This weekend I’ll combine a little business with a lot of pleasure.  We’ll spend a 3-day weekend at Rehoboth Beach, our favorite Oceanside spot in Delaware.  When it gets hot on Saturday I’ll take a break from sand and surf to head for the Atlantic Book Warehouse.  It’s the big book store in the area, an outlet really, on Highway One in the Harbor Square Shopping Center.  The selection is ginormous and I’ll be signing books there for mystery and thriller fans from 1 pm until it cools down a bit outside.

Also, with each book I sign I’ll be giving away a coupon for a free cup of coffee at The Coffee Mill, on Rehoboth Mews, right off Rehoboth Avenue.  As you probably know, one of the murders in my latest novel, Russian Roulette, takes place in Rehoboth Beach.  What you might not know, unless you’ve read the book already, is that Hannibal Jones gets his special order coffee from The Coffee Mill, so the shop appears in the book.  This is your chance to check out one of the locations in my novel and get a fine cup of coffee too.

But first you’ll need to visit me at Atlantic Books, 4551 Highway One, Rehoboth Beach, DE.  What good is sitting on the beach without a good book?

Today my main blog, Another Writer’s Life,  is about the importance of editors, and I name my favorites. 

I like to share reviews of my work, especially if the reviewers might lead you to other good reads.  Today I want to introduce you to my pal Martha Eskuchen.

 Martha lives in Florida, but we bumped into each other on the social media site Gather.com.  She’s an avid reader whose reviews you will find around Bookreporter.com, Goodreads, Amazon.com and other places under the byline MESreads, or sometimes MSEreads. 

 Martha posted a very nice review of Russian Roulette on Amazon.com, the kind of review that will help someone else decide to give the book a try.  For that, I’ve made her words the new featured review on my web site.  After you read it, click through to Amazon and look for her other reviews.  She’ll guide you to some winners!

In the world of writing, as in the world of business, failing to plan is planning to fail.  However, I am regularly reminded that spontaneity is an important part of keeping a personal life together.  The challenge is that when one has a job and an all-consuming hobby, it’s hard to make spur-of-the-moment decisions.  How do we handle this apparent life conflict?

Me?  I plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.

Borders Express manager Russ really took good care of me yesterday.  When I arrived the posters were up, he had been handing out bookmarks all week and there was a table at the entrance for me to take over.  Oddly, now that I had copies of Russian Roulette available, just as many people still wanted the earlier Hannibal Jones books.  Not that I mind.  Once they’re hooked they return for the new book and Borders Express in Westfield Mall will have them. 

On line, my friend and fellow author Morgan Mandel mentioned me during her Blog Book Tour for her latest novel, “Killer Career.”  I was an early reader and loved her novel enough to blurb it, but that’s not why she name-checked me.  In her post on Lillie Ammann’s excellent blog, “A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye,” Morgan mentioned that I helped her publish “Killer Career.”  I was flattered of course, but more intrigued by her having the courage to reveal part of her writer’s journey in this way.  You should follow her blog tour, starting with her blog on A Writer’s Words…

My next book signing is Saturday at the Borders Express in Westfield Mall.  I’ve done well in this store before but last time they hadn’t received Russian Roulette so this will be the first time for that book in this venue.  If you missed it before, come back and visit me there and pick up my latest book tomorrow between noon and 4 pm.  The mall is at 11160 Veirs Mill Rd, WheatonMD.

I like point out changes on my main web site, and share reviews of my work.  Today I’d like to introduce you to Joann.

 I believe I met Joann the last time I was at Borders Express in Wheaton Mall.  She said she didn’t read many mysteries but decided to give one of mine a try.  What makes her comments stand out is that I believe hers to be the first feedback I’ve received from a mobile device.  You can tell by the way a message is written that it was a text as opposed to an e-mail.

 You can judge for yourself, since I’ve made Joann’s comments the featured review on my web site this week.

My latest blog entry is on the first steps to getting published, on http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/

After a couple of good book signings I spent Sunday staring mindlessly at the big screen and avoiding all thoughts of today.  I’m not eager to face the day job this morning.

 Let’s face it: Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week.

The airport stops rocked this weekend.  Friday I spread my latest novel, Russian Roulette, around the world at Baltimore Washington International Airport.  The folks there know how to treat an author – coffee and a donut for my 8 am signing.  I signed lots of books without losing the whole day.

 Yesterday at Washington Dulles International Airport wasn’t quite as good, but well worth the visit.  Sadly, the new title hadn’t arrived but lots of the others went to far flung corners of the world.  Both Borders Bookstores were busy enough to allow me to talk to plenty of travelers.  Any those who missed getting Russian Roulette can pick it up at Amazon.com