Litfest Pasadena 2015

Come on down and join us in the Playhouse District on May 9th. We're going to have ourselves a Litfest!

Litfest is Pasadena's annual celebration of literature. Starting in the late morning and continuing into the night, there will be panels about everything from poetry to mystery, memoir to YA. I'll be on the "Adventures in Self-Publishing" panel at 4pm at Vroman's upstairs. PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A TIME CHANGE.

Or spend the whole day in the District. Check out the area restaurants and shops. Listen to all the panels you can get to. Meet the authors and buy their books at Vroman's. As for my books, Vroman's already has Act As If in stock, and for the weekend of Litfest they'll have Camelot & Vine as well.

Just so's you know: if you can't come to Litfest there's always Amazon, but let's buy local when we can. You can buy both of my books at Hoopla! in Altadena and the Flintridge Bookstore in La Canada, and you can get Act As If at the Pasadena Museum of History Store. 

Art Night

Topiaries, by Christie Beniston, is part of Pasadena's Rotating Art Exhibition program. 

I took this photo in February of 2012. 

Bellis reports that the art is still there at the corner of Walnut and Catalina.

Do your Friday night plans include Art Night Pasadena? If not, you must cancel whatever you've got going on and get yourself some free art!

Have you ever wondered what they're doing up in them thar hills at the Art Center College of Design? Maybe you'd like to catch a dance performance, or a nostalgic video about the Robinson brothers, Jackie and Mack. How often do you get to go to the Norton Simon for free, or see beneath the foundations of Room 13? Or maybe you'd like to check out a newer gallery like the Off-Ramp.

Music, theater, dance, art, more and more. You can't possibly see it all but you can try, with the help of free shuttles between venues.

One stop I hope you'll make is at the Pasadena Central Library, where I'll be meeting and greeting visitors along with other authors, artists and well-known storybook characters as we celebrate 130 years of reading in Pasadena. There are so many great Art Night activities for kids and the library is one of them, with family fun activities; musical performances, craft making, comics creators and more.

If you're not too worn out, don't forget the Art Walk on Saturday, when you can stop by Vroman's and see Debbi Swanson Patrick's Telling Images in Art on the Stairwell, with a reception from 1-3 pm.

While you're at it, Altadena has an important vote coming up on November 4th. Please vote yes on Measure A and keep the Altadena Libraries going!

The Pledge of Independents

photo by John Sandel

Lately there's been a good deal of backlash against Amazon.com. The company's been called a "bully" for holding a hard line against giant publishing companies to keep ebook prices low. Probably for other things, too, I don't know. Let's face it. Amazon is BIG.

But this is a Goliath vs. Goliath fight. New York publishing companies are monumental and impenetrable, unless you're Janet Evanovich or Stephen King or another household name.

The publishing industry is pretty scared of Amazon, and you hear a lot of "if we let 'em get away with it, they'll own the industry" kind of stuff. I don't know if that's true, but so far Amazon hasn't "gotten away with" anything illegal. In fact, it was the publishing companies who got their hands slapped by a judge for price fixing and collusion.

Now, thanks to the Abbey Bookshop in Paris, there's a Pledge of Independents, to "recruit readers, writers and bookshops worldwide in the defense of diversity and fair practices in the book trade." 

"As a bookseller wanting to take the Pledge, you promise to not buy or sell any books through Amazon or its affiliates. Moreover, you are expected to give costumers (sic) that have taken the Pledge a 5 % discount..."

As a customer, "You can take the pledge if you believe in supporting independent bookshops and if you agree that most of your books should come from independent bookshops - and that no business that is dominating the market should get your support." 

This disturbs me.

I don't defend Amazon, they can take care of themselves. I defend the independent author/publisher like myself, and small publishers who publish only a few titles per year. Local independent bookstores don't always carry our books. My locals have been supportive, and I appreciate it. But most readers are not aware that it costs me actual money to shelve my book in many stores, and more actual money to get a reading/signing.

There's good reason for this. Everybody and his brother can publish a book right now. This, by the way, is thanks to Amazon's CreateSpace and other reputable self-publishing sites like Lulu and Blurb, as well as hybrid publishers like SheWrites Press and Lucky Bat Books.

But small publishers are not on the same playing field as the big New York guys.

