Sometimes It's The Little Things

Spent a wonderful evening signing and discussing The Devil's Blues at the premier mystery book store, Murder By The Book in Houston. The manager, John Kwiatkowski, made it a Texas writer's theme night by grouping me with George Wier and Reavis Wortham. George signed/discussed his collaboration with Milton T. Burton, Long Fall From Heaven and Reavis touted the latest in his Red River Mystery series, The Right Side of Wrong. I truly enjoyed the presentations by these two great writers, steeped as they are in Texas lore. More than that, it was great to escape from my little cubby hole and meet up with other writers. Always good to pick the brains of others toiling away in the silence of their writing chairs.

Meeting and greeting people who actually read and show up to listen to what I have to say and then purchase a book is absolutely stupendous. Of course, I played a little blues harp to kick things off for me (mentioned that so it would fit into the blog better). The strangest and most wonderful part of the evening began while I sat eating a meal at a restaurant down the street prior to the signing. A lady whom I didn't recognize at first sat down at the table next to me and said, "Ricky Bush?" That did it. She lived down the street from me and we grew up together. Hadn't seen her in over 35 years. She had seen the announcement for the signing in the Houston Chronicle and insisted that her 33 year old son go to the signing with her. He suggested the restaurant. We caught up beautifully during the course of the meal. Strange indeed, but it highlighted the entire evening for me. That, plus a dear friend traveled the same route to Houston as myself to accompany her Murder By The Book aficionado sister to the signing.

So, to me, it's always the little things such as these that keeps me keeping on.

P.S.--I've got a CD by Houston blues harp ace, Steve Krase on the way to my mailbox. I'll do my dangnest to get a review posted up after a listen or two and get back to getting back. 'Nuff for now.