The approach of a new year always brings a rather random collection of thoughts to mind. I remember the first time as a child that I was allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. When you reach middle age you’re kind of forced to. Being an optimist I do want to stay up until midnight to see the New Year in, although I know some who stay up just to make sure the old year leaves. We all make New Year’s resolutions, knowing that they just go in one year and out the other. But my favorite New Year’s quote comes from the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin:

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”

I like to use this blog to direct you to interesting web sites, and once in a while that site is my own. I always have a featured review posted there and this week it comes from Diane Leslie.

I met Diane at the Northern Virginia Christmas Market. She took home a copy of Blood and Bone and was kind enough to write to me after she read it. Her comments were very positive. In fact, she seemed to be at a loss of words and referred to a previous appraisal from Midwest Book Review.

Diane was so nice that I just had to make her e-mail this month’s featured review. And if you’re curious about the other review she mentioned, you can click thru the link but you’ll have to scroll have way down the page to see it.

Start by reading Diane Leslie’s review.

I heard shopping was way down in retail stores this year, but I think nobody told the crowd in Springfield Mall Saturday. I had a book signing at the Borders Express and I don’t remember the place being so busy. In fact, I signed more books that afternoon than on either of my last two visits there. It’s nice to have a strong showing at the bookstore closest to my home.

If you missed me you can hunt for my novels at http://www.ascamacho.com

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday and are prepping for the new year.  My last public appearance  in 2008 is tomorrow when I visit the Borders Express in Springfield Mall.  While shoppers are returning all the gifts they didn’t really want, I’ll make sure a signed novel is among their replacement options.  From noon to 4 pm I’ll greet people at the bookstore nearest my home, in Springfield, VA

Merry Christmas everyone!!  I’m not a white Christmas fan, myself.  These are the days I long for more tropical climes.  I can’t actually go this year, but I can do the next best thing - take a fictional trip in a good mystery novel.  If you feel as I do, let me recommend “Square Snapper,” a fun romp in Bermuda, penned by Deborah Middleton.

In this police procedural, the Bermuda Police are beset by a veritable epidemic of suspicious deaths that are paralleled in Florida.  Bermuda detectives work in concert with the Dade County Police to unravel the string of murders and bring down a major drug trafficking ring.  A professional assassin and a crazed television evangelist help to raise this tropical mystery above the average.

Middleton knows her setting because she is a Bermudian.  She has also lived in Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, Italy, the U.K. and the U.S., and has settled in Mallorca.  (Look it up.)  I’ve been angling for a visit.

BTW, Middleton has a lovely web site that opens with a sweet bit of animation.

In the middle of a busy weekend I attended a great dinner party Saturday.  While we were at the table, still digesting the delicious turkey and dressing (and ham and greens and yams and…) one of the guests told me that she had long wanted to write a book but didn’t know how to start.  She had stories to tell, but feared that when she put them on paper they would be terrible.  I tried to be encouraging but never seemed to find the right words to get her started.

After dinner our host played DJ and everybody hit the floor.  Well, almost everybody.  I am, as my lovely wife Dee will gleefully tell you, somewhat rhythmically challenged.  I’m fine with singing karaoke but the boogie man I am not.  Of course Dee eventually coaxed me to my feet.  I was self-conscious at first, but looking around I finally realized that everyone was too busy doing their own thing to judge me.  Then I realized that what my wife told me that night was just what I should have told my reluctant writer.

Nobody cares if you can’t dance well.  Just get up and dance.

My weekend started Friday evening at Borders Books in Silver Spring, MD.  It was a great event, aside from finding a couple dozen new readers.  First, new pal James Grady stopped by.  Jim started his writing career in 1974 with “Six Days of the Condor,” which became a brilliant film starring Robert Redford.  His new book is “Mad Dog.”  Not much later, another author friend came through the store - Con Lehane, who writes a brilliant mystery series starring world-weary bartender Brian McNulty.  McNulty’s latest mystery is “Death at the Old Hotel.”  Anyway, having a few minutes to chat with those guys made it a special signing.

 Saturday’s event at Ukazoo Books was another chance to spend time with other writers.  Seven other authors who contributed to “New Lines from the Old Line State: An Anthology of Maryland Writers” read from their stories, essays and poems.  It reminded me of what good company my own short story is in.  It put me in a great mood for the party Saturday night.

 Then yesterday, I had another signing at the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center Mall.  I’m sure the fact that it was the last weekend before Christmas helped make this the most successful event ever at that store for me.  That really capped an especially cool weekend for me.

My weekend started Friday evening at Borders Books in Silver Spring, MD.  It was a great event, aside from finding a couple dozen new readers.  First, new pal James Grady stopped by.  Jim started his writing career in 1974 with “Six Days of the Condor,” which became a brilliant film starring Robert Redford.  His new book is “Mad Dog.”  Not much later, another author friend came through the store - Con Lehane, who writes a brilliant mystery series starring world-weary bartender Brian McNulty.  McNulty’s latest mystery is “Death at the Old Hotel.”  Anyway, having a few minutes to chat with those guys made it a special signing.

 Saturday’s event at Ukazoo Books was another chance to spend time with other writers.  Seven other authors who contributed to “New Lines from the Old Line State: An Anthology of Maryland Writers” read from their stories, essays and poems.  It reminded me of what good company my own short story is in.  It put me in a great mood for the party Saturday night.

 Then yesterday, I had another signing at the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center Mall.  I’m sure the fact that it was the last weekend before Christmas helped make this the most successful event ever at that store for me.  That really capped an especially cool weekend for me.

I  told you that today I’m at Ukazoo Books reading with other contributors to “New Lines from the Old Line State: An Anthology of Maryland Writers” from 2 pm to 4 pm.

 Sunday I’m back to my old selfish ways, and back to my old haunts - specifically the Borders Express in Dulles Town Center Mall. It’s even my usual time there: noon to 4 pm. Find me there, at 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles VA, to complete your collection of Hannibal Jones mysteries or to get hooked on the Stark and O’Brien adventures.

I already told you that tonight I sign books at Borders at 8518 Fenton St., Silver Spring, MD from 5 pm to 9 pm.

I’ll spend Saturday afternoon at Ukazoo Books and this time I won’t be alone. Eight of us, contributors to “New Lines from the Old Line State: An Anthology of Maryland Writers” will share a reading from 2 pm to 4 pm. Ukazoo is at 730 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD. If you’re near there, this is your chance to support Maryland’s writers and their association.  Others are blogging about the Ukazoo event too.