Springing Forward

T.S. Eliot may have characterized April as the cruelest month, but personally, I think he just needed a vacation. Such a pessimist ... without even the excuse of an IRS deadline. ;)

So ... I can't believe spring is already here ... we were just in the throes of winter!

Last time I posted, I was on my way to Los Angeles and Left Coast Crime ... which was a fabulous conference, as it always is, despite a nasty cold I developed a couple of days before the flight.

Speaking of flight, what a thrill it was to ride Angel's Flight and eat at China Cafe (rumored to be Marlowe's old hangout for chop suey) with friends and fabulous writers Keith Raffel and Bill Cameron. And to see Rebecca Cantrell and Rita Lakin win awards (for the Bruce Alexander and Lefty, respectively). And to participate on a Pulp Fiction panel with some great writers, among them Eric Beetner, author of ONE TOO MANY BLOWS TO THE HEAD, who also very generously filmed a candid video interview with me for Spinetingler Magazine. Another video, this one filmed by JohnRay Gutierrez of Kepler's in a film noir style, was also a ton of fun--you can check it out below.

While at LCC, I signed at the venerable Book Soup on the Sunset Strip, had a chance to at least say hi to a lot of friends like the delightful and talented writer Holly West, and all in all, it was the best time I've ever had with a cold. :)

Just a little later in March, I flew to Portland and the Public Library Association Conference. This was quite an event--I loved meeting librarians from all over the country, had a chance to chat with friend Wilda Williams from Library Journal, and generally enjoyed a fabulous time signing copies of CITY OF DRAGONS and giving them away. I only wish we hadn't run out in such a short time!

Same evening I gave a reading and signing at Powell's in Beaverton. If you haven't been to a Powell's, make it an ambition. These giant independent bookstores are monuments to literacy and the great reading public of Portland, and it was an honor to sign there.

Throughout my Portland adventure, I palled around with stellar author and friend Bill Cameron. Bill lives in Portland, and I'm eagerly awaiting his next book, DAY ONE, a hot and riveting thriller from a superb writer. Don't miss it!

On April 1st, I experienced the rare pleasure of reading CITY OF DRAGONS in a Chinatown bar. It was part of Subterranean Noir, a Litquake/City Lights event in which the brilliant Edgar-winning author Domenic Stansberry and I had a chance to showcase our work in the basement of one of Chinatown's most venerable "joints" ... and luckily for us, hardboiled writer Mark Coggins (THE BIG WAKEUP), who is not only a great writer, but a great photographer, was on hand to shoot some film. You can read about it in Mark's blog on The Huffington Post.

I'll be heading back to the City of Angels in a couple of weeks for the LA Times Festival of the Book, where I'll be signing with Mysterious Galaxy and The Mystery Bookstore. A few days later, it's NYC and the Edgars, my first time attending the "Oscars" of the mystery-writing world.

But what I've really been doing--and will be doing for the next couple of months--is writing. I'm deep into the sequel of CITY OF DRAGONS--working title is CITY OF SPIDERS--and am racing toward my deadline and the finish line.

In other news, the audio version of CITY OF DRAGONS is now available, and I was thrilled and delighted to see the hardcover reach #2 on the IMBA Bestsellers list for February--and a heartfelt thank you to all the readers, bloggers, librarians, booksellers and friends and colleagues who made that happen! I was also privileged and honored by a recent review in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Have a wonderful April--and thanks for reading!

City of Dragons Tour - on the way to LCC!

So last we met, I was in San Diego. Now I'm about to leave for Los Angeles and Left Coast Crime.

What happened??

Well, I've discovered a new law of physics. Time bends when you're on the road, true ... but when you get home--and try to continue a book tour from your own sweet domicile--time really messes with your head. It's also more tiring by far ... because you're having to juggle your "normal" life (in my case, a day job, taking care of springer spaniel Bertie, buying toothpaste, etc.) with your "writer" life (driving all over to events and signing your book).

In short, everything snuck up on me, and I still haven't really caught up from the long distance part of the CITY OF DRAGONS march. But I did download some wonderful photos of the desert, and will post them soon ... I promise. In the meantime, here's a recap, from the middle of February to now:

Mysterious Galaxy is a wonderful store--known as the Cheers of the mystery world and for good reason! I had a blast hanging out with Patrick and Michael, and was sorry to leave ... but can't wait to return. They're the best!!!

