Before I go

I haven't posted anything for a while but I've had no real news to report other than frustration and annoyance. But that's no fun. So, the good stuff:

This Thursday I head off to sunny Santa Fe for Left Coast Crime. I had a blast last year so I hope this time around is just as fun. Of course last year was in my home town so this time around is costing quite a bit more . . .
I have a panel on Friday morning at 9am (!) and one on Sunday at 11:00. No booksellers stepped up from the seller's room to order books so I'll be bringing books to consign. Very happy that Southwest doesn't charge for bags! I wish I could just sell them myself but I'm not set up to make change or take credit cards. Plus, I have a feeling they frown on that type of thing, even though no booksellers chose to carry my books. I wonder.

I'm into revisions on my newest novel and the good news is that I really like it. I enjoyed it as I was writing but that glow of discovery can fade quickly. I let it sit for about three weeks so now when I read it through it is all new. Not finding too many mistakes even, which is a bonus.
I have a few short stories that are either due or I just want to write and Jennifer and I are plotting out our next venture. Where does the time go?

All in all I've been feeling very exhausted with the writing thing. With the book still fairly new I'm trying not to take a break from promotion but I've run out of much I can do. Still some guest posts pending and reviews are coming but those take time. Good news spurs me along but hitting a stone wall makes continuing at the same difficult. I know I'm not alone.

Don't you hate it when people don't email you back? As an indie author I have to put myself out there and open myself up to rejection, which I am fine with. But to be ignored is worse in my book. Tell me no but tell me something. That's my complaint corner for this post.

I've been reading some great books lately. A trip to Chicago let me finish off another Steve Hockensmith and it was as good as the rest. Excited that I'm behind in that series and have a few more to go. I read Nobody Move by Denis Johnson and enjoyed it quite a bit. I've been digging in to my old pulps as well (see below). I was liking those so much that I went on the old eBay and bought up a few classics I'd never read. The Asphalt Jungle, The Big Heat and Double Indemnity as well as a few other pulps I'd never heard of but were only .99. I figure if you're going to read an old book, why not read an old book of an old book?
I'm into yet another Victor Gischler, Suicide Squeeze, and loving it as usual. He's one that I purposely have kept a few aside to savor when I know I need a good read. I think this catches me up with his entire catalog though. Maybe after that it's time to finally read the last Duane Swierczynski I've been putting off. But by then maybe Fun & Games will be out!

Fingers crossed I'll have fun stories to report after this weekend. Maybe even a few book sales.