Postcards from the Edge (or from Kokomo)
Posted on May 18, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 16 Comments
This is how you make an author feel appreciated: mail out a bunch of nicely-designed postcards letting people know he’ll be dropping by your store in a couple of weeks. And then you also mail a postcard to the author himself, just in case, uh, he’s forgetful or anything. Very helpful.
I mean, look — they tried to match fonts and everything! That just makes me feel shiny.
And, also, all you folks in Indiana: I’ll be making an appearance at Don’s Books in Kokomo on Saturday, June 10, from noon until 2 p.m. I’ll be signing books and possibly doing a reading or some other thing to justify traveling 113 miles to get there (Google Maps is under the impression that I’ll need 3 hours to drive 113 miles. Silly, silly Google Maps). At the moment this is my only planned appearance in Indiana, so if you want to see me, to have me sign a book or just to serve me legal documents of one sort or another, this will be the time and place to do it.
Am I the only one who thought of the tropical island first?
“Wow, John’s lucky! I want to publish books that go to Kokomo!”
What do you do for entertainment on those long drives? Besides trying to notice the red-shift as you scoff at posted speed limits? If you are by yourself I would suggest books on tape, although now with a subscription to Audible.com it is more like book on iPod.
Generally, I plot. Which is to say I think about whatever it is that I’m writing. I don’t particularly enjoy audio books, actually.
Those are awesome postcards! :)
Mapquest has me arriving in Kokomo in 2 hours, 103 miles away from Greencastle. Clearly Mapquest has a better idea of the criminal speeds at which normal people drive. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attend, I might be in Wisconsin that weekend.
I mean it as a loyal fan when I say that OMW’s cover looks like they’re attacking a big gumball.
Anne C. took the words right out of my mouth.
John – you’ve got to line up some better Kokomo’s…
One Kokomo at a time, people.
“Am I the only one who thought of the tropical island first?”
Having grown up a few miles from Kokomo (IN), no, I didn’t. But I suspect that puts me in a minority.
I’m afraid I stand in solidarity with Kafkesequi. I was born a few miles further away, but I still have cousins there last I checked. It made that Beach Boys song a bit surreal when I was younger. I couldn’t understand why they wanted to go to all these places in the midwest.
John,
Are you heading anywhere near southern MN in the forseeable future? By ‘near’ I guess I mean Madison WI or closer.
just finished Ghost Brigades in one sitting/laying/porcelaining, and it was an enjoyable read.
ditto here. if you ever show up in southern CA, make a note please. if you had already, then well, damn.
Tripp, I’ll be in Madison next weekend.
Cap, I grew up in Southern CA. I’ll also be there in August for Worldcon.
Cool, I grew up in Kokomo, IN.
I’m afraid I stand in solidarity with Kafkesequi. I was born a few miles further away, but I still have cousins there last I checked.
I was born in South Bend, which ain’t all that close, but I remember riding somewhere near to Kokomo in the occasional trips up from Arkansas when I was a child.
And then, of course, when I was a teenager, Playboy had a “Girls of Kokomo” article once.
So, no, I didn’t think of the tropics first, either.
Re Madison – great! I remember I missed you there last year. Unfortunately WisCon is completely sold out! Word of your participation must have leaked out.