Gearing Up, Moving out

At the start of every month, I normally write about what I've read/seen/listened to the previous month. I'm a little ashamed of this, but I read exactly ONE book in August (it was good). That's not to say that I didn't start a whole host; my poor local librarian was calling me just about every day to let me know when another request of mine landed in her lap. But I was simply too distracted to settle down and give most of those books a fair shake. In fact, I was so flummoxed, I lost my ATM card the other day. Just flat-out left it behind at an alien bank's machine. In my own defense, the machine was the type that gobbles cards: you know, sucks in your card, holds it hostage until the transaction's done? At the time I stopped, I was on my bike, trying to combine chores with exercise because I was feeling so squeezed. Can you spell B-I-G-M-I-S-T-A-K-E? Yanked the money, grabbed the receipt–and pedaled away, my brain full of all the things I still needed to square away before leaving on Sept. 5 for my ASHES U.S. Tour.

Thank heavens, I have a very understanding husband. That's not to say he wasn't peeved. You know that little glottal stop kids make when you've asked them to do something they'd rather avoid? The one that occurs at the same moment at the eye-roll? He did it; I heard it over the phone. But he was still talking to me last night, enough that he brought dinner for two plated out for us to share while I sweated over a hot keyboard and checked flight information.

I am a very lucky woman–in more ways than one.

So what have I been so busy with? A ton of guest posts which will be coming out over the next couple of weeks–and my upcoming tour, natch. I posted my appearance schedule for 9/06-/9/17 here. More details to follow as events firm up at the end of the month–and then I head to Britain and Ireland! SQUEEEE!!

But, oh, my goodness: packing for two weeks has been very . . . interesting. Like, if I don't want to check my bag because there are some stops where I've got a meager 45 minutes to sprint from one part of the airport to the next . . . just how many shirts can I roll into tiny tubes and just how casual can I be? The answers are: about 12 (more if I decided to wear only a single pair of shorts) and very.

So, in the carry-on right now: shorts, tank tops, capris. One skirt and two nicer tops. Workout clothes, shoes, my swimsuit (I love to swim). Toiletries.  My favorite stuffed animal.

Oh–and then, in the other carry-on, which will double as my personal item because I want to avoid checking luggage: the laptop, a couple books, my small knapsack which IS my "purse."  I'm just more comfortable toting a backpack–which means I miss out on a whole bunch of very cool Vera Bradley and Juicy Couture and Coach and . . . 

A whole bunch of swag for giveaways, too Like those very cool dog tags my awesome agent put up on Twitter? Heh-heh. Guess who's got about 50 of those puppies just waiting to get out into the world?

Now, for all of you out there who have toured, if I'm going about this the wrong way–if, for example, I ought to check luggage so I can carry my knapsack and the computer separately–TELL ME NOW!! By this time tomorrow, I'll be topping off the bird-feeders, going through the garden one last time, petting cats, probably going for long walk or ride or swim before jetting off for the ASHES LAUNCH PARTY at Changing Hands in Tempe, AZ.

GAWD, I am so jazzed.

I'll post from the road. Probably get some reading done on all those flights. Oh, and I know I'll be going over the layout for my next novel, DROWNING INSTINCT (Carolrhoda Lab), which hits shelves February, 2012. Put that baby to bed–and then start on the book just begging to get out.

If you're in the area when I am, stop by. If you're not but have friends who are, send them!

Major squeee.

Need more caffeine . . .  Then, time to go burn an old t-shirt.

Really.  Heh-heh-heh . . .

Don't forget: you still have time to enter a fabulous giveaway.  I know what some of the prizes are and they are AWESOME.  Trust me on this.

OMG, just saw this: ASHES is out in CANADA!!!!