The write tool for the job.

My apologies - I've been a little MIA lately, but I had a good reason, I think. That is, if you think this is a good reason:

Sonny Boy (Marcus) graduated from Valencia High School (in Placentia) last Tuesday. For some odd reason, one simple ceremoney consumed my entire week. Go figure.

In the midst of Graduation-Palooza, I did a book club at Raytheon Company and the Huntington Beach Library Author's Luncheon. Both were wonderful. I had a great time, sold a few books, and met some swell folks, including David Rosenfelt. Look him up, he's hysterical.

The nice people at each event gave me presents - wasn't that cool? The Raytheon Book Club gave me this little knitted bookmark:

Isn't he cute? (Note, he has little wire glasses on his little googly eyes.)

As much as I love this cuddly guy, the Huntington Beach Library knows the way to a mystery writer's heart. They gave me this:

(Insert Psycho violins here) SCREE! SCREE! SCREE! SCREE!

Bend me, shape me, any way you want me

Printer's Row Lit Fest is happening this weekend in Chicago. I had never heard of this until I began my journey with Freezer Burn. My book is, theoretically, available for sale; I sold 17 copies at the LA Times Festival of Books, and I could be selling it in Chicago this weekend.






Except that I can't go, which truly sucks because I love Chicago.

Fortunately, I have a wonderful publisher, Karen Syed, who is taking copies of Freezer Burn with her, along with some promo materials and clear labels with my signature to affix for those who want an autograph.

So why can't I just hop on a plane and travel 2000 miles? Because today is my son's spring choir concert. The end of the year concert is a big deal at Valencia High School. Any senior (in one of the choirs) who wants to sing a solo is given the opportunity. Yes, it means there are a few clunkers, and YES, the show is about a million hours long, but it's lovely and fun and poignant and a Don't Miss.

On Monday, I will escort the VHS Just Jazz vocal group to my former employer, Raytheon, to sing at a Diversity Luncheon, then I'll scramble about to get the choir's end-of-the-year banquet set up. It's been a tough year for the choir; the Guvernator slashed and burned through school budgets, wounding the arts severely, and the economy kept most parents from writing as many donation checks as in years past. The banquet this year is a potluck, and we're happy to get that.

So there's the beginning of my dilemma. Next year, my son is a senior in high school. I will be the president of the VHS Choir Booster Club. And I will have a book to sell.

See this picture?

That's me on the left. To the right, you'll notice every woman's unholy trinity – family, home, career. For the next year, I'll be waking up to these questions every morning:

1. What events in my son's life am I willing to sacrifice in order to increase my book sales?
2. What promotional and sales opportunities am I willing to sacrifice in order to be there for my son?
3. Where does my relationship with my husband fit into all this?
4. Where can I find a good housecleaner?

If I could, this is how I'd resolve my problem:

Before it turns into this:

Thoughts, anyone?