In the old days (like, 5 years ago), if you didn't have famous parents or if some junior gatekeeper in publishing didn't think your book would sell, you didn't have a chance of getting published. (This explains conventionally published, grammar-free semi-porn, as well as the "literary fiction" that's really just tales told in a dull voice and a bad mood.)

Today, if you're willing to work hard to write, publish and sell your book, you can. If you're online. If you're on Amazon.

But you can't get your book into most stores, independent or not. It doesn't matter how well-reviewed your book is. I can't walk into stores around the world and pay them to stock my titles. I can't afford the travel and stocking fees. Even if I could, most stores would refuse because they don't have the space to stock everything.

If I can't sell my book online, I can't sell it.

I suggest you support your local store when you can. If you are in the Pasadena area, you can buy Camelot & Vine at Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse, Hoopla! in Altadena, and the Pasadena Museum of History gift shop (it'll be back at Vroman's soon).

If you don't live in Pasadena, please buy my book from the bully.

Guest Author: Désirée Zamorano

Désirée Zamorano has been a guest author here before. Her new novel is just out, and it may be something you haven't read before. Here's Des:

 Bringing The Amado Women to Life

When I cast about to commit at least two years of my life to my next uncertain project, there were a few of things I was sure about. I wanted to explore the lives of women, because our lives are multifaceted and filled with conflicting demands. I wanted to write about the women I knew, admired and loved: loyal, intelligent, funny. Married or single, mothers or not, loving and spiteful, petty and generous. Women as human beings in all our complexity.

The Pasadena/LA setting was automatic. Southern California is filled with ethnic and income diversity, conflict, beautiful settings and fascinating characters. Some of us hide behind gated communities, some of us go exploring. It happens to be where I live and what I enjoy knowing.

I also knew the complexion of my cast.

That’s where things get dicey, because as I looked around to pitch my completed novel, to potential agents, to potential publishers, there were plenty of marvelous family dramas by women, by gifted authors like Elizabeth Berg, Jodi Picoult, Ann Patchett or Ann Tyler, but none by Latinas, and none featuring a cast of aspirational or middle-class Mexican-Americans. I had done what Karen Joy Fowler had done with The Jane Austen Book Club, which was written a novel the author wanted to read. But would I be its only audience?

With each rejection I got more nervous. Even though Mexican Americans are California’s largest demographic, and the fastest growing across the nation, even though many of us have been here since before statehood, the lock on our portrayals in the media is fierce and limiting. I’ve seen so many hot mamacitas and inarticulate maids that when one shows up I change the channel or shut the book. The Amado Women could not be squeezed into either of these depictions.

I held my breath, crossed my fingers and made a phone call pitch to Cinco Puntos Press in El Paso. They wanted to see it. They ultimately published it. Hallelujah!

Now, many years since its inception, The Amado Women is out in public for total strangers to read. Like all authors, I’ve had my share of glowing reviews and not so glowing. What I did not anticipate was how many men would be moved by this novel. One of them wrote to me and said, “You’re the only person I’m going to tell, but I wanted to let you know that I burst into tears.” Never would this writer’s imagination have expected that. You see, I, too, have some preconceptions of who people are.

You can meet Désirée at one of her upcoming events

Wednesday, July 30 • 7 pm
Launch Party
Vroman’s Bookstore
Pasadena, CA

​Sunday, August 10 • 2pm

The Bluebird Reading Series​​
Avenue 50 Studio
131 N. Avenue 50
Highland Park, CA

Thursday, August 14 • 7 pm
Books Inc Opera Plaza
San Francisco, CA

Or find out more about her here. You can also follow here on Twitter @LaDeziree 

To read my review of The Amado Women, click on the cover icon to the right of this post.

Little Victories

Neighborhood soccer, 2013

Because major successes don't come every day, and because sometimes life can be frustrating, it's a good idea to celebrate little victories.

I haven't overeaten today. Yet.

I got new shoes! Cute sandals. I mean rully, rully cute.

The other day I was forced, forced, to restock Camelot & Vine at Vroman's, because they had sold out. Vroman's is Pasadena's largest independent bookstore, second only to Powell's in the western U.S. If you are the person who bought that last book, please don't tell me. I want to think it was purchased by someone I don't know.

(The above link is weird. Apparently someone has gathered web information about me and put it in a book. Good luck selling that, pal. That'll be your little victory.)

I'm not getting very far building my voice-over booth in the garage, but I did buy the carpet remnant for the floor.

