Marilyn's Musings

From 11 to 3 I sat with a display of my books in our little town's branch library. It's only open a couple of days a week because the librarian also works in another small town's branch library on alternate days. The library itself only has three rooms. The main room with the librarian's desk and the children's section and two computers for the public's use. The room I was in had two two-sided book stacks, and books lining the walls, plus another wall with magazines and a stand with paperbacks. The third room is a small meeting room. Of course there were two restrooms, and a supply closet. I sat at one of the two tables in the room I was in. The occasion was marking the 100 year anniversary of the Tulare County Library system. In the morning while I was there, a day care group walked over from their day care. A popular local folk singer, Patti Torrey, came with her guitar and enchanted the kids with some great songs--some they had to chime in with songs. This wa...

This photo was taken at Mayhem by Carl Brookins, fellow mystery author and terrific photographer. I was sitting at the signing table after being on a panel waiting and hoping for someone to purchase my book and come ask for a signature. The photo looks just like me--and an awful lot like my mom, though she never dyed her hair and by the time she was my age, it was snow white. My grandson who lives with us refers to our trips away from home as vacations. Indignant, I told him they weren't vacations, they were work. He said, "Then why do you talk about all the great meals and the fun people you spent time with?" Good question, so I suppose I should call what we're doing working vacations, though some are more work than others. At Mayhem, I was on three panels and moderated another. As soon as I knew who I was going to be on panels with I ordered books by the authors I'd never read--and read the books so I'd be knowledgeable sounding on the panels. (I think I was...