After leaving the Western Writers of America convention on Sunday, I set off for the first leg of my tour to promote Dance with the Devil. I’m currently in Arizona after spending some time in the land of enchantment, New Mexico, where I met some really friendly people and Western fans at the Southside Library in Santa Fe and Bookworks in Albuquerque. The only low point was dropping my brand new GPS on the ground when I collected the rental car. The screen smashed and that was $90 down the drain! Still, things could only get better and they did.
I must put in a shout for High Noon, a terrific bar and restaurant in Old Town, Albuquerque, which makes great margaritas and serves wonderfully tender steaks. All that and a beautiful building too – one of the oldest in the area.
But I’ve left New Mexico behind and am now down in Sedona, after a flying visit to Barnes and Noble in Flagstaff. Needless to say I got confused by time zones – I figured that as both states are on mountain time I would arrive with thirty minutes or so to spare before the B and N signing. What I didn’t know was that Arizona doesn’t do daylight saving so I arrived extremely early! But the great staff at the store rose to the occasion, gave me a very warm welcome and set me up in a prime spot where I was able to meet lots of their customers. It was great fun and very successful, so thank you Barnes and Noble.
From there it was on to Sedona, driving through the most glorious scenery down the 89A. It was scenery to lift your spirit and feed the soul – towering red rocks hewn into amazing shapes by weather and time, and dense forest below. Even my motel room looks straight out over forest to the wonderful rock formations beyond. I could stay forever, sitting on the balcony listening to the crickets, savoring the powerful scent of pines, and and write, inspired by such beauty around.
But there’s precious little time to write. I’m at a book signing today at The Worm Book and Music Store in Oak Creek, and then it’s onward to Tucson!