A Confession and Apology

So first, the obvious.  I'm a terrible blogger.  I have no stamina.  I started out with the best of intentions, all gung-ho.  And then...I haven't been here since February.  Which brings me to the apology.  I'm so very sorry for bringing you here with the promise of a blog, and then leaving you here, awkwardly wondering if I'm ever coming back.  Actually, I can't imagine that anyone's still here, so maybe I'm apologizing to cyber air.  Is anybody still here?

In any case, I'm back!  Let me catch everyone (if anyone's reading) up on the last few months.  The US book tour was amazing.  It brought me to Toronto twice, NYC twice, Boston, New Hampshire, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, South Carolina, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, and Florida.  I was up in the air A LOT this winter (and didn't see George Clooney once--so disappointed!).  It was a stormy winter with TONS of snow in New England, and I faced flight delays and event cancellations (RJ Julia was postponed due to snow twice!).  In fact, all of Boston Logan airport shut down once, and I had to regroup and take an Amtrak train. Dear Simon & Schuster, please consider releasing my next book in the spring.

Some highlights of the US tour:

Meeting Diane Rehm.

Meeting authors Jeannette Walls and Elena Gorokhova in Toronto.

Meeting authors Jamie Ford (and wife Leesha), Helen Simonson, Luis Alberto Urrea (and wife Cindy), Ann Hood, and Julia Glass at the Tucson Festival of Books.

Meeting my friend Kris just before giving the keynote at the Savannah Book Festival.  Kris and I have known each other for years, but only online and over the phone.  Kris has early onset Alzheimer's.  It was so moving for both of us to finally meet in person.

Seeing so many volunteers from NEHSA, including Tom Kersey, at Gibson's Bookstore in New Hampshire.  Remembering Tom presenting me with the signed snowboard and official NEHSA jacket still moves me to tears.

Getting to spend time with my Aunt Mary in South Carolina and my Aunt Anne in Florida.

Okay, now that you're caught up, I can start from where I am---SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA!  I'll be touring here (Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane) for the next ten days.  And since I left my darling husband home with three kids all winter for the US tour, it was only fair that I bring him to Australia, so he's here with me (a HUGE thank you to our parents and Sue for watching our children while we're on the other side of the world!).

I'm off to Circular Queue to write a little of LOVE ANTHONY by the Opera House before my book events today--sure to be a highlight of this tour! And I'll keep you posted on what happens while I'm down under--I promise!