Book tours & Cons
A funny thing happened on my way to Dreaming Spies…
Months and months ago, I said to Random House that I didn’t think a tour was really necessary for this novel, since it would be the first Russell & Holmes in 2 ½ years and people might be interested in it even without the author standing in front of them talking. And they agreed, since after all a tour costs them money that could be spent elsewhere. So there we were, all nicely agreed, until Pub Day came on Feb 17th and I looked down at the printout of my duties for the month and said to myself, I said, Holy Granola, Batlady, looks like I’m doing a tour after all.
So off I set for Chicago and Houston and Scottsdale and California South and North (lots of North) and then Portland at the end since, well, I was going to be there anyway for Left Coast Crime, and…
All of which means that a month has disappeared on the road, leaving me now holding my skull and wondering what on earth I intended to do with this book I’m supposed to be writing.
Let me be clear: I enjoy touring. Not only is it a huge inflation to the ego to have rooms of people eager to hear what passes for my wisdom
while staying in hotels with interesting décor
but I also get to see the sorts of friends I only catch glimpses of when I go on the road.
Me and Meg Gardiner
Also there are a lot of amazingly talented people who come out, some of whom write poems or make sketches about the talk
At Kepler’s with Catriona MacPherson
while others give me presents.
I have a typewriter!
But, maybe next year I’ll keep the travel part down under a month, so I can do less of this
and more of this
If so, will you forgive me?
(Though in the meantime, keep in mind that my events page always has a list of appearances. At the moment, those include Crimefest in May and BoucherCon in the fall, but we’ll be adding events in England this May: more when I know them.)
Your Mary Russell books always delight, surprise, and inspire. Dreaming Spies was no exception. I have been a devout mystery reader since I was 12, when I started with Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories and Chesterton’s Father Brown books. After 52 years of reading mysteries, I find it amusing to note that you are the favorite mystery author of both myself and my 88 year old mother. Thank you for your inspired work, which is a comfort and joy to both of us and so many others. Write on oh Goddess of the Page!
You are forgiven.
We forgive you, Laurie, because you are always in our hearts and also because, we need you to be writing as much as possible. But you may always have to be on board for Bouchercon and LLC, because you ARE our biggest incentive for attending! Glad you have a few sweet weeks at home, even if semi-waterless…
You’re certainly forgiven! I’m sure people are thrilled to see you in person and hear what you have to say, but it must be frustrating too when you know things are waiting for you at home. Hope you make it back to Spokane, Washington sometime! We miss you! Loved “Dreaming Spies” – thanks!
I have flown only Coach (domestic) and with the airport hassles plus a few personal infirmities I’d almost rather Not Go just about anywhere than fly commercial. Bus travel is equally horrendous. But train travel — ahhh, why did we let it disintegrate?
All is forgiven, Laurie! I sympathize with the feeling of “Well, why don’t I just try to do everything at once?” and then “How the heck did I get to this point?” Get your rest, and keep that well flowing. I’m on to character sketching at the moment, and feeling the juices activating, only after a few days of staying put! 🙂
So you are going to be in Raleigh? They don’t say as much on the Bouchercon website! How weird of them.
I still think Asheville would be a good setting for a Holmes and Russell book someday!
Yep, I’m on the list of attendees, and hope to show up when the time comes…