Last week’s book signing in Miami was very enjoyable, the museum sold twenty some books, and I also signed a few of my books that had been purchased earlier. They sold all but one of their copies of Murder in Copper, sold a few of my other books, and sold out all of The Wham Curse. So it was very successful, though I would have liked to have attracted a few more new readers. My daughter Kandice who works in Miami stayed late to attend, and my brother Bill was there helping me. I particularly enjoyed having two deputies there, I like it when policemen enjoy my stories, and they aren’t there to arrest me. A larger crowd would have been nice, but I had several long-time friends, some cousins, and some avid readers of my books. A simple fact of life is things change from time to time. The local press in the area has changed their event policy, which includes receiving the information in a very specific format, so none of my publicity efforts made it into the two local papers. Knowing the policy will probably help with future events. Face to face events with my readers are one of my favorite things about writing. I enjoy discussing the things they like, or the things they would have liked better if it were a little different, and suggestions they give for future books. In Murder in Copper, a reader’s take on Pat Haley and Andy Lopez caused me to raise the level of their relationship a bit. I’m not sure where I want to go with that, because keeping them single has some story advantages, and removing their kind of unique situation of a couple who individually feel they are personally maladjusted might lower the interest. We’ll have to worry about that in the next couple of books. At this event, Lee Ann Powers, the “Museum Lady,” interviewed me with questions about my books and writing, and the audience then asked several questions. This was the first time I had done that before a live audience, and it was enjoyable for me. My earlier interviews were on live radio and podcasts, but the audience being present and able to visibly and audibly react is a nice element. My Miami High School classmates Delvan Burch Hayward and Jane Bohme Hale where there. In Murder in Copper Delvan becomes friends with Manny Sanchez, and Jane's great-grandmother and her ranch are mentioned. I Also pay tribute to Mrs. Cheves, longtime librarian at the old library as well as the current one. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 23, from 1-5 p.m., I will be at the Mesa Arizona Author Fair, at the Mesa Red Mountain Library, at 635 N. Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85205. If you live in Metro Phoenix or will be in the East Valley, stop by for a chance to visit with about seventy Arizona-based authors. But especially look for me, the guy in the cactus shirt sitting behind a turquoise “Virgil Alexander's” table banner. |
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AuthorMystery writer, Southwestern Historian, researcher, husband, father, grandpa, with an opinion on everything. Archives
October 2021
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