Tomorrow I return to what has almost become my home store: Borders Express at Dulles Town Center.  The folks there are always good to me, and the customers seem to like my novels so it’s a visit I always look forward to.  If you’re in that area, stop by and say hello Saturday between noon and 4 pm.  The store is at 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles VA.

Goodreads is a social web site designed to make reading fun. There are lots of book recommendation websites out there that list random people’s reviews. On Goodreads, when a person adds a book to the site, all their friends can see what they thought of it. The theory is, people are more likely to get excited about a book their friend recommends than a suggestion from a stranger.

So this is the place where you can see what your friends are reading and vice versa. You can create virtual bookshelves to organize what you’ve read, or what you want to read. Those of us who have joined Goodreads comment on each other’s reviews. If you check my page, you can leave a review on any of my books too.

The worst part of attending book fairs is that sometimes other authors forget why I’m there.  They come to my table when I’m trying to interact with potential readers and stand there and talk to me about THEIR books.  Some of these guys get lost in their chatter, looking me right in the eye not realizing that I’m already visualizing the duct tape over their mouth. 

That most recent fair was the Philadelphia Book Festival.  Saturday was a good book signing day, despite the pollen that had me sneezing thru an itchy nose all day.  Sunday brought a downpour that caused us to leave a bit early.  But the trip was super anyway, because my lovely wife Dee and I got to spend some time with my frat brother Marc and his charming wife Pat.  They were perfect hosts so even though Philly wasn’t the perfect book signing opportunity, we’ll be looking for an excuse to return.

My other news is that I had the opportunity to do an interview with Fairfax County Library Director Sam Clay on BookCast.  BookCast is the podcast of the Fairfax County Public Library, which is located in the largest Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C.  More than a million people live in my county, and most of them use the library.   Sam is an excellent interviewer who asked the questions readers would ask if they got the chance.  That interview is now posted as a podcast on the Library’s Web site.  It’s an easy way to learn a lot more about me and my books.

Listen to my Fairfax County Library podcast.

When people hear that my mystery novels are set in Washington DC they often ask if they are steeped in political intrigue. I usually try to stay away from the politics but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy books that use the federal side of the DC setting. One recent fun example is Julie Hyzy’s debut novel, "State of the Onion."

As you might guess by the title, this fun story involves both the president and food. The amateur sleuth is Assistant White House chef Olivia Paras. She has to stop an assassin’s plot while trying to beat out the competition for the Executive Chef’s job. Hyzy manages to portray the inner workings of the White House with a bit more authenticity than West Wing ever did while spinning a delightful mystery plot. And as an added bonus, you get to see how the Commander in Chief and his family really eat. For a taste of a side of Washington you won’t see in my books, Check out State of the Onion.

If you’ve ever needed a good mystery, but didn’t know where to turn, here’s a suggestion. At Mystery Lovers Corner you will find many of the hottest new bestsellers as well as the obscure hidden treasures. New authors and books are added daily, and they maintain a list of upcoming books for you to be waiting for.

Authors can set up their own web page on Mystery Lovers Corner and for a small fee they offer lots of other ways to promote your books. Each writer can list their bio, their books, their website or whatever else they like - just like I did. 

Visit me on Mystery lovers corner

Last night’s interview on blog talk radio show “Today’s Author” was a blast! You can still listen to the show today.

Last weekend I had my first chance to sign at Borders in Bowie, MD.  As with most Borders stores the folks were very warm and welcoming. And one thing I can always count on at Borders is a fine cup of coffee! The signing must have been a success, because before I left we booked a return visit. If you live near Bowie, they still have a few signed copies of Blood and Bone left.