24 Hours

One more day and I’ll be signing copies of my new book Killing Earl.

I really think I should go purchase a lucky pen. Or some new clothes.

But there’s too much paper sitting here on the desk.

The tour is coming together—I’m booked at the Savannah Barnes and Noble for July, as well as Books and Books in Miami. In between, I’ll go to one of my favorite places in Florida, Fernandina Beach, to sign at Don Shaw’s Books Plus. Those will be the second leg of the tour, once all the April/May events are done. I’m looking hard at book festivals, many of which are glutted with authors and somewhat overrated as far as the impact on book sales, in this author’s opinion. I admit I find author selection processes confusing.

I realized yesterday I will have to purchase a laptop. I’ll need it to finish the next book and to keep up with email, that ever-growing phenomenon I confront each morning.

Email is a blessing and a curse. I do email triage every single morning. Gotta’ answer: anything from my publisher, media, festival directors, events coordinators. Can wait: poems from readers, off-the-wall requests from people who send too many emails, questions about political matters. Delete outright: solicitations for drugs that treat erectile dysfunction, messages that want to give me money from Nigeria, and any email labeled “fwd.”

I’ll be glad when 5 p.m. tomorrow comes. Today is like planning the final touches for a party and hoping the guests will show up.