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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.