Now that copy edits are complete, TOUGH CUSTOMER is official in the can!  Did you know that “so-called” is hyphenated? According to the copy editor it is!

Easter 2010 with Raff

I recently attended a journalism symposium at my alma mater, Texas Christian University. It’s an annual event hosted by my pal Bob Shieffer of CBS news. He’s a former Horned Frog himself, and the university’s School of Journalism is named for him. This year’s panel was comprised of Bob, as moderator, Ann Curry of “The Today Show,” columnist Maureen Dowd of the “New York Times,” Michael Eisner, formerly the Chairman of Disney, and William Krystol of FOX News. Given the mix of liberals and conservatives, it was a lively discussion! Everyone was civil. Basically. There were a few verbal punches thrown, and some digs made, but they were accompanied by smiles. (Or were those grimaces?)
Things got considerably more congenial at the dinner party that followed, hosted by Bob and his gracious wife Pat. We were treated to TexMex meal served family style (is family-style hyphenated? LOL) at Joe T. Garcia’s. Locally, it’s known simply as Joe T.’s. After a few margaritas, everyone’s politics began to blur!

I’m currently in South Carolina plotting next year’s book and taking some downtime with family.  In the mean time here are a few things to keep you busy:

Ryan & I participate in Bookreporter.com’s 2010 Mother’s Day Blog series.

DreadCentral behind the making of a Zombie Book Trailer

And another fabulous early review for Ryan’s PLAY DEAD…. HERE!

And in September during the Texas Sporthorse Cup Hunter/Jumper Horse Show, the organization Clear Rounds for Clean Water will be auctioning off the name of a minor character in one of my upcoming novels.

Hopefully that will keep you all busy until I get back from New York–we’re off to the Big Apple on Monday for author photos with Andrew Eccles.

My lovely daughter-in-law Victoria Arbiter-Brown is making another appearance on HSN to debut Sarah Jessica Parker’s new fragrance.

Look for her this Wednesday, March 24 at any of the following times (and please, check your local listings or HSN.com to verify all times):  12 AM, 1 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 7 PM and 10 PM.

Also, in this week’s Publisher’s Weekly there’s a Q & A with Ryan about PLAY DEAD (Gallery Books 5/4/2010) and how he got the idea for a football team of zombies: Read it Here.

And Ryan’s website is live! You can find more information on PLAY DEAD and check out the trailer here.

We’ve listed a new giveaway at Goodreads with more to come:

2 signed copies of Led Astray & The Devil’s Own 2 in 1 book: Enter Here.  You have until March 31 & this is open to anyone worldwide.

We’ll also be giving away signed copies of the German edition of Where There’s Smoke beginning March 25 and the UK edition of The Alibi beginning March 30, so please, be sure to join me on Goodreads!

After the race

Sunday, March 14, my daughter Rachel and son-in-law Pete did something I can’t even conceive of doing — they ran thirteen miles. Which in my opinion means they’re only half crazy — as in, thirteen miles equals half of twenty-six, which is a MARATHON.

I’ve got to hand it to runners who feel the urge to do this. They must have extraordinary dedication, amazing stamina, admirable self-discipline, and a really, really masochistic personality. It’s punishment, people! If self-flagellating monks had heard of this, they’d have never picked up a leather lash. They’d have strapped on their Birkenstocks, hiked up their cassocks, and taken off at a full sprint.

Rock 'n' Roll Marathon 2010

I’m in awe of anyone who undertakes to run more than a couple of miles at a time. You’ve got to train for it. And since you usually train outdoors, that means you run whenit’s scorching or frigid, windy or calm, wet or dry. Secondly, you’ve got to cope with physical ailments like aching knees and shin splints. Third. . . Never mind. I never get to deterrent number three, because number two is bad enough, and, actually, I was out of contention at number one.

