LA rooftops in verse

Haiku, eh? yi, the whole idea of following a structure sounds crazy hard, so I'm going to cheat a little because what I really want to talk about is how I spent last weekend. Especially since it's Monday night (I'm writing this a week in advance because I'll be traveling all week) and I have to get up at the crack of early...

L.A. beckoned us -
Me and Jules, books aplenty
rooftop capers too.

That's right, we went to the L.A. Times Festival of Books. It was my second time. The first time was two years ago when I didn't know very many people yet and I didn't have a book out. Now I know a few folks and managed to meet even more. Watching all of those book people (you know, just like you and me!) strolling around in the spring sun was fantastic.

And since I need to type this with one hand while I pack my unmentionables with the other, I'm just going to slap all my photos up here. (And no, I'm not explaining the rooftop thing. But it *was* fun!)


Me and thriller writer Andy Gross, who is also my ITW (International Thriller Writers) mentor


Mystery author Sue Ann Jaffarian in front of Royce Hall on the UCLA campus, where the festival takes place

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SR8PC831pIhixG7hX0FXSc_V_0rLyHWL0NkqOSq-l2NqJB90CVrFfOSDbNxhKD5WufrH3aLBL-BRY-o2DTfsDHexDRixOyqLYmWw040xlnji6XbwffWy9TJQrPsmFPYy2dhU69I0r3uR/s1600/julie+and+naomi">
Juliet and mystery author Naomi Hirohara


Attica Locke, author of BLACK WATER RISING, and me (I'm off to see Attica in NY!)


my favorite recent tattoo - that's a typewriter!! - on pal Christa Faust, noir author


Steve Hockensmith, aka Mr. Zombie Boy and a special friend of the Pens Fatales, with two little friends


Awesomest book guy Bobby McCue of the Mystery Book Store


Juliet and me with thriller author Robert Gregory Brown