See those itty bitty counties down in the far southwest corner of Kansas? That's where I'm going at this end of this week, and I'll be gone for about ten days. It's my first real tour on behalf of KansasReads '09 which is featuring The Virgin of Small Plains as its book of the year. I'll be appearing at libraries in ten towns, and happily driving around day after day until it's time to come home.BUT. . .I will keep the blog open. If you come here some morning and you don't find a new post, it will only be because I don't have internet access, which could happen, I suppose, especially when I stay in little bed and breakfasts. So we'll see how it goes, but I do expect to be there. . .and here.
I'm really looking forward to this trip. Love solo driving trips. Love rental cars. Love small towns, cafes, libraries, nice people. And I won't even have to miss you guys, because I won't be gone!
(My home county is Johnson. Look at the bottom of the funny jig-jagged part in the northwest corner. We're the yellow under the blue.)
22 comments:
And just to top it off, the weather looks as if it will be fine, yay!
Weather sucks here. More snow as I type.
Hey you live in the part of Kansas where Cookie Monster took a bite off the map.
Have fun. Be safe. And come to Portland, damnit! "Janet" LOL
Sounds like a great trip, internet or not. Are you going to do readings, appearances, both and more, or what?
Woo Hoo Nancy ... Road Trip! Be safe and have fun. Looking forward to all your reports and pix from the road. :-)
Hi, guys and thanks! I'll give talks, answer questions, sign books, and that's basically about it, except for a time or two when I'll give short workshops. I'll also still be working on my rewrite every day, so thank goodness these towns are close together.
"I'll give talks, answer questions, sign books, and that's basically about it, except for a time or two when I'll give short workshops."
You sound more and more like Oprah Winfrey or one of those Self-Help Gurus like the guy spotlighted in the movie "Shallow Hal" :)
Just perused the Powell Book store of what is the big haps and do whaps there. Nope, No Nancy. No KMc, No Maria...
and no artwork by Olivia either. Definitly no artwork drinkiepoo coasters. I'm sure that Portland would claim Ottawa as "local" :)
Slackers! ;)
(again runs away while holding scissos)
It sounds like so much fun Nancy. I can't wait to hear about it. And remember, most libraries have Internet Accessssss.....
Hope you have a safe, wonderful trip!
Sounds like a awfully big adventure Nancy but the Monday Picture Post (continuing from yesterday's pic) reminds you to
Go [LINK]
With [LINK]
The [LINK]
Flow [LINK].
Morning all.
That has to be a great getting to tour your home state like that, Nancy. I'm with O and will be looking for pictures.
Andi-OMG beautiful. These would make such a fantastic series on my writing wall. Each one has such different elements. BIG THUMBS UP!!
Waves to Jen, KatieB (love librarians), Farf, and Janet (I checked out The Whole Truth at my library).
There are 17 Nancy books at my library. If she was coming to my town, I'd be in the front row--
I'd say, "Ms. Pickard, How does such a sweet, pretty lady write such horrifying, wonderful stories that kept me up turning those pages last night?"
Pouting--Gotta join the rest of the working masses--back to the mimes.
Marvelous Monday to All.
Morning, all!
Nancy, sounds both fun and exhausting. Glad the weather will be good for you.
Back to the mimes this a.m. again, loads of work this week which, sadly, may suck the muse dry. (Although, I got a lot done this weekend).
Marvelous Monday, everyone!
Oooo, Andi, those last two really talked to me!
Janet, I was in B&N yesterday. VoSP was there, and already face-out so they saved me the trouble. Neither of Maria's books were there, so I walked over to their search kiosk and typed her name. I hope if enough people search on an author, they'll start stocking the books?
Back to the mimes, after working three days in the last three weeks. Perhaps a little sleep-deprived, because we had something "unusual" wake us up around 4:30 this morning. Thunderstorm an hour later. The adrenaline poke might have been enough to counteract it. Only at FAR Manor.
