Checking in From the Road with the National Book Awards Upcoming

It's Jeff, checking in again, to follow up on my last book tour post. Next up after Seattle and San Bernardino was Los Angeles, and the marvelous Book Soup. The funny thing was, the chairs were at right angles from one another, and I read at the corner, with the erotic book section behind me. I'm not sure what it says about my event that a coffee table book featuring someone's butt was directly to the left of my head. Regardless, and despite whiplash from having to look at two sets of attendees, the event went very well. I also got a chance to talk to Robert Fisher, the founder of the Willard Grant Conspiracy--great guy, and a wonderful musi

Then I drove up from Los Angeles to San Francisco, along the coastal CA-1 North route. The sunshine illuminated everything like a painting by Turner, making each landscape around each bend stand out in sharp relief. By late afternoon, a richness had invaded those same landscapes as the sun began to set. Just driving through these amazing coastal settings was inspirational. Stunning sights and sounds and textures--the mountains pouring right into the sea.

Next up was the SF in SF event at the Variety Theater, with proceeds going to charity. S.J. Browne and I read to a standing-room-only audience of over sixty people. I then went on to Clayton Books, outside of San Francisco, which I found delightful--great staff, great store. The staff had actually read my last post and had planned to arrange the chairs exactly as at Book Soup, down to putting me in the erotica section, before calmer heads prevailed.

In any event, I've made it to the East Coast and New York City just in the time for the National Book Awards ceremony--you may recall Omnivoracious posted the nominees here back in mid-October. I'll be reporting on the winners and the event starting late Wednesday night. Stay tuned!