BACK FROM ARIZONA!

Hi folks,

Just got back from Carefree, Arizona and what a trip! I’ve been mostly incommunicado from the Internet and had hundreds of emails waiting me when I returned and now have to catch up on all of that, plus my online class, private writing clients, and a bunch of stuff, but I’m re-energized and raring to go!

My best friend, Tom Rough, the owner of the Taglio Salon,  and his gorgeous wife Lisa flew me out for a birthday present and I had a wonderful visit with them and their delightful daughter Nicola who’s a freshman at ASU studying graphic arts. Did all kinds of amazing things. Tom took me to Scottsdale Stadium, the home of the SF Giants (the baseball team I’ve followed and been a huge fan of all my life) for the Giants vs Reds game. They were sold out for the game, but Tom got us passes to the Charro Lodge (plush!) from his friend Thom Brennaman who announces for the Reds along with his father, Marty. One of the best days of my life! I got to meet two Hall of Famers, Gaylord Perry and George Foster and got to watch one of my favorite pitchers, MadBum (Bumgardner) pitch. A day I’ll never forget!

 Meeting Hall of Famer George Foster!

 Knocking back beers at Charro Lodge, Scottsdale Stadium, at the Giants-Reds game!

 Meeting one of my all-time heroes, HOF pitcher, Gaylord Perry!

And, I got to spend six hours with several of the writers in my online novel-writing group at Harold’sCorral and that was awesome! For the first time, I got to meet the brilliant writers I’ve only known online (mostly) in person.  I just wish I could have been there when our star class member, Maegan Beaumont launches her first book, CARVED IN DARKNESS, at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Phoenix on May 8. Maegan wrote this book and another one which is forthcoming, in class. 

The Phoenix/Los Angeles contingent of our online class. That's Kristen, Carson, moi, Susanna, Maegan and Linda. All brilliant writers and the best people ever!

 I get to sign one of my books and that's (L to R) Linda, Kristen, moi... and Susanna's arm...

 Still signing the same book (I'm slow...) and that's (L to R) part of Maegan's husband Joe's face, then Maegan and then me.

 At our table again (Linda reserved our own room for our meal). L to R, back row, is Kristen, me, and Susanna. In the front are Carson and Susanna's significant other, Jeremy.

This was the week my newest novel, THE RAPIST launched and I was basically incommunicado for most of it, but maybe I should stay away from social media more as it’s doing extremely well—thank you, thank you, thank you all! Lots of interviews and reviews of it that I’ll post in the next few days.

I was supposed to fly back to Ft. Wayne on Monday, but the leg of my flight to Minnesota was delayed because of snow so I had to stay in Arizona an extra day (Yay! Go snow!) and got in last night, exhausted. Getting to stay an extra day was a bonus, but what was even more of a bonus is that I got to meet Lisa’s boss, Chuck, the principal at the school she’s assistant principal at and hang out with Tom, Lisa and Chuck and slam down some beers and great conversation.

I want to move to Arizona!

Just wanted to update y’all and share my amazing birthday present vacation and show you some of the scenes and folks I got to see.

Blue skies,

Les

Me, sitting by Tom and Lisa's pool on my "extra" day, trying to brown up my lily-white head... I still had jeans on as I just got back from the airport after learning I had to reschedule, but with 95 degrees, I soon changed into shorts. Just a wonderful, fantastic trip!

 At the Giants-Reds game at Scottsdale Stadium.

 What I came back to after Arizona...

Lisa, Nicola and Tom. Notice THERE'S NO FRIGGIN' SNOW??!! That's what I'm sayin'...

ARIZONA HERE I COME!

Hi folks,

My excitement is building! Tomorrow morning I climb on a plane and go to Scottsdale, Arizona! My best buddy, Tom Rough, surprised me with a birthday gift a few weeks ago. He’s flying me to his home in Carefree, AZ and got us seats at the sold-out Giants-Reds game this Saturday! I’ve been a Giants fan since I was a little kid when the first baseball game I ever got to see was in the Polo Grounds and was also Willie Mays first game when he was called up from Minneapolis. One of Tom’s friends is Thom Brennaman, the son of Marty Brennaman who announces Reds’ games and he got us into the Charro Lodge Pavilion. Sweet! Tom tells me the MLB owners are having a meeting there during the game and will be at the Charro. I’m kind of hoping one of the minority owners of the Dodgers—Magic Johnson—will be there so I can chat with him about how the Giants are going to kick the Dodgers’ butts this year. Maybe…

And, on Friday, I’m meeting with several of my students from my online novel writing class at Harold’sCorral in Cave Creek near where Tom lives. I’m really, really excited about this! This group grew out of the classes I used to teach for Phoenix College who had hired me after appearing at Microburst a few years ago to teach online for them. I resigned from the college after a couple of years and began a private group and a lot of the Phoenix College students have stuck with me and it’s going to be so cool to get to meet with them up close and personal. And, uber-crime/noir writer Keith Rawson says he’ll stop by and maybe even Eric Beetner who’ll be in town. It’s gonna get all Jack Daniels up in there!

