Taking the plunge

There's nothing quite like cracking off the mental rust and having that first productive day of a new book. Granted, there are invariably a host of dead-ends, pitfalls, and blind curves ahead of me, but it feels good to insert the key into the ol' creative ignition, give it a turn and hear (with relief) a humming engine.

With WILLOW FROST waiting in the wings, I've jumped from research to actual writing on my currently untitled book #3. I can't say much at this point, just that it's another Seattle tale—I thought I'd do at least three before venturing elsewhere. This novel is set between 1909 and 1959. And it's another emotional roller coaster, a bit of a noble romantic tragedy if you will. Hopefully I'll find some moments of redemption.

In other news, foreign rights to SONGS OF WILLOW FROST have been sold in Italy, Norway, Germany, Brazil, France, Australia/New Zealand, and the UK (which will also release the book on September 10).

And I'll be at Book Expo America in NYC at the end of the month, along with 499 other authors on autograph row. But, if you're near the Big Apple and would like to get your hands on an Advance Reader's Copy of WILLOW, here's your chance.

Peace, everyone.

Sleeping in an airport near you

Here's an update on the ol' travel schedule, including the September launch of Songs of Willow Frost and subsequent tour hither and thither.

I'll be adding a few more stops as soon as those plans are finalized (here's looking at you Great Falls, Ann Arbor).

On a related note, does anyone know how many frequent flyer miles are needed for a ride on the Space Shuttle. I must be getting close.

5/28/2013	ABA Bookseller Cocktail Party Grand Hyatt New York 109 East 42nd Street New York, NY	9:00 pm -11:00 pm
5/30/2013	Library Journal Breakfast Random House, Louis L’Amour Room 1745 Broadway New York, NY 10019	7:30 am - 9:30 am
5/31/2013	Book Expo America The Javits Center @ the RH booth (#2739) 655 W 34th St New York, NY 1000	10:00 pm Signing
7/18-21/2013	OCA Convention Omni Shoreham Hotel 2500 Calvert St NW Washington, DC 20008 Willow Frost Tour	TBD TBD
9/10/2013	Town Hall - BOOK LAUNCH! 1119 8th Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 366-3316	7:30 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/11/2013	Auntie's Bookstore 402 W. Main Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 838-0206	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/12/2013	Tattered Cover 2526 East Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80206 (303) 322-1965	7:30 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/17/2013	Vroman's 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 449-5320	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/18/2013	Warwick's 7812 Girard Ave. La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 454-0347	7:30 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/19/2013	Author's Live Highland Park United Methodist Church 3300 Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75205	6:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/24/2013	Barnes & Noble 1601 Market Pl Dr Great Falls, MT 59404 (406) 452-3299	5:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
9/26/2013	Sacramento Bee Book Club Tsakopoulos Library Galleria 828 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814	5:00 pm Pre-Signing 6:00 pm Talk, Q&A
9/27-29/2013	Booktopia 307 E. Lake Street Petoskey, MI 49770 (231) 347-118	TBD
9/30/2013	National Writers Series City Opera House 106 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI 49684	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/1/2013	Anderson's Bookshop 123 W. Jefferson Ave. Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 355-2665	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/2/2013	Lake Forest Bookstore Lovell’s of Lake Forest 915 S. Waukegan Rd. Lake Forest, IL	11:30 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/3/2013	Mager's & Quinn 3038 Hennepin Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 822-4611	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/10-12/2013	Montana Festival of the Book TBD Missoula, MT (917) 414-1578	TBD Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/15/2013	Copperfield's Books 775 Village Ct Santa Rosa, CA (707) 578-8938	TBD Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/17/2013	Powell's City of Books 1005 West Burnside Portland, OR 97209 (503) 228-4651	7:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/21/2013	Metro Detroit Book & Author Society Burton Manor 27777 Schoolcraft Road Livonia, MI 48150 (586) 775-3533	Noon-3:30 pm Luncheon w/authors
10/27/2013	Book Lover's Luncheon Greenacres Ctry Club 2170 Lawrenceville Rd Lawrence Township, NJ 08648 (609) 896-0259	12:00-3:00 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
10/28/2013	A Conversation From Main Street Landmark on Main, Jeanne Rimsky Theater 232 Main Street Port Washington, NY 11050	7:30 pm Talk, Q&A, and Signing
11/25-27/2013	Milano Book Fair Parco Esposizione Novegro 20090 Segrate Milano Italy 02 7020 0505	TBD
1/10-11/2014	Provo Library Family Litereary Symposium 550 North University Avenue Provo, Utah 84601 (801) 852-6650	TBD
1/17-19/2014	Pulpwood Queens Annual Girlfriends Weekend Jefferson, TX (903) 665-7520	TBD
3/4-5/2014	Western Kentucky Reads Western Kentucky Community College Paducah, KY (270) 534-3213	7:30 pm, March 4 11:00 am, March 5

The not-so slow reveal

On the heels of the finalized cover for Songs of Willow Frost we now have (timpani roll) the full cover for the Advance Reader's Edition (ARE). What is an ARE? It's the early look at Willow, occasional typo and all, that goes out to librarians, booksellers, and lucky book clubbers—the patrons of the Panama Hotel, so to speak.

And as soon as I get my mitts on some I'll muster up some kind of contest to give them all away. Check back soon.

I love that new cover smell

After three rounds of cover ideas the Design Fairy finally waved her magic wand and this appeared in my inbox, much to my delight. Is it September 10th yet?