The Crazyness of Our October

 The long silence this time is due to the crazyness of our October - shown in this calendar:

We've crammed in visits with friends, doctor appointments, poetry meetings, house showings with our real estate agent, etc.

It started off with a bang with my book signing on October 8th at Avid Reader. There was a nice turn-out and I sold some books, but the biggest pleasure was seeing family and friends again. Here are a few samples below:

My husband took some pictures, and my grandniece's husband took some. (The flowers are from this lovely family.) Many friends came whom I hadn't seen since before Covid lockdowns.

The Book Signing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile: This Sunday night I'm pleased to be reading again for the Chapparal Poets at 4 pm, courtesy of Rick Costa, who invited me to a reading from Portugal last year. I will be reading from my as yet unpublished chapbook, Dreaming of Galicia.

Then Monday, I'll be interviewed by George Cramer about Deadly Verse on his super blog at https://gdcramer.com/ . I'm really excited about this. An author himself (Robbers and Cops; The Mona Lisa Sisters, published by Russian Hill Press, all available on Amazon.com), George Cramer interviews well-known authors in great depth. A couple of weeks ago he interviewed Terry Shames, one of my very favorite mystery authors! So I feel quite honored to be interviewed by him.

Please do drop in Monday and say hello. (See above link.) Drop in today, too, to learn more about him on today's blog post: the tables were turned and he was intervied!

As for pictures of our get-togethers with friends, sadly, I get so involved in the conversations these days, that I forget to take pictures. However two astute friends recently did whip out their cameras, so we have a couple of visual memories to take back with us: On the right, earlier this month we got together with Nancy Herman and her husband Tom. Nancy and I originally were in a writing group together - and still are, although it's gone mainly online in the form of manuscript exhanges. On the left, our friends and neighbors Alice and Bill Welborn wined and dined us Thursday for one of the most relaxing afternoons and evenings we've had in ages. They were babysitting a cute dog named Riley, who was quite sociable, as you can see. I am looking forward to more relaxing days like this when November unfolds . . . .

 

How about you? Does life ever get too busy for you? Do you ever get so involved in conversations that you forget to photograph a special get-together? Do you keep in touch with friends from afar? And . . . do you babysit pets for friends? Are you a pet person? If so, dog or cat? (Hubby and I are both.)

So Here Is What Has Been Happening . . ..

So here is what has been happening that has kept me too busy to post, but not too busy to read and relax from all the hustle and bustle: One big thrill is my book signing coming up. But here is bigger thrill (for us):

Rajan and I are moving back to Portugal. I know this is a surprise, but we find we miss the European lifestyle and the slower pace of life, and we would like to finish our days in Braga. Life here in the states is too intense, too stressful, way too expensive (for us). And, since we aren't downtown anymore, to go anywhere for any reason (grocery shopping, bank, doctor appointments, coffee with friends, eating out, whatever) requires lots of driving. When we were in Braga, we could walk to all of these things. (Luckily, we still have our flat there, as we canceled the sale.) 

True, we worried earlier that in the future one of us may have to have medical procedures that take one to a different city and there might be transportation problems. Well, since we now are in a suburb and not in Midtown or downtown, we are in the same plight here: It's a sweet neighborhood with nice neighbors, AND . . . it's a suburb. Once we can no longer drive, we'll be stranded. Our other worry had been whether we can become fluent in Portuguese: Well, that's on us. We have the time if we take the time, and we had (and will have again) a very good tutor.

One good thing is that we've been able to visit some family and several friends - something we couldn't do when we left California before, because everything was still in lockdown. Now that we have gotten some very important visits in, I think we'll be able to "let go".  I was able to attend some poetry group meetings and I have the book signing coming up on October 8th, but . . . our hearts really are in Portugal. 

We are leaving on November 3rd. I'll be posting before then because a lot of things have been taken care of. Meanwhile, wish me luck for a good book reading/signing on October 8th (2 pm, The Avid Reader on Broaday, 1945 Broadays,  if you are in Sacramento. And if you are not, you can learn more aout the book HERE.)

Question: Have you ever decided to reverse a poor decision? Or did you just stick with it and hope you would soon adjust to it? 

February! Where Did Last Month Go?

Well, January went to a lot of literary activity. That's where it went! I had a book signing at Time Tested Books for Deadly Vintage. It was a small crowd (it was the Super Bowl playoff Sunday, and also a lot of worthy programs were going on to celebrate Dr. King's inspiring life), but those who attended were attentive, and after the reading, we had time to interact more personally than usual: One couple said the excerpt and my lead-up convinced them that their next trip has to be to Portugal!

The gentleman with the camera and the woman next to him
are the couple who now want to go to Portugal.

Here are a few pictures:

Me, reading.

Neighbors, writing partners, and a few total strangers!

Writing-group friends.

