagination is proof of the divine,” I may be paraphrasing by a word or, two. We didn’t buy that plaque. We bought the one that read, “bidden, or not bidden, god is present.” If it had only said, goddess it would have been absolutely perfect. I think by trying to assign a specific sex to deity, when limit, him, her, or them, or it. We truly don’t have a good pronoun for a concept as large and amazing as deity.
There were Celtic objects actually made in Ireland. A Brid’s cross, no matter that it is St. Brigdit’s. The cards with the objects told not just of the Christian history, but mentioned the earlier “pagan” history, as well. Very refreshing.

Another great event at Uncle Hugo?s. Good to see so many familiar faces, and the new ones, as well. Several people told us that they?d missed us in tours past at the store, and they were happy to finally be able to make an event. My publisher rushed the FAQ sheets so the people in line could have the questions we most often answer across the country. As Jon said in his New York blog, we?re trying to get the FAQ to any event where the space doesn?t allow an question and answer session.
MaryJanice Davidson took part in the signing. Uncle Hugo?s had been wanting to get her there for an event, and they asked if we?d mind if she participated in ours. Darla?s been talking to MaryJanice for awhile on e-mail and such, and says she?s good people. MaryJanice and I have now been in at least two anthologies together, so it all seemed like a good idea. She was very good people indeed, and signed quite a few of her own books for fans last night. Our publicist was a little dubious about including another writer in the signing, and admittedly it probably wouldn?t have worked out if we?d been able to do the question and answer which Jon has started calling, the traveling Laurell show. It?s sort of like stand-up, and that?s just not a group activity, at least for me. Though, those that have seen the show know that Jon joins in, and in fact is becoming indespensible. Though, truthfully people have asked us questions that we don?t know, but Darla would know. I think she?s fearful we may ask her to go on the road someday. But then who would take care of things at the house and office? We all have our jobs, and our division of labor, and Darla has told Jon she?s glad this part is his job, and not hers.
We?d had several nights of not getting to bed until after midnight then having an early morning flight, so I rushed things last night, pushed my arm more than I should have. I?m paying for it today. I tried to make a few notes long hand in the notebook, and it was too painful. My arm is noticeably swollen today and ice is only doing so much. I will sign everyone?s stuff at San Franscico at Borderlands on Sunday afternoon, but I may have to sign a little slower. As long as I take my time and don?t rush, I can do it, it?s when I start pushing trying to get that early bedtime that it starts trouble. More face time for the people as they come up to the table. Also on the plus side for both Jon and I, and everyone in line the signing on Sunday starts at like 2:00 in the afternoon, so we can sign and still all get to bed, or work, or whatever at a resonable time. Yea! Jon and I have tried to get other stores to do an afternoon time, but most choose a week night, or that?s all our schedule allows, and so they feel that afternoon won?t work because of people?s schedules with work and school. Probably right, but the evening start times make for long nights for everyone in line. The New York signing started early at the request of the store, so we could all get done sooner. We were able to start at 5:30, not always possible in the tour schedule, but lucky for that day it was. Made for an earlier night than it might have been.
We are flying to San Franscico as I write this, and this late in tour it seems wrong to be flying further away from home. Usually west coast is earlier on the schedule, so it seems a little disconcerting. But today we have no event, just the flight, so we?re hoping to get some solid down time, and rest a little. Today as we did last minute packing for the plane, I asked Jon, ?What day is it?? He told me Saturday. I said, ?Are you sure?? He wasn?t. We had to check the tour litnany to be certain. As we were in the car being driven to the airport, he asked me, ?Where are we?? I hesitated, then said, ?Minneapolis, because it was Uncle Hugo?s.? That satisfied us both. Truthfully at this point in the tour, if it had been a chain store last night, we might have had to check the paperwork to be sure where we were. Though, sometimes, the vegatation and the animal life can give you a clue. I used the trees to realize we were in Washington D. C. as we landed. Well, trees, and logic. We?d just finished our only stops in the mid-west, so it had to be eastern seaboard, and Washington was our first stop on the east coast. See, logic.
I feel like I?m rambling, so I?m going to sign off, and try to work on Merry a little. We still have at least two more hours in the plane, and I?m trying to pretend it?s a really crowded bus. Not really easy to do when I look out the widow. I should remember to give Jon the window seat, I guess.