The next day (February 13th) we made a beautiful and really incredible drive across I-8, skimming along the US/Mexico border through California and southern Arizona. The geographic landscape was jaw-dropping. Craggy, desert mountains with piles of giant reddish boulders that looked like some gargantuan god piled them up to skim along a now-dead lake ... I yelped when I saw my first saguaro cactus, multiple arms stretching toward the sun. Ocotillo too, looking like desert-dancing seaweed against the dry, vulnerable earth. I fell in love with the desert on this ride, and can't wait to go back.

We stopped for lunch in Yuma, easily imagining either Glenn Ford or Russell Crowe alongside the still prominent train that runs right through the town ... but the only thing criminal we found was the sinfully delicious Mexican food at Tacos Mi Rancho. Truly--the best, the very best, Mexican food I've had anywhere--including Texas. Yuma, I take off my hat to you!

A bit later, we stopped at Dateland, Arizona, which is a wonderful little oasis that serves fresh date milkshakes and sells all kinds of dates. A grove--with grapefruit trees in front--looms in the distance over the diner and gift shop. It's one of those old-fashioned tourist places that are sadly disappearing, getting swallowed up in homogenized conglomerates disguising themselves as mom and pops (Starbucks, anybody?). We loved it! (and the milkshake was delicious).

We turned north on a state highway, and finally made it into Scottsdale as the sun was setting. A beautiful place, and the land is so ... delicate. And beautiful. And gentle, too, at least in winter.

Next morning, we had a great breakfast at a place called Butterfields, and then to a signing and Valentine's Day party at the Poisoned Pen! I am a big, big fan of Barbara and Rob, and it was an honor to be there ... and an honor for CITY OF DRAGONS to make four of their "pick" lists, including the Hardboiled Club. I loved meeting everyone, and had a grand time, followed by dinner at a fabulous pizza place just down the street.

The next morning we were off again, this time along I-10 to LA. Not as dramatically beautiful, but lovely nevertheless, and a mid-day stop in the fascinating little waterhole known as Quartzite, Arizona, is worthy of its own post. We also rested for a bit at the I-10 equivalent of Dateland, called the Chiriaco Summit--which houses not only a vintage-style diner, shop and tiny post office, but a George Patton museum.

We finally made it to Culver City, our home away from home, and stayed in the Clark Gable suite at the Culver Hotel, which was a real treat. Gable must have helped sprinkle sleep dust, because we woke relatively refreshed, and ready for an equally long drive back to San Francisco up 101.

Since arriving home, I've been on the road around the Bay Area, doing upwards of two signings a week, plus signing stock at Barnes and Noble ... and the tour isn't over. Tomorrow I fly to Left Coast Crime ... which is where I came in. :)

I'm wrestling a cold right now, but plan to prop myself up on tea, Vitamin C and adrenalin, at least long enough to have a great time on a panel tomorrow afternoon and at a reading/signing at Book Soup tomorrow evening.

Thanks for reading -- and hope to see you somewhere along the journey! :)

City of Dragons - City of Angels Tour!

Today I'm blogging from San Diego, where I'm looking forward to a signing at the fabulous Mysterious Galaxy!

Time is whizzing by, calendar pages flipping in a black and white montage ... it seems like just yesterday (well, OK, the day before the day before yesterday) that we drove to LA.

The drive down was beautiful (not many rain showers, despite prediction of thunder and hail), and we enjoyed a requisite stop for caffeine rejuvenation in Salinas for breakfast and spit pea soup rejuvenation at Andersen's Pea Soup restaurant in Buellton, outside Solvang.

BTW--danish is Solvang is really Danish--and utterly delightful. One of the pleasures of driving down Highway 101, amid the stately mission bells along the old El Camino Real.

We stayed at the Culver Hotel--a queen among hostelries, and right next to the Culver Studios (formerly RKO, Selznick and part of MGM). Who wouldn't want to stay in a beautifully refurbished historic hotel, with a great bar, food menu and the magic ambiance of former guests like Clark Gable and Judy Garland? (The Culver Studio's main building is the columned mansion seen in the Selznick opening credits of Gone With the Wind).

