Ramping Up

It’s about that time again.

What time? Well, for one thing March is nearly over. It’s finally spring.

It’s also nearly April. And April 3 is the official availability date of my next book, HOUNDS ABOUND, the third Pet Rescue Mystery from Berkley Prime Crime.

HOUNDS ABOUND is also a milestone for me. It’s my 30th published novel!

I’ve got lots of events planned for April, including guest blogs. And I’m open to more. Want me to guest on your blog? Hey, why not!

It’s fascinating to me, in this time when brick-and-mortar bookstores are foundering, that lots of areas are holding litfests or wordfests or other events celebrating books. I was supposed to go to the first Pasadena LitFest a few weeks ago, but it was postponed because of rain. It will now occur on May 12, which is actually better for me since HOUNDS ABOUND will be available. But, no, I didn’t ask for rain.

Last weekend I attended the second Ojai WordFest in Ojai, California. I was on a panel of fellow Sisters in Crime mystery authors at the local library--with Lori Wolf and Tammy Kaehler, and it was moderated by Eric Stone. I really enjoyed it.

Soon, the Fresno Public Library Big Read--Call of the Wild--will occur, and I’ll be a speaker there at an event also hosted by the local Sisters in Crime chapter. And then will come the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. And then Malice Domestic, followed by the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

Oh, yes. I can’t forget World Book Night, on April 23, where a lot of us who applied will be giving away--yes, giving away!--copies of books all around the country, at libraries and bookstores and coffee shops and all over!

And, no, I haven’t yet turned in the manuscript for my next Pet Rescue Mystery, although it’s due in April. I’m close, though, and will send it soon.

Does April look like a busy month for you, too? What are you up to?