Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Notes From The Road . . . (Go Vote!)

by Sean Chercover

Been on the road since I don't know when. Feels like forever. Meeting many great people, talking 'bout books, putting serious miles on the old Chevy Malibu.

Some random notes from the road. . .
  • If you want to know how to host the best Bouchercon ever, ask Ruth Jordan and Judy Bobalik.
  • You really should visit the grave of Edgar Allan Poe. At night.
  • Pittsburgh continues to impress. Beautiful city, friendly people.
  • The people of Ohio are totally sick of political commercials, and for good reason.
  • Obama bumper stickers outnumber McCain bumper stickers in Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and California.
  • McCain bumper stickers outnumber Obama bumper stickers in West Virginia.
  • If you stop at the visitor's center in Wheeling, West Virginia, and ask where the nearest bookstore is, the answer will be, "Pennsylvania."
  • I did not make that up.
  • West Virginia is probably sick of being thought of as less than literate, but . . . damn.
  • There are some really bright students at the University of Illinois, Champaign.
  • Touring with Marcus is great fun. I recommend it.
  • Breaking your toe while on tour is not so much fun. I do not recommend it.
  • If you break your toe and then drive to the next town, do an interview for cable access TV, do a workshop at a library, walk to a pub, walk back from the pub, go to a cocktail party and stand for three hours, then drive for three hours, your toe will be ugly.
  • If a guy in line at a gas station accidentally steps on your broken toe, you will immediately go out and buy steel-toe shoes that you really don't need.
  • Doc Martens are not the quality shoes that they once were.
  • Overheard in a bookstore. . . A wealthy suburban mom, speaking impatiently to her 12-year-old son: "Fine, you can have the Metallica CD, but then we're putting the books back. You can't have everything you want."
  • It takes a great deal of restraint to keep your mouth shut and mind your own business when you hear a mother telling her son that he can't have books, in a country where very few young men still want to read.
  • California hasn't changed.
  • I love palm trees.
  • If you live in California, please vote No on Proposition 8.
  • The OC is very OC.
  • You can get signed copies of Trigger City at the Barbara's Bookstore near gate H1 at O'Hare.
  • Signed books make a thoughtful Christmas gift.
  • And all them other religious holidays, too. Like Hanukkah. And Kwanzaa
  • I can never remember how to spell Hanukkah, and I'm not sure why it sometimes has a C and sometimes doesn't.
  • And I always forget the extra 'a' on the end of Kwanzaa.
  • I am obviously rambling and in need of sleep.
  • G'night...

Go Vote. Now.

8 comments:

Dana King said...

Thnaks for the Pittsburgh comment. It's a much underrated city. The older I get, the more I miss it.

I hope there's at least an entertaining story you can share about how you broke your toe.

Libby Hellmann said...

I want to know how you do bullet points....

Picks by Pat said...

Glad to hear you got a warm reception in Pittsburgh. I miss it too.

Did you get to check out the Mystery Lovers Bookshop? It's one of the best mystery bookstores in the country.

Anonymous said...

Funny! Hope the toe is healing well.

Anonymous said...

A very Larry King like post Sean. Nice stream of consciousness

Sean Chercover said...

I did get to visit the Mystery Lovers Bookshop. Great store.

Wish the broken toe was a more entertaining story, but I just broke it stepping into the bathtub (didn't lift my leg high enough) See? Not a very entertaining story at all.

It is healing well, thanks.

The insane touring continues... Had a great event last night in Madison, at Booked For Murder. Tonight, Mystery One in Milwaukee...

Sean Chercover said...

Oh, and Libby ... call me on my cell, and we'll talk bullet points.

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