Back again

Bad blogger again. Sorry.

I was in Central Massachusetts and Connecticut last week, doing a panel discussion at various Barnes & Noble stores with four other 2k8ers (pictured, clockwise from lower left, M.P. Barker, Marissa Doyle, me, Courtney Sheinmel (whose book, My So-Called Family, debuted this week on the 2k8 blog!), and N.A. Nelson. We had a blast, and to our surprise actually attracted audiences. We were talking about "Networking for Writers," and obviously the Class of 2k8 and other such writer collaboratives were central to our message.

Michele (M.P.) Barker instigated the mini-tour, and even hosted us at her house--way, way, beyond the call of duty. She also organized a lunch with other writers in the South Hadley area. Jeannine Atkins, author of Anne Hutchinson's Way and other historical picture books, was nice enough to blog about it.

Got home Sunday, rescued MCat from her loneliness, lured an unwilling Callie away from the next-door dogophiles with whom she'd been staying, and sank gratefully into a stupor. Welcomed Rob home from a grueling Quebec canoe trek on Monday, and then did whoknowswhat all week. I sort of started working on another book while Kathy at Harcourt reads my last Filioli revision, but also sort of didn't, mostly because I have a couple more events to prepare for.

On Sunday, November 2, at 2 p.m., I'll join Gail Page (Bobo and the New Neighbor) at Friend Memorial Library for a reading and signing. On Wednesday, November 5, at 3 p.m., I'll make the delightful trek to Eastport to talk, read, and sign at Peavey Memorial Library. And then November 12-16 I'll be in St. Peter, Minnesota, talking to students at Gustavus Adolphus College and the local middle school, and giving a talk/reading at the college's Courtyard Cafe at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, November 13.

That last gig was arranged by Lisa Heldke and Peg O'Connor, who grace the college's faculty in the winter and Our Little Town in the summer. They are expert at guerrilla marketing (witness the flyer at right, displayed strategically around town and making me look like An Actual Author).

They have nothing, however, on my dear friend Shelly from Connecticut, who last week pulled off the Barnes & Noble Altar Caper. She was in NYC delivering a copy-edited manuscript to an editor, and happened into B&N to see the thrilling sight of a stack of The Unnameables on an island devoted to new releases, with one book propped up on a bookstand.

Not thrilling enough, Shelly thought, noting that the top shelf of the island looked like an altar to literacy and my book was on the less august third shelf. So, in a maneuver no doubt captured on the store video camera, she switched my stack with the stack of "some baseball book" on the top shelf.

If the baseball author should read this, please be assured that the B&N staff no doubt corrected the outrage minutes after Shelly left the building. If not, well, the baseball season ended when the Red Sox lost anyway.