John and I have been walking every night after it cools off. (Not in my new sandals.)

Boz is still here, and he still enjoys eating, pooing and neighborhood soccer.

There are more, but you get the idea. It's like counting your blessings. Once you start, you think of more.

What are your little victories?

Hometown Books

Books are like clothes. Not everything fits every person. I like to try on a book before I buy it.

I'm feeling support from local booksellers. Vroman's has books by local authors displayed up front, on the Colorado Blvd. side. The Pasadena Museum of History gift store has a local authors section. Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena has been supportive from the beginning. They're big boosters of all local talent. The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop is the latest store to stock my novel, Camelot & Vine.

If you're setting out on your own publishing venture, you need to know that you pay for not all, but some of this support. You're going to have some of the same costs traditional publishers have, on a lesser scale. It's reasonable, when you think about it.

The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop has a Local Authors display right up by the front door. I want to make sure you don't have any trouble finding Camelot & Vine in this gorgeous store, so I took some pictures. This is the new, refurbished, relocated Flintridge Bookstore located at 1010 Foothill Blvd. Plenty of parking behind the building.

Local Authors and Book Club picks are together in one section, which is convenient because Camelot & Vine (am I giving you enough links?) was written by a local author (me) and it's a 2014 pick for Brown Bags & Books, Flintridge Bookstore's in-house book club.

 

I paid for the shelf-talker and furnished the information. The store's staff made judicious and excellent edits, printed it out with a picture of the book's cover, and thought to print the book club information in bold type. They have been incredibly helpful, and I love their personal touches.

Honestly, that's true of all these stores. That's why you shop locally.

I'm no dummy. If you're not in the Pasadena area, please do buy Camelot & Vine online. I want you to read and enjoy it no matter where you get it. I like shopping in my hometown, though, where I can hold the product in my hands and feel its heft. And try it on for size, so I don't have to return it if it doesn't fit.

Weekend

Traffic in downtown Pasadena is going to be seriously busy this weekend, because of Make Music Pasadena and the Grand Fondo Gira d'Italia bike ride.

Most of Make Music will be west of El Molino or so. Bikes, however, will be everywhere, so keep your eyes open and be careful!

I'm not much for crowds, so I'll probably head into the San Gabriels for a hike. But I think big events are great for Pasadena. And if you can get yourself over to Vroman's at 4pm on Saturday you can enjoy the launch of The Texas Twist by John Vorhaus. John and I both have stories in Literary Pasadena: The Fiction Edition.

I might even show up myself. I mean, hey, they have snacks.

Bookmarks: Literaries Who Launch

photo by John Sandel

I went to a book launch party Thursday night and didn't think to take pictures because I was excited to be one of the book's authors. Thanks to John, we have this panorama of everyone's backs.

The book we celebrated is Literary Pasadena: The Fiction Edition, published by Prospect Park Books. It's a collection of short stories and excerpts, produced as a companion to LitFest Pasadena, coming to Central Park May 11th.

I hope you'll read it. Everyone in this picture has a piece in it. I don't know who took this photo, but here are everyone's fronts. The shot was sent to us all by the book's editor, Patricia O'Sullivan, who looks happy. She's just in front of me and to my right. (I'm the only one wearing a yellow top. It's spring, right? I can wear yellow.)

I knew some of these people already, met more last night, and hope to meet still more at upcoming events for the book.*

Publisher Colleen Dunn Bates of Prospect Park Books wrote a post about the party here, and there are more pictures. I also wrote a post, comparing taking photos in and about Pasadena to writing stories here.

For me, this party was a milestone of sorts. I've had my works published before, and I've been paid to write before. But I've never had a book launch party where I was involved as a writer. Still hoping to have a launch party for Camelot & Vine. Not sure how I'm going to do it.

* This coming Thursday, 4/18, at 7pm will be the Vroman's launch. This will be a panel, not a group signing.
* There will be signings of Literary Pasadena at noon both Saturday 4/20 and Sunday 4/21 at the Prospect Park Books booth at the LA Times Festival of Books. I'm in the Saturday signing.
* Sunday, 4/28 at 2pm, there will be a group signing at Barnes & Noble in Old Town.
* Then of course there's Litfest May 11th in Central Park, where Prospect Park will of course have a booth, and so will Boz Books!
* On Thursday, June 13th at 7pm, I'll be participating in a panel about "writing Pasadena," at the Pasadena Museum of History.

