Madison II
Thursday I managed the only quiet period I’m going to get here in Madison, a couple of hours in the hotel reading my notes for the panels and ironing the shirts I dutifully pack in a no-iron packing thingie that always need ironing when I arrive. Which is what I get for not liking polyester, I know.
Then a nice lunch in the convivial company of Laura and Kristin and Mary and Meaghan and Jan and especially Meredith, who brought the lunch together. Thanks, ladies, for your kind words and the turquoise bee-pin, which I shall wear with pleasure. And if you post any photos online, stick the address in the comments box, okay?
Then the panel on the topic of who we’d like to kill if we could get away with it, a great combination of humor and content, with Jan Burke, John Connnolly, the newish writer Chris Grabenstein, all ably moderated by David Corbett. After a signing, I found the Random House cocktail party—where, since it was held in a brewery, one could actually get a beer instead of the ubiquitous white wine—and chatted with friends in a stone basement—pardon me, the Rathskeller—before whipping off to a too-fast dinner with my beloved friends Barbara and Rob, owner of the Poisoned Pen bookstore and Poisoned Pen Press, respectively (PPP being my new UK publishers, and have you all ordered your copies?) Drinks with some of the judges on the Edgars committees, and back to the hotel room by eleven. Today will be breakfast with my editor, lunch with Margaret Maron, drinks with Val McDermid, and dinner with Dana Stabenow. Bliss
All sounds most fun – apart from the hard work bit, that is! – enjoy the rest of the days.
Just had a text from my local bookstore in Edinburgh – they have the PPP edition of TAOD in, and awaiting my collection!
Amazon UK are finally getting there, all three PPP titles are appearing in their stock now. I’ll buy copies of the PPP trade paperbacks (Grave T and Beekeeper’s) to have as reading copies, too – I hope that all three titles are a success over here.
All the best
Chris
Ahhh, the Rathskeller. Such memories! The view from the Union Terrace out over the lake ought to be fairly stellar right about now. So glad you’re having the wealth of company and happy meetings. Thanks for sharing your point of view of it all.