They tell me that Harold's Corral is the biggest Pittsburgh Steelers' bar in the Southwest. Now... where did I put my Carolina Panthers' jersey...

My wife Mary is a bit worried about me going. In the past year, I’ve kind of gone a bit downhill, healthwise. Have pretty severe COPD, among other sundry ailments. Had to leave Bouchercon two days early this past fall, which totally sucked. This getting old stuff is kind of crappy! But, I’ll be fine. Hell, Willie Mays is even older than I am and he’ll be there so I can pony up I figure. Although, I don’t know if Willie smokes as much as I do…

Tom is a special, special friend. Not because he’s flying me out there—but because I’ve been close friends with him for more than 30 years. We met when I came back from some adventures in New Orleans and then California and went back to work for awhile at Michael and Friends Hair Design Salon in South Bend. As it turned out, he claims I kind of got up in his wheelhouse and convinced him to spread his wings and leave South Bend and aim higher. I helped him get a job in a toney Chicago salon and he became the manager of the Vidal Sassoon Salon there and then went to New York at Vidal’s request and became the manager there. In 1996, he and his gorgeous wife Lisa moved to Scottsdale and opened the Taglio Salon which is considered the leading salon in the Southwest.

BTW, Tom wouldn’t tell me what “Taglio” meant—he says it’s some Italian word, but I looked it up and found out it’s a Chinese word used often in tattoos which means, literally, “the won-ton is overcooked so serve it to the white-eye—he won’t know the difference.” It amazes me how other languages can contain so much in a single word!

I cannot wait! I’m looking out my window now at the new snow which fell last night. Dreaming about sitting out at Tom’s pool, sipping some Jack and toking on… enjoying conversation with Tom, Lisa and their bright, funny, beautiful daughter Nicola. It’s gonna be fun!

Wish you all could join us!

Blue skies,

Les

P.S. I'd like to thank everybody who bought a copy of THE RAPIST. I can't tell you how much that means to me. This is my retirement income so it goes far beyond meaning just a few sales  to me. I'm happy to report that it keeps on building in sales and is getting great reviews. So... thanks to each and everyone of you!

Lisa, Tom and me kicking back at his home in The Boulders, Carefree, AZ when I was out there for Microburst a few years ago and Tom had me stay at their house.

Early review for The Rapist, a birthday gift, and an interview

Hi folks,

Lots of stuff happening in the last few days. First, I got a call from my best buddy, Tom Rough who owns the Taglio Salon in Scottsdale, AZ to wish me a happy birthday... and to give me a present. He knows I'm a lifelong and avid fan of the S.F. Giants so he's flying me out to Arizona for four days on his dime and got tickets for us to the Giants-Reds spring training game. He was amazed that they were sold out--in a spring training game!--but among his friends is an announcer for the Diamondbacks and through him we got seats.

And, while I'm out there I'm going to have lunch with a bunch of my online class students! I began this class while teaching online for Phoenix College and they still form the backbone of the class. I can't wait to break bread (and the seal on a Jack Daniels' bottle) with them!

Easily the best birthday present I've ever received! And, I get to hang out with Tom and his gorgeous wife and daughter, Lisa and Nicola. More J.D.... And sun! Sun! No snow! Can't get better than that!

Me and Tom on my last visit to him at his house in The Boulders, Carefree, AZ.

Then, my publisher at New Pulp Press, Jon Bassoff, emailed me the link to an early review of THE RAPIST and it's a honey! Check it out here. Getting a comparison to Jim Thompson is the cherry on top of the sundae!

And, then, today, an interview I did with a writer in Holland came out. You can read my exchange with Alex Laybourne here. This is Part I and Part II comes out tomorrow, so if you enjoy the first part, bookmark the site and come back tomorrow. Our mutual friend, Kristen Lamb, introduced us. Thanks, Kristen!

I forgot to ask him if he's ever stuck his finger in a dike... That's probably a stereotype, right, Alex?

And, now, Mary and I are off to visit my youngest daughter Sienna and her terrific husband Jason and our cute-as-hell and smart-as-hell grandson Logan for the day in Michigan. Haven't seen her in two years so this is going to be a great day!

Blue skies,
Les