On Wednesday, we drove to South Pasadena and Book 'Em Mysteries, where we met Jean, the indefatigable and fabulous Chair of the upcoming Left Coast Crime conference, and signed copies of City of Dragons. Afterward a great visit and some good Mexican food across the street, it was onward to Pasadena and Vroman's, where I got all goose-bumply seeing City on the IndieNext Wall and the New and Noteworthy front table!

Next, we drove to our "neighborhood" Barnes and Noble in Marina del Rey (close to Culver City) and signed stock. And from there, I enjoyed the rather surreal experience of seeing my book on the New Arrivals table at the gigantic theme-park like Barnes and Noble in The Grove, near the Farmer's Market and the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles. Posters advertising upcoming signings for Raquel Welch and Melissa Rivers, etc. were all over the place, and the whole thing was, well ... very Hollywood ... in a retail Disneyland sort of way. ;)

Thursday was wonderful--I had a signing at Mysteries to Die For, in lovely Thousand Oaks, and seeing Alan at this wonderful store is always a treat! Another treat was the tea room/cafe/chocolatier across the street--Chocolatine. Owned and operated by French chef Hugo, this was some of the best quiche -- and best chocolate! -- I've ever had. If you're ever in Thousand Oaks, shop at Alan's and try the chocolate! :)

Later in the evening, we capped off the LA tour with a heartwarming event at the marvelous Mystery Bookstore!! I love the staff--Linda, Bobby, Ingrid and Emily--and friends came out to officially welcome me to the City of Angels. Angels themselves (though of the crime fiction writing devilish kind), Brett Battles, Sue Ann Jaffarian, Eric Stone and Holly West reminded me why this is the best business to be in -- it's the company you keep! :) Thanks, guys!!

This morning, we headed down to San Diego, stopping at a just reopened very swanky restaurant in Oceanside called The Flying Bridge. And when I say swanky, I mean swanky--the architecture looks like Frank, Dean and Sammy could've eaten lunch here on the way to the track at Del Mar.

The food was delicious, the service superb (ask for Summer--she's a great waitress!) and all in all, I highly recommend it.

So that's the LA rap-up--next blog will be our San Diego sojourn and next stop will be Scottsdale and the fabulous Poisoned Pen bookstore! Thanks for reading!

City of Dragons Tour - The Great Northwest!

So for the first leg of the tour, we flew to Seattle the morning after the M is for Mystery launch party, and relished being in my home state at Seattle's finest bookstore, Seattle Mystery Bookshop, with the wonderful and awesome Fran and JB! I met some folks, signed books, hung out with the gang, blogged, listened to the soundtrack for City of Dragons and had lunch with a friend in Seattle's oldest bar. Stayed at the Sleep Inn in SeaTac (and wished I actually could), but it was another early morning and a drive to Portland the next day.

Along the beautiful I-5, we stopped in Olympia to thank Linda Dewberry of Whodunit Books for nominating City of Dragons for the IndieNext list! We also enjoyed a great lunch next door at Olympia's finest sandwich shop.

And I've gotta say ... as a native Washingtonian, I'm very proud of my state's hospitality. All along I-5, you come upon rest stops with highway signs advertising "free coffee." Charities get donations of coffees, cookies (sometimes cupcakes and donuts) and offer them to travelers, who then donate cash. It's a wonderful system. :)

In Portland, we stayed at an Arts and Crafts guest house in the Hawthorne District, close to Murder by the Book. I love this store! Informative, friendly, wonderful, they--like Seattle Mystery Bookshop--are a must on any northwest tour.

Before the signing, we caught dinner at a cool restaurant called Belly Timber that also had the advantage of being directly across the street (and it was raining--hard!). Tried some lovely fried chickpeas as an appetizer, and now I'm addicted. Seriously, if you're ever there, try 'em--they're even better than popcorn!

Dear, dear friend and brilliant writer Bill Cameron joined us at dinner and showed us how to cross a rainy and dark Portland street like a native. We had a good turnout for the Murder by the Book event, including the wonderful Theresa Bergen, ITW member and writer, who wrote a great recap for Reading Local. I got the chance to pass around ephemera and answer a lot of interesting questions and do a little reading. And of course--had a lot of fun!!

