Howdy!

Hi folks!

So sorry I haven't been as attentive to the blog as I should have - touring tires a thrillerchick out. I've been running with Erica Spindler, author extraordinaire, out here on the Left Coast. We started the week in San Francisco, with a great signing at M is for Mystery (signed books available from Ed!) and moved down to the City of Angels. We've signed at 21 stores over the past several days, and after our panels tomorrow, we are off to Denver - my hometown. 

San Fran was awesome, the weather put on a show and it was stunningly green, and Los Angeles has been so amazing - I had lunch with a friend from elementary school who's a big wig voice over actor out here, and tea with a writer/director/producer friend who is the height of cool. We dined at the most wonderful Cicada tonight, the fine Italian restaurant that's been the scene of so many movies, like Pretty Woman (who can forget the escargot escapade?) and after dinner the delightful manager snuck us into the penthouse, formally the home of James Oviatt. From the Cicada website:

The Penthouse was designed by some of the most distinguished architects and artisans of the Jazz Age. It was built for James Oviatt, a haberdasher whose luxurious shop once occupied the ground floor of his namesake building. Oviatt’s ambition was to create a spectacular residence that would showcase the Art Deco design he’d admired at the 1925 Exposition in Paris.

It was so utterly surreal... I'll have pictures to post later. The photos on the wall, signed by the likes of Cecile B Demille and Errol Flynn, were truly unique. Suffice it to say I felt like we saw the ultimate insider view of some old-school LA histoire.

The Left Coast Crime bar is packed with the greatest folks - too many to name, but a veritable who's who of crime fiction. It's become sadly apparent that I haven't done enough social networking about my new book, but you know, I think that's okay. Sometimes we need to make sacrifices, and I have to tell you, I think giving up Facebook and Twitter for Lent was a good idea - I haven't felt this creative in months. I've been excited to sit down to work every day, which translates, of course, to more books and short stories for my readers. You'd rather me do that Tweet my fondness for cappuccino. Right?

Anywhoo, it's time to crash, but I wanted to say hi, tell you I miss you, and hope you're having a fabulous week. We have many blessings in this world, and I hope that several rain down upon you tonight.

xo,

JT