The Year of the Girl

I don't often take pictures of people. It's only because I'm chicken to ask. But these Girl Scouts made it easy.

You've probably seen the Girl Scouts out and about, selling cookies in your neighborhood or at the grocery store. It's that time of year and as the sign behind them says, "some things should never change." This group was at the back door of Vroman's Bookstore on Colorado Blvd.

Because I love cookies I was glad to see them. But because I don't need cookies, we struck a deal. I bought two boxes and the girls let me take their picture (with permission of available parents and a scout leader, of course). Then one of the girls told me I could donate my cookies to American soldiers overseas. Perfect! Now a few lonely soldiers know the Girl Scouts and their patrons are thinking of them.

The Girl Scout Cookie program is huge; it supports many worthy programs, from leadership projects to summer camp. Did you know the Girl Scouts organization is 100 years old this year? Yep. It's The Year of the Girl.

You can buy your cookies from these very girls this coming Saturday, outside Vroman's.

Love Isn't About Presents. But A Gift Basket Might Help.

near the courtyard at Vroman's Bookstore

I thought I was going to post about something else today. Then I heard Vroman's Bookstore is doing a Valentine's Day promotion that almost makes me nostalgic for the misery of my single days. Almost. I mean, those were some bad days. The nights weren't so great, either.

At either Vroman's store, on Colorado Blvd. or Hastings Ranch, you can enter a "drawing to win a holiday basket...filled with books and gifts totaling up to $200," basically by tearing up a photo of the one that done you wrong.

If you kept the photos, that is.

I didn't. There's nothing left of those bad relationships except the emotional muscles I built from the steep learning curve I climbed. However, for single folks who deserve a happy Valentine's Day and who are sick of being left out (I dreaded February 14th for years), it might be more than satisfying to rip the schmuck's photo in half and have some nice tchotchkes and a few good books to show for it.

(There were good relationships, too. From those I kept the memories. I might even have the photos, but as they're not digital I have no idea where they are.)

Tea and a Madeleine

My friend and I went to Vroman's Bookstore last night for a signing of Why we Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman. You're sorry you missed it. If these two artists are half as delightful together on the page as they are in person, the book is going to be a treasure.

I did take pictures of Handler and Kalman, but the shots I got are not complimentary and I have a personal rule: I don't do that to nice people. I assume they're nice. They're certainly entertaining.

They sparked a great conversation between me and my friend that continued down the stairs and through the store as we browsed, selected more books and made our purchases. (Have you ever waited in line to buy books at Vroman's? You don't have to. There's never a line at my favorite check-out counter by the Zeli entrance.)

Which brought us to Zeli Coffee Bar, a there-when-you-need-it spot for a coffee or, if it's almost closing time, a cup of chamomile and a madeleine. And a conversation that ran the gamut from Lemony Snicket to Michael Pollan to Las Vegas to financial planning to controlling parents to world travel to Hurricane Rose.

What subjects did you cover in your last heart-to-heart?

Guest Author: Victoria Patterson and "This Vacant Paradise"

Today I'm honored to host guest author Victoria Patterson, the South Pasadena writer whose novel, This Vacant Paradise, was published March 4th. Victoria will be appearing at Vroman's this Thursday, March 24th at 7pm.

 

For the most part, my fiction takes place in Newport Beach, but I live and write in South Pasadena. A tour of the places in South Pasadena (and surrounding areas) where I’ve written, and where my story collection, Drift, and my novel, This Vacant Paradise, came to life, would take quite some time, especially considering the seventeen years we’ve lived in South Pasadena. 

           
For years I worked at the South Pasadena Library (and I still do at times).  I’ve staked out every quiet and isolated work area at S. Pasadena Library, my favorite being the upstairs conference room, although that didn’t last long, considering there was just solitary me. The downstairs partitioned workspace desks near the teen section are great—while said teens are at school—except during “Storytime”(which I used to take my kids to), when the massive avalanche of toddlers’ feet boom from overhead.

Buster’s Coffee on the corner of Meridian and Mission was a mainstay, though ultimately I knew too many people, and would end up visiting and talking rather than working.

For close to three years, I worked at the coffee shop at Vroman’s, and I actually wrote an essay about it.

Pasadena Library, check. Starbucks, check.

