This is from Murder by the Book—which shuttered up as soon as I was done, as the rain was coming down, and Houston’s understandably pretty water-shy this summer, and where we were was evidently a place that goes lake just when the humidity gets high enough.
That’s the with-specs shot. Here’s the without,where I suspect I’m, for reasons not really know, explaining Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle to the tolerant audience:
And yes, that’s a Longmire poster behind me. I so wanted that Longmire poster. Maybe Craig Johnson can have one sent to me? It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Mr. Johnson. Dig the books. Here’s the same moment, different angle (i.e., more Longmire), from an old friend, Amy Howard:
Yes, I sit on tables like Beavis & Butthead’s teacher. Can’t help it.
Also, talking who took what photo: thanks to Tom Darin Liskey, for such cool photographs (those top two are his). Mine are always shaky and junky. His actually take things into account that I don’t even know what they are (light? composition? framing? these are all made up, I suspect. part of some conspiracy I won’t even guess at).
Mine, also, tend to be not-existed. As in, I forgot to take any snapshots of signage or actually cool stuff. But, reason why, maybe? I got to sign a book for Charlaine Harris. This means a lot to me because the opening credits for True Blood kind of infuse every page of Mongrels.
Also, that dude in the hat, sitting front-row, two pics up? Mr. Seth Humble, whom I got to hang out with later (along with Tom). The rain was pouring down, everybody coming in with wet shoulders, but we managed to drink some Dr. Peppers at the bar anyway (the bar had no iced tea).
I know, will I ever wear a Galaga shirt to a Mongrels reading? A Zelda shirt? A Michael Myers shirt?
Surely someday. But not this one.
And, here’s a shot from Wild Detectives in Dallas — surely one of the cooler bookstores there can be:
Thanks to Randall Arnold for the snap. And got to meet Robert Stahl as well—we got some pics, maybe they’ll bob up to the surface after a while here, but, until, here’s Robert with that same background I got, just, way cooler words:
Skkrch Skkrch, we interrupt this program for an Edit: here’s proof of us meeting:
And, I never get around to sitting behind the table while I’m doing the out-loud part of things, but you got plant somewhere to scribble on the books (thanks again to Randy for the snap):
Too, I’ve been driving by downtown Dallas for thirty years years now, I guess—well, twenty-eight if I’m to be behind the wheel—and I’ve always been looking north to the skyline of downtown, and seeing that one green building, and then that tower with the glowing ball up top. Always figured it was part of some other world, but then, walking in from a late-night food- and/or book-run, I happened to look up, and realized I was now in that other world. My hotel:
Maybe this would be a good place to note that I’m about the most careless picture-taker you’ll find. Kind of obviously. This is “Reunion Tower,” though. I’m suspecting there’s a good pic or two of it out in the world already, without me.
However, I CAN take a clear pic inside, alone in a hallway, when I’m terrified of what might be lurking in the room next door:
And, didn’t I start these from-the-road posts with Mongrels-with-some-Whataburger, in Santa Fe?
Might not be a bad place to wrap things up, either.
Different Whataburger, same Mongrels.
Thanks, Texas. Been a blast.