The next morning, we left for Seattle, eating lunch at a seafood cafe along the way (halibut tacos--yum!). We made good time--stopping for our prerequisite I-5 coffee--and squeezed in fifteen minutes of childhood thrills before heading to the rent car center and airport. :)

I was born in Tacoma and lived there until I was seven, and have very fond memories of Brown and Haley--makers of the famous Almond Roca. And my mom used to take me to the factory outlet store ... which is still there!

The building is adorable, and we found out that it was originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, then transported to the factory when the fair ended. So my love of World's Fairs really did start early ... in person at Expo '67 and home in Tacoma with Brown and Haley!

The next leg of the tour takes me down to Los Angeles and points south ... to Mysteries to Die For, Book 'Em Mysteries, The Mystery Bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy and Poisoned Pen! I'll be blogging from the road. As always --- thanks for reading!

City of Dragons Launch!

Last Tuesday, February 2nd, was one of the most amazing moments of my life.

City of Dragons launched, released into bookstores and libraries and readers' hands ... despite the fact that at the time, it was blacklisted from Amazon, along with all other Macmillan titles.

But it didn't matter.

All the hopes, all the dreams, all the wishing and wanting and waiting. It coalesced into magic at my favorite bookstore, M is for Mystery.

So what are the ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime moment that makes you incredibly touched and proud and feel like George Bailey at the end of It's A Wonderful Life?

Well, Chinese food of all kinds ... bourbon and sake and drinks served by two of the most talented bartenders in the world -- Edgar nominee Sophie Littlefield and Julie Goodson-Lawes ... goodie packs in Chinese New Year envelopes, complete with packs of candy cigarettes and party poppers ... Doll, the official mascot of Noir City, dressed in a fedora ... champagne toast ... and even a surprise birthday cake for Miranda.

And, of course, the most important ingredient: friends, starting with the amazing M is for Mystery staff: Pam, Jen, Anne, Charlotte, and of course Ed Kaufman. I was truly, truly humbled, and the warmth and love and memory of this special launch into the major leagues will always be a highlight of my life. :)

Books are like children ... it takes a village to raise them. And City of Dragons, Miranda and I are incredibly blessed and lucky to have the village--the family--that we do!!

One Week Countdown ...

I looked around and it was January.

Not New Year's Day, mind you, I remember that, even with the champagne. And I started the New Year off like everyone does ... full of plans and resolutions, one of which was to blog more often! ;)

I hope you forgive me. The whirlwind that has been leading up to the official launch of City of Dragons has been whirling ever faster, and in between book tour preparations and everything else I'm also going on a virtual blog tour and hanging out with friends--so I actually have been blogging. You can catch me on Working Stiffs and the Femmes Fatales ... and Notes from the Handbasket, Type M for Murder, The Rap Sheet, Meanderings and Musings, Pens Fatales, The Kill Zone, The Page 69 Test, My Book, My Movie, Coffee with a Canine, Detectives Beyond Borders and Jen's Book Thoughts are all upcoming!

So how do I feel, now that City of Dragons is only seven days away? Well, a little like Dorothy walking into technicolor. I've been stunned by the reception, and am immeasurably grateful for the all the support from this incredible and generous community. I'm trying to keep centered--that's what my wonderful agent tells me to do, and she's always right--but it's difficult. I alternate between absolute exhilaration and fear and anxiety, with gratitude and acknowledgment of my own extreme good fortune as the constants. :)

I'm looking forward to the book tour, which is taking me to Seattle, Portland, Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, San Diego and Scottsdale ... I only wish I could venture farther. My ultimate goal is to be able to support myself through my writing, and if that day gets here, zipping all over and meeting wonderful readers is part of the plan! And I'm popping vitamin C and trying to get some rest, so I can withstand the rigors of travel in the rainy season. I hope to meet some Writing in the Dark readers along the way.

And like every other crime fiction reader and writer, I am deeply saddened by the loss of Robert B. Parker. His blurb for City of Dragons was an incredible act of generosity--a trait he was well-known for. I was looking forward to thanking him in person--I plan to be in Boston in July. Instead, I joined many voices in a heartfelt tribute on The Rap Sheet. As we head into the hurly-burly of actual publication, I feel like Miranda has Spenser's hand on her shoulder.


