Seventeen cities, ten flights, twenty events and 18,000 miles in twenty days . . . The First Drop US Tour, September 2005. Have we gone entirely crazy?
Yeah, probably.
But as far as the US is concerned, First Drop is my debut novel. Doesn't matter that it was number four in the UK, with another, Road Kill, published in October 2005. The touring budget is on the small side of microscopic, so we've got to make it count. Get the book out there with a bang, rather than a whimper . . .
Kick off at Bouchercon, a panel on 'Setting the Scene', and a self-defence demo with the talented Meg Chittenden. Always a pleasure to strangle Meg for the public's entertainment, especially when she fights back. Mystery Mike tells me First Drop is the best thriller with a female protagonist he's ever read. I ask him to put that in writing.
From there we have a few days touring round Chicago with the inimitable Judy Bobalik, reader and author supporter extraordinaire. We had button badges made up for Bouchercon saying that she runs our lives − and makes a damn fine job of it, too. Our only mistake was not getting enough to go round . . .
Our tour itinerary takes in as many of the big names as we can squeeze in, in the time we have. Clues Unlimited and Poisoned Pen in Arizona, the former with Randall Hicks and the latter with Randall and with Blake Crouch. Eating sushi in Scottsdale with Blake and inadvertently losing him in traffic on the way back to the hotel.
In Texas we go to Murder By The Book and Remember the Alibi, together with a couple of very enthusiastic Barnes & Noble stores, and TV and radio interviews. Driving through the Texas downpour to get to San Antonio, we notice that the locals have pulled over to ride out the rain and wonder if we should be doing that, too?
A horribly early flight to San Diego via Phoenix, jumping back and forth from one time zone to another, gain a couple of hours and lose them again. Watching a stunning sunrise over the wing of a Southwest 737/700 on the way.
Land in California and stop for lunch in La Jolla, looking at the pelicans surfing, then back to LA. Friendly if quiet visit to Book'Em Mysteriesin South Pasadena, then two signings with the irrepressible Lee Goldberg: The Mystery Bookstore in Westwood and Mysteries To Die For in Thousand Oaks. Both friendly and welcoming. Sitting taking in the scenery in Lee's outstanding Calabasas home, then back to stay with friends in Santa Clarita.
Brave the LA morning rush hour to Bob Hope International Airport − seriously − at Burbank for a flight up to San José and to an evening event at Ed Kaufman's store in San Mateo, M is for Mystery. Never seen so many copies of my books!
Meet up with fellow crime writers John Billheimer, and on to dinner with Joel Goldman, who's in San Francisco for his day job as a lawyer. Strange to be meeting up when we're all of us so far from home.
Next morning we fly across the Rockies back to Chicago and an eagerly-awaited reunion with Judy, who collects us from the airport with news that we're going up to Milwaukee that night because Richard Katz at Mystery One has organised a TV interview on Fox 6 the next morning at 7.45am.
Arrive at the Crimespree HQ late and stay up later, talking books with Jon and Ruth Jordan. What else? Next morning we do a quick tour of two local branches of Schwartz, where First Drop has made the Top 100, to sign stock, then to Richard's store.
Sunday, Judy drives us over to Madison to Booked For Murder and a good crowd. We travel back down to Judy's home as darkness falls, watching a full moon rise over Indiana and the breathtaking Chicago skyline.
A day or so at the end to chill out and reflect. Overall the impression is one of such enthusiasm from the bookstores. They could get away with saying less and still be polite. The fact they've said more means a lot to me.
Y'know, the day job is going to seem real dull after this. Do we really have to go home?
This article was originally published in Crimespree Magazine, Issue No 10, January 2006.
For further details of my US First Drop Tour, read My US Tour Blogs and US Tour Itinerary