For a long time, I worked at Caltech library, on one of the upper floors, with its spectacular view of the mountains. But then it was discovered that a Hummer-graffiti-terrorist civilian was also taking advantage of the library, and Caltech became understandably more restrictive.

This is a small sampling—I could go on and on, because South Pasadena (and Pasadena, San Marino, Alhambra, Sierra Madre) is home to my writing, even if the writing takes place elsewhere. 

Chris Cleave

I was at Vroman's last night, obviously. I might not have gone had my brother not asked me to get a book signed for him. He likes this author, Chris Cleave. I hadn't heard of Cleave but I like my brother and plan B involved doing nothing, so I went.

Chris has two books out right now: Little Bee and Incendiary. He read from the latter and it sounds riveting. I haven't read his books (yet) so I can't recommend them, but the woman next to me in the signing line afterward told me that "Little Bee" was the only book everyone in her book club liked.

Cleave drew a good crowd, but not so huge that he couldn't take a moment to chat with everyone who had a book signed. I swore to myself I wasn't going to tell him I'm a writer. With two books published and a third one almost finished, what's he going to say to every wannabe writer he meets? "Good for you, that's very nice, good luck in everything you do"?

It slipped out, and while I was ruing my blabbermouth he asked me what stage I'd reached with my book. I murmured "uh, finished, working on synopsis, it's very hard, blah blah." He gave me suggestions for how to approach the synopsis and was so kind and encouraging (as opposed to condescending) that by the time I headed for the cash register I had forgotten I was supposed to be kicking myself.

I learned a couple of things: attending such events might be a good use of my time at this stage of my career, and being a nice guy sells books.

Because I hadn't planned to buy one for myself, but I did.

Retreat

I stopped at Vroman's yesterday. Wednesday afternoon. Middle of the work day. Parking lot packed.

This requires patience. You wait in a line of cars (you have no choice, you're stuck now) while someone backs out of a space. The line moves on and finally it's your turn, your space, the furthest one in the lot, between two SUVs, both of which were parked by people who have apparently never parked a car before. On the return trip, a monster pick-up truck follows you to your space. You try to wave him off because--well, finally he sees he's never going to fit in there and he speeds off, burning frustrated rubber.

It has begun. Christmas/New Year's time, Pasadena is a busy town.

It's good, though. Three clerks worked the back registers at Vroman's and more registers granted angels their wings throughout the store. Employees (that means "people who are employed") helped customers find the things they wanted. Commerce, in my town, in an independent book store, is just fine with me.

I'm glad to leave it to others from this point onward, though. I bought what I hope is the last Christmas present I need to get. Now I think I'll retreat to the less popular mountain trails or my favorite spots in the Arroyo Seco (far north and/or south of the Rose Bowl) until after the first of the year.

Unless someone else wants to do the driving.

Jonesing for a Good Read

I never seem to have my laptop with me when I stop by Jones Coffee Roasters on South Raymond Avenue, so I've never done a Quest-type review of the place. There's a small seating area in the cavernous space, the rest of which seems to be devoted to what the folks at Jones are devoted to doing: roasting great coffee.

My Coffee Shop Quest once had me looking for good places to sit with my laptop and get some work done, but lately I've been working at home. I can't tell you if Jones is a good spot for a laptop or not, but I'll tell you what: pick up a copy of Dianne Emley's new book, Love Kills, when it comes out next Tuesday, May 25th. Then take your book to Jones, buy a cup of coffee, have yourself a sit and enjoy an absorbing read. One of the scenes takes place right at Jones Roasters.

No, it's not the murder scene.

Yes, sweet, pretty Dianne Emley, who comments here on Zen Mondays and is also a blogger, writes sinister crime novels, often with scenes set in Pasadena's gritty underbelly (or lint-filled belly button, as it were).

Dianne will be at Vroman's the evening of May 25th to talk about and sign Love Kills, the fourth Nan Vining thriller. Stop by and say hi. If you buy a copy that evening and mention Pasadena Daily Photo while Dianne's signing your book, she'll send you a free copy of The Deepest Cut, the third book in the Nan Vining series, recently out in paperback.

As I said the other day, I love writers of all kinds. I especially love the wonderful writers I've met here in the San Gabriel Valley. Dianne Emley's been a friend to Pasadena Daily Photo since early on and she's always nice to my readers! Thanks, Dianne.

