Bookmarks: Original Book Club

Before you scroll down: any guesses as to where I've been for the past few days?

Sure enough, that's Kelly in the top photo, faithful pooch to the Chieftess and Chief, Kathy and Dan Watson. My pictures don't do justice to Mammoth, but the Chieftess' do. If you haven't met her, I suggest you visit her at Mammoth Lakes Daily Photo.

Mammoth Lakes is a gorgeous ski resort in the California Sierras, east of Yosemite and south of Mono Lake. Everywhere you turn there's another heart-filling vista. I defy you to beat this place for scenery.

It was also the scene of my first book club visit for Camelot & Vine. I spent a fantastic evening with the Mammoth Lakes Original Book Club. I heard about their lives, answered questions about the book, and jotted down feedback. It was one of those evenings that, when it was all over, my face hurt from smiling.

The next day, Kathy introduced me to the head librarian (gorgeous library) and the owner of the Booky Joint independent bookstore (which is charming, superbly stocked, and smells really good).

I'm posting two photos of the book club to make sure everyone gets to show their best side.

Kelly is no fool. She knew we were all there to see her and she made the best of it. Chieftess Kathy sits at left with Kelly, with (L-R) Edyth, Jodi, Peggy, JoAnne, Pat, me and Debby.

Here's Kelly with Carolyn, Edyth, Jodi, Peggy, JoAnne, Pat, me, and Debby.

I enjoyed meeting each of these women. Knowing Kathy, the fact that they're all interesting and smart is no surprise. Thank you, Mammoth Lakes Original Book Club! Your Original Book Club is original for me, too.

And thank you, Kathy and Dan Watson for sharing your comfy hearth with me.

Camelot Where You Are #28, Lisa D.

Lisa D. sent in this remarkable bulletin.

"I stumbled on what I thought was a romance wanted ad in a local convenience store, I posted the photo on my blog and a commenter led me to you and your contest. . ."

That commenter was the Chieftess, of Mammoth Lakes Daily Photo. I'm guessing Chieftess knows Lisa via Macro Monday, a worldwide photoblog meme hosted by Lisa herself at her fun blog, Lisa's Chaos.

**********

Is there Camelot where you are? A castle, a knight, a...whatever you think Camelot looks like? Take a picture of it and enter it in the Camelot Where You Are photo contest, to win a free copy of my new novel, Camelot & Vine. Details are here.

The pace of publication progress is picking up. I enjoyed this interview with Maurice Sendak where he called the publishing business "just stupid."
Agree or disagree, Sendak was always interesting.

Camelot Where You Are, #16

Chieftess didn't say much about her entry when she sent it in. But I know a few things about it because she posted it along with another photo on her blog, Mammoth Lakes Daily Photo, asking readers to help choose her entry by voting.

"...being in the mountains," says Chieftess, "there's not much in the way of castles, or knights, or shields, or really much of anything that could 

depict Camelot...But w-a-i-t!!! We've got majestic mountains!!!"

They sure do. Thank you, Chieftess.

******************

It's easy to enter the Camelot Where You Are photo contest, and anyone can do it. Entry details are here.

Send in a picture of your interpretation of Camelot where you are. It can be anything--a building, a toy, a work of nature--whatever your imagination tells you.

Then be sure to vote over the weekend for your favorite of this week's entries. Each weekly winner receives a free copy of Camelot & Vine upon publication this month. Publication day, whatever day it turns out to be, will be the final day for entries.