However, I was at the finish line when 9000 plus runners came in, having run the Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll. The weather

With Luke and Lawson

was perfect. The music was rocking. I must say, the excitement was contagi

ous. I cheered like a fool for every runner who crossed the finish line. Among the really buff and athletic were two Elvis impersonators, one Superman, one something I can’t even begin to describe or identify. I saw a hobbling old man with all sorts of orthopedic contraptions strapped to his bony legs and several kids who were barely winded. I applaud them all. Truly. I’m humbled by their feat. Their feet, too, I guess.

I was particularly proud of my two runners. Derision aside, I commend them for doing this, for having the guts to even try. Way to go, Rachel and Pete!

TOUGH CUSTOMER is in the can and off to my new editor (same house–new editor). I hope you all enjoy reading about Dodge as much as I enjoyed writing about him!

I know to my readers, five more months seems like such a long time to wait for my next new release, but here in the office…let’s just say, time flies! By the time TOUGH CUSTOMER goes on sale, I’ll be working on my book for 2011. In the mean time, the next five months are filled with lots of hustle, bustle and planning.  Case in point, I just received cover flats for the July paperback release of Smash Cut and as soon as I get approval, we’ll get it up on the site! Covers for Rainwater (which won’t be released in paperback until early 2011) and Tough Customer won’t be far behind, and neither will copy edits and page proofs.

Yes, it’s kind of like having a child, just not quite as dramatic.

Speaking of “children”, I have to brag on my son Ryan. PLAY DEAD got a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly!

Play Dead Ryan Brown. Pocket, $24.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-4391-7130-1

Two cultural obsessions collide head-on in this fast-paced, thrilling, and terribly funny debut by former actor Brown. In the sleepy town of Killington, Tex., the local high school’s football team is having its best season in decades thanks to the efforts of quarterback Cole Logan. Afraid of losing the district championship, the rival Elmwood team sends the Killington bus into a river, drowning everyone on the team except Cole and the coach. Only local witch and football fan Black Mona can raise the players from the dead in time for the game, but if they keep stopping to eat people, they might miss it. Brown handily mixes elements of horror, coming-of-age sweetness, and gore-soaked comedy into a tale that satisfies the same fascination with sports and bloodlust that it cleverly and thoughtfully critiques. (May)

You can also see the review on the PW Website (scroll almost to the bottom).

Dont forget!  I’ll be in Santa Barbara later this month for the CALM Celebrity Author Luncheon (Website) and in Florida on April 10 for the Palm Beach Book & Author Breakfast (Website).

Whew! A lot has happened since my last post.

I went away to work on the final draft of TOUGH CUSTOMER (Gotta love Dodge Hanley, warts and all!) While I was away from home all hell broke loose. The Dallas/Ft. Worth area got a foot of snow! A foot! Now, I know you Northerners are scoffing, but that’s more than has ever fallen in North Texas since they’ve been keeping records. It was a big deal. I was getting up-to-the-minute photo text messages from daughter Rachel, calls from friends, calls from my office staff (Can we go home early? If school is canceled, can we stay home?), calls from relatives in other parts of the country asking if we were okay. Meanwhile I was 1000 miles away in South Carolina! I hated missing this phenomenon, but it’s just as well I was gone. My house had no power for 48 hours. Tree branches, as big around as I am, were breaking off, falling on the house, in the street. The snow was pretty, but it was destructive. I returned today; my yard is being cleared; the damage is evident in the entire area.

To happier things — while in SC, Ryan came down for a few days of intensive writing on his second book. He and I have separate rooms in which we write. Some days we don’t even see each other until cocktail hour. Then we talk shop over dinner. But we did take one afternoon off to do a video interview together, which you’ll be able to watch on the website in a week or so. Check back daily. His first book PLAY DEAD comes out May 4th.

Thanks to those of you who have helped keep the reprint of EXCLUSIVE on the USA Today bestseller list for the past three weeks.

Stay warm. Tulips and forsythia can’t be too far off!