In thinking of the upcoming holiday weekend I found this marvelous quote from a guy named Douglas Pagels.  He said that sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold.  But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.

But here’s a more objective, scientific view.  If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end… well, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.  So spend the long weekend at home relaxing with those who mean the most.

I want to point out the latest addition to my web site.  It’s the Eventful box just under the navigation buttons.  This is an opportunity to “Demand” me in your area - and you can ONLY demand me in the town your computer is in.  Trust me, if I get 10 requests in any given city I’m lining up a signing there.  I’m already making plans to sign at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego.  Just need a couple more demands…

And as you know, I love to share feedback I get from readers and often use this space to do it.  Today I’d like to introduce you to Deborah Grantham.

I met Deb earlier this year at the Deadly Ink mystery conference in New Jersey.  You know I boast about the quality of my readership, so you won’t be surprised to know that Deb is the Assistant Director of an important environmental program at Cornell University.  Now, Deadly Ink was a target-rich environment for the mystery lover, so I was flattered when Deb was one of the folks who chose to purchase one of my novels.

I was even more flattered when she sent me an e-mail praising my book, Collateral Damage.  Thank you, Deb, for your kind words, which are now the featured review on my web site.

Read Deb’s review of Collateral Damage. - then order your copy.

I already told you that today I’ll sign books at the Borders Express in Springfield Mall in Springfield, VA from 11 am to 4 pm.

TOMORROW I’ll visit the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center Mall.  Kelley and Leigh have become great friends and it will be a joy to return to their space from noon to 4 pm. Their store is at 21100 Dulles Town Circle  One way or another, you should stop at a mall and say hi this weekend., Dulles VA.

This weekend I’ll be hanging at the Mall with some of my best Border-line friends.  What I mean is, I’ll spend time at the two bookstores that have given me the most support since I was first published.

Tomorrow I’ll sign books at the Borders Express in Springfield Mall.  Dan and Ilke are almost like family, and I will be pleased to sign at their store from 11 am to 4 pm.  The store is at 6725 Springfield Mall, Springfield, VA.

I get irritated and a little depressed by the amount of political rhetoric being thrown around in the mass media - and we haven’t even had the conventions yet.  Until then, these two guys are only the SELF-declared choices of the two major parties.

I was starting to wonder if the whole electoral brouhaha is even worth the trouble.  Then a buddy reminded me that politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly… and for the same reason.

I want to thank everyone who attended this month’s meeting of the Maryland Writers Association.  You made me feel at home, and I did feel as though some folks benefited from my little talk on marketing novels.

And I must declare my cross town experiment a success.  My signing at the Borders Express in St Charles Town Center Saturday evening went well.  I wondered if it would impact Sunday’s event at the larger Borders Books and Music the next day about a mile away.  Since I sold out at the second even, I think we can safely say it did not.

Yesterday I told you I’ll be at the Borders Express in St Charles Town Center in Waldorf, MD today.  If you miss me there it’s okay, because tomorrow I’ll be down the block at the larger Borders Books and Music at 3304-A Crain Highway.  The signing there is from noon to 4 pm!

I’ll spend the weekend in Waldorf, MD.  Tomorrow you will find me at the Borders Express in St Charles Town Center.  I’ll keep things hopping at the little store from 4 pm to 6 pm.  The Mall is at 5000 Highway 301 S Waldorf.

I always feature the feedback and reviews I receive on my web site, and today I’d like to introduce Peggy Ehrhart.

Peggy is a mystery author I met at the Deadly Ink conference.  She gave me an advance copy of her new novel, “Sweet Man is Gone” which I have previously reviewed here.  At the same time she purchased my novel, Damaged Goods and was kind enough to drop me a note about it.  She told me she really enjoyed getting to know my fictional detective Hannibal Jones, and wrote such nice things about him that I’ve posted them on my web site as this week’s featured review.

BTW, Peggy also makes a guest appearance on my blog this week.  You can click thru to the blog from my web site, after you read Ms Ehrhart’s review of Damaged Goods.