Also, this morning, Kings River Life Magazine, a California online magazine full of great information about books, writing, events, news, etc., highlighted a nice review of Deadly Vintage. Here is the link to the magazine.   And Here is the link to the review. Check it out. They are also featuring a giveaway for the book for those who live in the U.S.

Then I firmed up an order for copies of my poetry chapbook, Saudade, Thirty Poems of Longing, which is being released February 14th from Finishing Line Press. ("Saudade" is a special sentiment or emotion that is typically Portuguese.) This is the first print run, and you can order a copy directly from them here: You can also read some nice blurbs about the chapbook by other poets. 

At the same time, I firmed up two school visits to read from my story collection, Carnival of the Animals, at a school where I used to teach. I will be speaking to an assembly on February 28th, and then reading excerpts to individual classrooms on March 2nd. (For those who want to know more about Carnival, you can go to my interview with Craig Briggs, here,  and order the book here.)

Aside that, I've been going to writing groups and poetry workshops, and beta-reading a friend's book. I've also been reading a tone of good books, some mystery, some historical novels, some poetry. Pretty soon more book reviews will be coming.

And last, but not least, last night I went to an even called Stories on Stage, here in Sacramento, where Pam Houston was one of two featured authors. The event is structured so that the author is present, but a person with good stage history and background reads the excerpt and dramatizes it as they read.  Houston's book, Deep Creek, is a memoir. Her other books were for sale, and at the break, I bought Cowboys Are My Weakness, the book that launched her so to speak. I had never read it, and the wonderful writing that showed through the reading made me realize I needed to read more of her terrific writing. So far I've read two of the stories, and, frankly, her writing just grabs me, even if the lifestyle doesn't. 

Speaking of reading good books, what books have you been reading this month? Any good mysteries you want to share? Any poets? Story collections? I mostly read books recommended to me these days, so . . . any recommendations? 

Time Tested Books and a Book Signing

Wednesday I had a book signing at my favorite bookstore, Time Tested Books, on 21st Street, between K and L. It's a marvelous place. I have spent hours and hours through the years, browsing the wonderful selections. I never leave a bookstore empty-handed, but I usually leave this one with an armful of books. The owner, Peter Keat, always can find what I'm looking for. His staff, Finian and Mazelle, are the same. All the books are nicely organized, and the atmosphere is gracious. It's a great place for a book lover to hang out. Once my husband even phoned me there, because he knew where I'd be when I didn't come home from one of my walks. (For a sampler of what to find, read some of the reviews on Yelp, HERE. )

So when I learned Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls was going to be published in June, I knew exactly where I wanted to have my book signing. MX Publishing sends exclusive shipments to independent booksellers who give pre-publishing signings. The signing went very well. I'll skip now to pictures of the evening. An evening of great fun, I have to add. It felt like one big party! You can see in the background what a great bookstore this. (Side note: MX specializes in Sherlock Holmes-related books, so if you're a Sherlockian, you can find lots of good reads HERE. )

This is Maddy. She was the perfect Imogene! 

 On the right, (your right) is Maddy Johnson, the actress who started in the trailer everyone liked. In the picture below is her father, Steve Johnson, who put the trailer together. Steve is a magician and has a wonderful magic-and-costume shop in Carmichael, Grand Illusions. Want some magic tricks? Wand a magician at your party? Need a costume? You can learn more about Grand Illusions HERE

And this is her father, Steve Johnson, who made the trailer

Friends and neighbors

Fellow teachers and writers

\

JaNay and Rosi, fellow writers. JaNay
wrote the fantastic PB, Imani's Moon.
Between them, Julie, with whom I
used to teach. Next to Rosi, Bob,
from a former group. In front, one of
my art students, Miranda. 

Nancy, David, & Naomi were in a
former writing group. Nancy is in one
of my current groups. She wrote All
We Left Behind, which I'm reviewing
 next week. Naomi's book, Landfalls,
is coming out in August.

Then there were my super cool
teacher friends from Elder Creek,
where I used to teach.

Next to Rosi, another writing group
member, Paddy, and her two boys.
Super-teacher Julie at the right.

In pink, our fabulous house-sitter, Dana.
She's going to have a little boy, soon.
Next to her, in maroon, Bethany, a school
librarian who's had kind things to say
about Imogene. 

Erica (tallest) and Vanessa
are wonderful artists in my art
class. Sofia is still too young,
but I hope she'll join in the future

Even my dentist came! (green shirt). That was so kind of him.
And Kari (wearing cap; hubby Bill by her side) organized my
school visit to Matsuyama Elementary School, April 17.
That was another wonderful event. The kids were super! 

And there you have it! A wonderful evening, surrounded by books and friends in a wonderful location, with my wonderful husband taking pictures. What more could you ask?

Meanwhile, check out the links above, and come back next week for my review of Nancy Herman's book, All We Left Behind, a deeply moving story about the Donner party, through the eyes of Virginia Reed.