Gone to Texas

Wow, what a week! Probably the most intense and busiest I’ve had since I decided to be a full-time writer. (Well, almost full-time. I still teach some university classes). I guess my last post was Tuesday night. After teaching my university classes Wednesday, I drove to Jefferson, Texas where I was the featured author/speaker of the evening for the Friends of the Library there. This is a super group–large in number, excited and supportive of literacy and the library there. Wonderful folks. We met at the historic Excelsior House Hotel. You can read more about this really cool place here: http://theexcelsiorhouse.com/

I left the Excelsior House about 8:45 p.m. and drove to my parents’ house in Kemp, Oklahoma. I snatched a few hours’ sleep and was at the Honey Grove schools by 8:15 a.m. I made 6 presentations Thursday, three at the elementary school (3,4, &5th grades) and three at the middle school (6,7, & 8th grades). Long day, but I had so much fun. The music portion of my program seems to be especially popular with both students and teachers. Some of the teachers told me that they heard the kids singing some of the songs we did throughout the day: “Come Back, Katie,” “Cindy,” and “Goober Peas.”

This morning, I’m at Panera’s Bakery and Deli in Sherman, Texas. They have great wireless and coffee. In a few minutes, I’ll begin my signing at the Books-A-Million here. As usual, I’ll try to stay until the books are all sold. I still can’t believe that all my Books-A-Million signings have been sell-outs (or close to sell-outs). I’m trying hard to build up a good circuit for my book signings. I think by next year, the way things are going I’ll have a circuit of 200-300 stores. Enough to keep any writer busy.

Tomorrow, I’ll be at the Hastings Bookstore in Mount Pleasant, Texas. From there I’ll drive back to Louisiana and recoup and regroup for the next week’s round of activity. My next post will likely not be till late Saturday night.
It’s been a brutal schedule, but if you know me, you know that I love my work.