So, my friends, once more unto the breach, to use a line that was probably corny when Shakespeare wrote it. We write, we revise, we copy edit, we proof and proof and proof ... and, eventually, we let it fly, hoping paper-thin wings can withstand the weather, hoping it reaches readers who will love it and cherish it and make it their own, make it something we could never imagine.

Letting go is every author's challenge and every author's dream ... and in just a week, it will happen to City of Dragons.

Thanks for being a part of it!!

Bay City Holiday

I know San Francisco is supposed to be perennially shrouded in fog--and we do get quite a bit of the atmospheric pea soup variety--but sometimes it's just plain mild and sunny, even in December. Those are the days when you remember you're in California. :)

During the holidays, there's an ice rink in Union Square, smack dab in the middle of the downtown shopping district ... right next to lit palm trees. And cable cars and the vintage streetcars that travel down Market are decked out in wreathes and garland ... and the rotating star at the top of the Sir Francis Drake is just a little extra bright.

I had occasion to go downtown on Saturday--a visit to Melissa at Secret Agent Salon, the most fabulous stylist and team in the Bay Area--and thought I'd share some photos of what San Francisco is like during the holiday season.

Chinatown, as you can see, was thronged with shoppers, bargain-hunting in the small stores that line Grant and California. Gold garlands added a festive touch to the always festive lantern street lights, while banners and lanterns make every day a holiday when you shop in Chinatown.

Still ... atmosphere reins. The Li Po bar, like most of its brethren, opens early and closes late. And Sam Wo--one of my favorite places to eat, with its no-frills set-up, huge and delicious portions, cheap prices and dumbwaiter to deliver the food upstairs--is always quintessential Chinatown, as downscale as the Empress of China is upscale. (BTW, the Empress had a delicious drink of the same name, with Midori liqueur. Tell 'em I sent you. ;) ).

Not too many blocks away is Union Square, Christmas Tree and the Menorah keeping company with the Dewey Monument (the column), and the famous heart painted by Tony Bennett for our Hearts of San Francisco city-wide fund-raising exhibit a few years ago.

I was in Union Square for the ceremony when this particular heart was dedicated ... and had a chance to both hear Mr. Bennett croon a few notes of you-know-what song, and actually got to thank him for the years of artistry and enjoyment he's given me and millions of other fans around the globe. Tony may have been born in New York, but he's a San Franciscan, through and through. :)

Later in the evening--the sun sets early this time of year, particularly in the downtown canyons--I had a chance to eat at John's Grill, another favorite restaurant, and celebrated home of The Maltese Falcon. I indulged in a Bloody Brigid--their signature drink, named after Hammett's femme fatale, of course--and a Jack LaLanne Salad. I grew up with "The Godfather of Fitness", and he's still in good shape--and recently celebrated his 95th birthday at John's.

John's--which is next to one of my favorite buildings in the city, the stately Flood Building, where Hammett worked as a Pinkerton (I worked in it during one summer, decidedly not as a Pinkerton)--has a cameo in CITY OF DRAGONS. A more prominent role in the book is played by the Pickwick Hotel, which dominates the corner of Mission and 5th, directly across the street from the Old Mint.

The Pickwick is mentioned in The Maltese Falcon, and my own history with it goes back to a fondly-remembered 8th grade trip. :)

Market Street is busy this time of year ... it boasts lighted snow flakes on every corner, and street musicians share the street with the homeless.

San Francisco's not a perfect city, and it can be a mean and dangerous place ... even more so than in 1940. But there is something about the place we call The City that is timeless, that transcends its politics, its Mayors, its debauchery and its decadence.

She's a grand old dame ... and a profound inspiration. I'm lucky to be able to spend the holidays with her! :)

May you and yours have a joyous and festive season ... and thanks for reading Writing in the Dark! Noir City is just around the corner ...

***

I also wanted to share some really wonderful news: CITY OF DRAGONS is an Indie Next Pick for February, and just received a starred review from Publishers Weekly! I'm very, very grateful ... and proud that the subtitle is "A San Francisco Mystery." :)

I'm also giving away a scarce signed advanced reading copy of CITY OF DRAGONS, along with a gift basket from Chinatown. Just go to my website and sign up for my newsletter to be entered ... the drawing will be at the end of December!