Book Tour Day 10 Report – No Problems, Houston

I can’t believe I got up when the alarm went off, but I did. I do not remember the shuttle ride to the airport, but once I got through the security ritual, I found a Starbucks and stood at the gate until the barristas took pity on me and opened up a few minutes early. Another morning, another Powerbar.

On the plane I did that thing where you fall asleep and your head drops forward and you jolt awake because you think you are falling 30,000 feet and then you fall asleep again and your head drops forward and you jolt awake because you think you are falling 30,000 feet and then you fall asleep again …. I did that about 10,000 times before we landed in Houston.

Image and video hosting by TinyPicBest sign I saw all day.

First stop of the day: Alief Hastings High School.

Book Tour Day 9 Report, Short Version

It is 10:15 pm and I am eating my dinner in my hotel room, preparing to go to bed. Why? Because I have to be up at 3:30am to catch the 4am shuttle for an obscenely early flight that is completely necessary if I am going to make all of my events in Houston tomorrow.

I will provide more photos and details later but here is the short version:

My flight this morning was an early one, too, so I ate the Road Warrior’s Breakfast of Champions: a Powerbar and fruit.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic It was so pretty, it inspired a haiku.

Fuel
Sublime breakfast food
Oatmeal Raisin Powerbar
Carbo-hydrate me.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Yum.

The plane was a couple hours late, but Derry Wilkens, The Amazing Publicist, is psychic and she just knew that would happen so she arranged for it to occur on a day when I had some free time to kill.

I met a lot of very nice people and signed more than 650 books. Seriously. My author schlepper counted for me. I really want to tell you everything, but I have GOT to get to bed, so it all has to wait until tomorrow. Or maybe Friday, because tomorrow is freaking insane.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Thank you, St. Louis.

TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE

Disgustingly early flight to Houston, TX. Much drooling on self on plane.
Arrive at airport. Change to dry shirt.

10:30 AM Signing at Alief Hastings High School (not open to public)

Sponsored by Blue Willow Bookshop
14532 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77079
281-497-8675

Grab lunch on the road.

1:30 PM Signing at St. John’s School (not open to public, either)

4:00 PM Signing at Brazos Bookstore (OPEN TO PUBLIC!!!!!)
2421 Bissonnet
Houston, TX 77005
713-523-0701

Dinner with librarians and teachers. Guaranteed to be more refined than what I am eating right now.

After dinner, drive to Austin. Check into hotel. Sleep like death.

Book Tour Day 8 Report, In Which The Author’s Hand Complains

What is a stock signing?
A. An opportunity for author to quickly drop by a bookstore and sign all of her books.
B. The above plus a chance for the author to run around the store and find all her books.
C. Both of the above plus the chance to meet all of the booksellers in the store who have joined the Game of Find-The-Books-I-Know-We-Ordered-Extra-Because-She-Was-Coming.
D. All of the above plus drinking a large cup of complimentary coffee at each stop.
E. And using the bathroom.
F. And enjoying a store-wide celebration when the books are found.
G. Then a record-setting speed-signing because 90% of the time allotted was spent in the Game.
OR H. A common feature on a book tour which frequently causes the Author to discover each and every ligament and tendon in her right hand and wrist.

We did four stores in two and a half hours. I don’t know how many books I signed. But I got my exercise, which was good because in my fantasy version of the book tour, I was working out in the hotel gym every morning and so far that has not happened, not even once.

My last day in Michigan went by on fast forward (or at 78 rpm, for those born before 1963).