DUNE BLOG

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Denver, Nashville, and Dayton

After arriving home in Colorado for the afternoon, we had just enough time to unpack suitcases and throw several loads in the laundry before Rebecca and I had to head up to Denver for our evening signing. We had a nice crowd, including a guest appearance by uniformed members of the 501st in full stormtrooper armor (as well as a heavily panting Darth Vader). I was so tired I could barely keep the names straight as I signed books. We got back home at about 10 PM, and I repacked the suitcases and went to bed to get up again at 6:45 AM for my flight to Nashville.

That evening, I had dinner at the Blackstone Brewery with my good friends Alethea, Janet, and Michael. Kim Herbert had shipped me another box of PAUL OF DUNE bookmarks, so I loaded up my duffel with more goodies. Ingram, one of the largest book distributors in the country, hosted me for lunch the next day, and I gave a talk (and t-shirts and gummi sandworms) to a bunch of the employees. That afternoon, we went to four other bookstores to sign their stock. I had dinner with Theresa, Frank Herbert's widow, who drove 90 minutes to join me for conversation; I had met her once before, and it was great to get to know her better before the evening signing.

Yesterday I flew to Cincinnati for a radio interview and a few more dropby signings before dinner with Geoffrey Girard, a writer friend and former student, and then a large evening talk and signing -- with another group of dedicated, fully costumed 501st members.

Alas, with all this, there's very little time to do any editing on TERRA INCOGNITA: THE EDGE OF THE WORLD. I'm writing this blog in the back seat of a taxi while being driven to the Dayton airport for my trip to Raleigh/Durham. Fortunately, on the plane I'll have some down time.

-- KJA

See more photos from the booksigning.