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

Here's a photo taken outside Pasadena: an overview of one small section of the gargantuan Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on the UCLA campus.

The fun part: going down the Janss steps. The good-for-me part: going up them.
plunging into the crowd was the insane part.

I went Saturday with my brother and sister-in-law. They had a list of signings to attend, so we ran the gamut of fun/good-for-us/insane several times over. We met Michael Connelly, Kate DiCamillo, Nick McDonnell, Dave Eggers and T.C. Boyle (at the Vroman's booth!). See? There's always a Pasadena connection. Michelle Huneven was there, too. She's the Altadena author whose novel, Blame, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Had I known, I'd have brought my copy of Blame for her to sign. I was thrilled to stop by the booth of Glendale's Abril Armenian Book Store, buy A Gift in the Sunlight by my friend Kay Mouradian, and have her sign it.

The Festival will host about 400 authors--of all genres and degrees of fame--over the weekend. If you go today you could meet Po Bronson, Elizabeth George, Antwone Fisher, Pico Iyer and/or a local author you already know.

Wear sensible shoes. Have patience with the crowd. And watch out for readers of all ages underfoot.

No Nose In the Air

This tower of wine glasses decorates (and functions) at the Nose Wine Cellar, where I was treated to a glass of prosecco and hors d'oeuvres after Saturday's poetry reading at Vroman's.

Doesn't that sound downright snobbish? Squinch up your nose and say it out loud: "a glahss of prossickoo and oh dewves ahfter the pewetry reeding. Dahling."

That has nothing to do with the Nose, which isn't snobby at all. It's a nice place to eat and have a glass of wine (or a tower of glasses of wine). I didn't get to stay very long, but after a bite of cheese I regretted that.

The Nose is at 696 Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena inside Arcade Lane, a sweet little arcade of shops and dining spots. Worth a look, and there's parking behind (enter on Green Street).

Hot Jazz

I'm one of those people who almost always needs a sweater in the evening, so I treasure these summer nights when I can be sleeveless outside. It's hot during the day, but to me it's worth it to have evenings when I don't shiver.

Here's a good way to spend a couple of hours on warm a Sunday evening: the Playhouse District's 6th Annual Free Jazz Summer Concert Series, Sunday nights, 5-7 pm in the courtyard at Vroman's.

I took this photo last Sunday, July 12th. Nick Mancini's Quartet was scheduled, but this was definitely a trio. So if you're particular about which group you're going to see I recommend you give a call first (there's a number listed at the link). Otherwise, just go. The music's going to be good, and you'll get to sit outside without a sweater.

Dianne Emley, Pro

Do you believe it? I was actually out again last night. After dark and everything.

John and I went to Vroman's to celebrate the debut of The Deepest Cut, the third book in Dianne Emley's Nan Vining thrillogy. If you follow Pasadena Daily Photo you know I profiled Dianne here last November with the first of her Nan Vining books. We followed that with a contest to win the second book, and now the third one's here.

I've enjoyed learning from Dianne about her process. As an actor, it took me a long time to understand that acting must be approached as a business as well as an art. As a writer, I'm learning much more quickly. Dianne approaches writing like the business it is, and she's a pro.

Last night she read from The Deepest Cut, then fielded questions from a full house about everything from publishing to process. The discussion went overtime, then we all lined up to get our books signed.

Many thanks to guest photographer Bob Reiter for this shot. It makes me laugh that Dianne and I both whipped off our glasses to get our picture taken.

And many, many thanks to you, Dianne.

You're Invited

Save the date! It's the San Gabriel Valley Blogger's potluck picnic, coming up on March 28th (that's March! I'm giving you lots of notice) from 12-4PM at Farnsworth Park in Altadena. Everyone's invited and that means you! You don't have to be a blogger to come. Fans, friends, commenters and lurkers are welcome. Bring a dish to share. See you there!

That's not the only invitation today. You'll remember our friend Dianne Emley and the recent contest here at Pasadena Daily Photo to win her book Cut to the Quick. Dianne will discuss and sign The Deepest Cut, the third book in her Nan Vining thrillogy, this Wednesday at Vroman's at 7PM. I'll be there and I hope you will, too. Be sure and say hello!

Speaking of friends, I'd like to say a word to blog followers, official and un: thank you! (okay, two words.) Your visits, comments and emails are much appreciated.