Michigan Highlights #1

Greetings from Michigan! I'm way behind in keeping you posted on the book tour, but I'll try to do better.

Here are the highlights from stops at Schuler Books & Music in both Grand Rapids and Lansing:

GRAND RAPIDS:
-My cab driver from the hotel to the book store actually went inside the store and bought a book for me to sign! That's a first. I was mightily flattered.

-A friend from high school, Jim Curry, came to the reading! So the book travel ends up feeling like a reunion.

-Speaking of reunions...relatives also joined me at the store: Johnine & Orel Callahan and Jim & Lindsay Dean. Yes, that's right. You didn't know I was related to Jimmy Dean, did you? And you know what I love about my cousin Jim Dean? He actually showed up wearing a James Dean T-shirt! Thanks for making the trip, you guys!

-Former Dayton Ballet dancer, rock climber extraordinaire, and all around sexy beast and great guy, Cory Goei, came to the reading and then took me on a grand tour of his hometown (including the Giant Vagina. Anyone in Grand Rapids will know exactly what and where that is. I thought it was kind of pretty, to be honest...).

-Fellow writer Kristina Riggle came to the reading! Not only do we share rhyming names, share the same publisher, and share protagonists named Cami, we were dressed alike! I think she must be my soul sister. You should definitely check out her books, especially her brand new book coming out this week, The Life You've Imagined. (That's her in the final photo).

-Fellow writer Lorna Jane Cook attended the reading, too! I had the honor of giving a heartfelt glowing blurb for her upcoming book Outside Wonderland. Once I know when her publication date is, I'll be recommending it to everyone!

LANSING

-My event was part of a series called Girls' Night Out. Free wine. The only combination better than books & wine is books & chocolate! Throw in some intelligent, fun women and you can't do better! (check out the photos of some early audience members toasting with their wine glasses).

-The only man in attendance sang the "Ohio Song" to me. That's a first...

-A person browsing the bookstore at the back of the event did a double-take when he heard me say, "This will be my third trip to Saturn," as I described my other upcoming tour sites. He looked so startled, then so skeptical, that I interrupted the talk to assure him, "Saturn Booksellers. It's a bookstore." He nodded and moved on...

-The event coordinator, the wonderful Whitney Spotts is a fellow zombie lover! That was a huge bonding moment for us. We shared our love of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, possible child-friendly movies for her upcoming Halloween zombie party, and our "secret" plans for surviving the zombie apocalypse!

Stay tuned for a full report about my third trip to Saturn!