Anniversary #24 today. Flowers have been ordered. Will probably bring home dinner if DoubleRed doesn't cook.
Have a great trip, Nancy. I grew up in Finney County. Every time I drive out that way, I imagine traveling on horseback or by wagon and think of how overwhelming and vast it must have seemed before highways and power lines.
OMG! Farf! Now THAT'S a "floater".
Light a match will ya!
As to B&N I have way too many locally owned and indy bookstores to shop at here :) BUT... when I first moved here and still felt I was dependent on big block stores to meet my needs, I did ask them to carry a friends book, BostonJoe. They didn't even say they'd order it for me, they said they'd wait to see what the demands were for it. So I went back later and told them I'd go order it at Powells, In Other Words, or Laughing Feather. Which I did.
Saddish news. Whole Foods won and the FTC is ordering us and a few other small stores and co-ops to hand over ALL our marketing strategies, even employee emails to our one, big competitor so they can literally crush us. And due to the legal costs, we can't open two new stores (more jobs, closer commutes for some) and now we're having a store meeting on the 14th. Guhhhreat. Our sales have actually increased even in this horrendous economy, but small peeps just can't fight a big gorilla like that. And that is why there are so many strip malls, and big box stores that don't have to provide living wages, benefits or health coverage.
Oh Farf, what a way to wake up! We have mice who take the fatal plunge all the time in the dogs' outdoor heated water bowl but nothing to match that (thank FSM). And mazel tov on the anniversary!
Janet, I'm really sorry to hear about the situation. I hope the legal problem gets cleared up in the best possible way really quickly.
I think it's time you did a tour of Britain, Nancy, starting with the Deep South! I'll be there.
Safe travels, Nancy - I sure can relate to the love of solo driving, new places to explore, new people to meet. Have fun! Hope the weather holds.
ICK, Farf - how in the heck did it get in there??
That's awful, Janet - one of these days the little guy will have to win.
I love the first two, andi - you are definitely an artist.
Back in Florida, yay! Went to the beach this morning. Now working in bare feet and shorts - finally warm again! Wish I could send sun to my snowbound friends...
Hallloooo! waves to all Laura's back to school and that mean I'm back to working on the novel.
Happy road trip, Nancy.
FarF, yuck. That definitely wins the worst thing found in the toilet award for the week.
Everybody else, have a grand day.
Hey all. Yeah, a squirrel splashing around in the can at 4:30 a.m. was really the last thing I expected (or wanted). I suspect it got in through the drain vent on the roof & came up from below. Between that & a cow episode Friday, I'm not exactly feeling charitable toward my animal "friends" at the moment.
Janet, major bummer about the court order. B&N isn't my first choice either, but they carry (or can order) the textbooks for Daughter Dearest — I think they run the college's bookstore too. Turned out we could have skipped the trip; she thought "in stock" meant "in store" rather than at bn.com. Meh.
LOL. Figures, I just get back and Nancy leaves.;-)
Happy New Year, all. I'm back from "vaca" which included visiting family out of town, illness and traveling to calling hours and funeral out of town for an extended family member.
Wow, I just finished reading all the entries since I left. You all have been having a good time. :-)
I am glad I didn't miss a poetry day.
Safe travels, Nancy.
My hands are freezing and we got ice,ice,ice in the trees. Supposed to warm up and melt. Not soon enough.
We did get RAIN though!!!!.
Beth--glad you are back in Florida. Will expect vicarious beach time soon.
Farf--Tell that squirrel to bring his own boat next time.
A couple of months ago, hubby went to our property and they found a snake (nonpoisonous) curled up behind the toilet. Thank heavens I wasn't there or I'd probably have run all the way to Kansas screaming.
Kelly, glad you have your solitude back.
Bono's BACK!! Simple vacation never so simple.
Good night to all.
Hi all!
I hope things are going well on your trip, Nancy!
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