Rhys here on Wednesday, writing from my hotel lobby as the internet in the room is iffy. I've been away for a week and looking forward to my own bed tonight. My main impressions of the week:
cool--seeing the paperbacks of Royal Pain on the front tower at Barnes and Nobles. Seeing fans who have loyally come to signings over the years. Meeting new fans who came out in spite of heat warnings, including one woman who came from New Orleans to Houston to meet me. Finding out that Royal Flush has already gone into a second printing.
Hot: most of the tour. There was a heat advisory in effect in Houston and in Scottsdale where it was 117 degrees. Even LA has been in the 90s which has completely screwed up what I planned to wear here.
Strange: a group of people wearing matching T shirts who surrounded me in the elevator and asked if I wanted to improve my sex life. They were promoting a new sexual enhancement (I didn't like to ask what or to see a demonstration.) Instead I told them that my sex life was already fantastic.
Met a group of Welsh women who had come over for Michael Jackson's memorial. They had been to every site associated with him and were absolutely besotted with him.
Also met a man who told me about his tour of Italy. He liked Sicilyy best because they were shown where Godfather 3 was filmed.
Book tours are fun, but they require stamina. In Portland I had a noisy late dinner with friends, got back to my hotel after 11 and tried to sleep knowing that the car was coming for me at 4.15 a.m In Houston I looked longingly at a fabulous hotel pool but had no time to use it. It is hard to find time to eat. Before an event I'm not hungry and I don't feel like dinner after 9 o'clock so I eat odd things at odd hours. Hotel beds have definitely improved but they will overstuff the pillows.
So now it's home after today's signing and a week or so of events in the Bay Area before I head for Florida where it will be hot again.
Many thanks to those who turned out for my events, in spite of heat. I look forward to meeting more of you in Florida later this month.
Rhys Bowen
Rhys, you have a ton of stamina, it sounds terrific, but exhausting. Hope you can schedule a little down time! Thanks for keeping us posted mary kennedy
Posted by: mary kennedy | July 15, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Read the new book over the weekend. I think it is the best of the three.
I wish I had been able to go to Scottsdale, but I had been travelling the week before. I was tired. I do not know how you do all your travelling!!
Posted by: Carrie | July 15, 2009 at 12:45 PM
I know I am a bit late to post here, but, better late than never. I just hope you read this. My husband and I enjoyed meeting you at Murder by the Book in Houston. I read Royal Flush and Love it. It is the best of the three books. The books keep getting better and better. Now my husband is reading them. He is a die hard Irishman. I keep telling him to read the Molly books We shall see. Again, it was nice to finally meet you.
Posted by: Annette | July 21, 2009 at 09:27 AM