Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Odds and Ends

It's been a while since I posted a tour update, so here's where I'm at on the Rusty Nail 500:

Books signed: 4422
Books hand sold: 244
Booksellers met: 1012
Bookstores visited: 530
States visited: 26

I still have to visit about 50 bookstores in my area, and about 15 in Milwaukee.

Also, though I missed Cleveland on my original tour, I'll be signing in that city on October 16th. If you're in the area and want to buy me beer, email me.

In November I'll be at two conferences, one in Muskego Wisconsin, and one in Manhattan Kansas (which will be the 27th state I've been to on this tour.) My webiste has details.

Remember Doug Hansen, my friend in the military stationed in Iraq?

He's received enough books to open up the first US Library in the Middle East.

Doug thanks everyone for their generosity, as do the hundreds of troops who have gotten books thanks to your efforts.

But, believe it or not, they could still use more books. They could also use things like notebook paper, pens, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, eye drops, sun glasses, sunscreen, etc. Don't send food--it gets thrown away.

If you haven't sent anything overseas yet, consider it--especially with the holiday season almost upon us. Here's his address again:

SFC Douglas Hansen
C Co / 163 MI Bn
COB Speicher
APO AE 09393

Karmela Lejarde, please email me--you get signed copies of my three hardcovers for sending Doug the most books---almost 200 of them.

Apex Digest, the magazine that was going out of business because they didn't have enough money to pay the printer, is back in business due in part to contributions by viewers like you (I sound like a PBS station.) Nice work, folks! I find it tremendously rewarding that the people who read this blog are so supportive of the writing community. You guys rock.

4 comments:

Karmela said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JA Konrath said...

That's right, Ross. Send them some helicopters too.

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! I won! And on my birthday too! Thanks for holding this contest Joe. It's an honor to contribute to the well-being of our troops, even in a small way. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the good folks in my office who generously lugged boxfulls and bagfulls of their own books into the office, and helped me out with postage as well. We are proud to be charter contributors to the first US library in the Middle East.

Karmela Lejarde

Stuart said...

I'll miss you in Cleveland by one day. (Flying in Tuesday night for business)

I'd buy you a beer. :) Small repayment for the info you share. Thanks