My road list

I’ve had a busy few weeks on The Danger Box book tour, and a ton of great experiences.  These are some of the things I’ve done:

Signed books, using the last of my two purple pens from Three Oaks – luckily, I’ve found some identical ones.  Good thing, as I’m attached now!

Met many wonderful kids, who’ve asked why I didn’t use their town for the setting and not Three Oaks.  Also, they want to know if the high-speed train will stop again at the old Three Oaks station one day.

Eaten an embarrassing amount of chocolate, while driving from one side of Michigan to the other; my driver found me some heavenly pecan-caramel chewy things.

Slept in cars and planes.  Admired the turning leaves and brilliant sunshine of the past few weeks.

Visited many wonderful schools and talked with kids after my power point presentation was over. They asked so many terrific questions, and I’m always sad when we run out of time and there are still many, many hands up.  In the photo above, I'm signing a book while a cameraman from a TV station and a news photographer do their thing.

Spoken with lots of independent booksellers and librarians at the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association conference; they are passionate readers, and true believers in the power of the written word.  This is always a thrill, being around so many dedicated book people.

            Squashed my suitcase into the overhead storage bin on the plane going home, as I’d added a bunch of new books.  This is the kind of problem I like. 

Shared secrets with the kids, authors and illustrators at the Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors last week.  I’m speechless when I think back on all the great conversations I had.  And hugs.  And sharings-of-ideas.  This is what a book tour should be about, don’t you think?

I haven’t forgotten about keeping an eye out for danger boxes.  Some of the most memorable I’ve spotted are:  a nineteenth century wooden chest, for travel; a box filled with shells; a crate of fall apples, with the red peeking from between the slats; boxes packed with copies of The Danger Box.

Could those be double danger boxes?