Is it June yet?
One of my readers just asked this of me on Facebook, and I gotta say, I share her impatience. I am so very ready to talk to my readers about The Neon Graveyard. I have actually heard from a reviewer who received an Advanced Reader's Copy a couple of weeks ago, and the comments left me feeling like I gave closure where needed*, yet left her wanting more, and that's a nice balance, I think. It means I'm ending the series at the right time, and that Joanna & Co. haven't worn out their welcome.
Speaking of welcome, would readers in the following cities please throw out a welcome mat for me? Because this is where I'm going to be come June:
June 3, 2011 – Las Vegas
Borders/Town Square
6521 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
7 p.m. (Tweet-up @ 5:45!)
Ah, a home town signing to both kick things off and to say goodbye. The world of the Zodiac is set in modern-day Vegas, so it seems only fitting to mark the end of the series with a signing and Q&A at one of the places I frequent most when in town. The event starts at 7 p.m. but I'd like to add a tweet-up at 5:45 in the Town Square Park where we can have some coffee together and chillax before the event. You understand I can't sign books before 7 – that would be unfair to Borders, which is working hard to put on the event – but it's nice to get face-time with my readers too, so if you think you're able to make it, be sure you're following my new account on Twitter (my old one was deleted so you may not be and not know it) so we can find each other once there.
June 4, 2011 – Houston
Murder By the Book
2342 Bissonnet
Houston, TX 77005
1 p.m.
This fabulous indie bookstore has been on my professional Bucket List practically since my first release. Signing at this store is a wonderful way for me to say goodbye to Jo Archer and the world of the Zodiac, though I already know I'll walk out having bought more books than I sell. The only thing keeping the signing from being a total wash will be chatting with the wonderful book staff and you. So please stop by, support your local indie store, and let's have an intimate little chat, shall we?
June 11, 2011 – Dallas
DFW Tea Readers Group
Hilton Garden Inn
Allen, TX 75013
1 – 5 p.m.
An annual event held by the DFW Tea Readers Group and Book Club – this one is gonna be fun. I haven't worn a boa since leaving a Las Vegas production show, so you know I'm all over that. Even better, I get to don bling with readers who love romance, mystery, fantasy & sf. There will be a welcome reception in the Allen Ballroom of the Hilton Garden Inn Plano/Allen where we'll mingle, shop for books, and fight over raffle baskets. Augmenting the latter nicely will be a high tea with champagne. (How civilized is that?)
After that, a book signing with: Nalini Singh, Rachel Gibson, Julia Quinn, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Dianna Love, Vicki Pettersson (that's me!) Candace Havens, Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Jaye Wells, Lorraine Heath, Nikki Duncan, Rachel Caine, Lori Wilde, and Farrah Rochon.
I'm excited about this one because it's my first event in my adopted/part-time hometown of Dallas. So please come out and say hello.
June 28, 2011 – Tuesday – New York
Literacy for Life Autographing
RWA National Conference
Mariott Marquis Hotel
1535 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
The "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, and it brings together more than 500 romance authors (and me too!) to raise money for ProLiteracy Worldwide. It's a huge, exciting event, and the only time I'll be on the east coast this year, so I'd love to see you if you can make it.
Not in June, but my only other confirmed signing for the year:
November 11-13 – Dallas
Readers&'ritas
Hilton Garden Inn
Allen, TX 75013
This is a reader's conference held at the Hilton Garden Inn & Suites in Allen, Texas. I love events like this because they're more informal than signings, and you really get to mix and mingle with your readers and other authors. Kicking off with pizza party on Friday night, Saturday is spent – from breakfast to margarita hour – with readers and authors talking and breathing books. (Margaritas and books? Have I just died and gone to heaven?) There are also panels, book signings, and a masquerade ball Saturday night. Brunch and farewells are Sunday, but this event requires tickets, so please check out the link above if you're considering coming.
Other authors include: Kerrelyn Sparks, Roxanne St. Claire, Candace Havens, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Lauren Willig, Tara Taylor Quinn, Jane Porter, Gena Showalter, C.L. Wilson, Lori Wilde, Ann Aguirre, Nikki Duncan, Jade Lee, Marianne Mancusi, Jaye Wells, Julia Justiss, Alyssa Day, Monica Burns, Louisa Edwards, Vicki Pettersson (that's still me!) , Kristen Painter, and Jill Monroe.
That's all for now. I hope to see some of you on the road so we can send Joanna Archer & the Zodiac series off in style!
*Closure, of course, isn't the same as total satisfaction, and cannot mean the same thing to all readers anyway. All I can do is my level best story-wise – what I believe is truest to Joanna and her world. It is folly to try for anything more.
