Event Report - The Kansas Book Festival

On Saturday, September 15, I went to the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka. I shared a table with another Kansas author, Tom Mach.

I was able to sell just 4 books at the Festival. However, I did meet quite a few people, including several authors. I noticed there were lots of children attending, so not having any children's books might account for my low sales.

It was a fun event. In spite of the few books I sold, I would be happy to go back next year. It's important for authors and readers to support events like this.

This trip was also a chance for me to put some extra miles on my car. On the way up Friday, I drove along the Native Stone Scenic Byway. I wasn't able to take any pictures along the byway, but the trip was worth it. On the way home Sunday, I decided to take US-75 to US-400. There were low clouds all morning, and I hit a few patches of fog, so no pictures.

Here's the neat thing about Sunday. Driving the leg from Topeka to Neodesha now means I've traveled the whole length of US-75 in Kansas. Now that I think of it, I've driven US-75 (in varying stretches) from Omaha to Tulsa. I've now covered the following highways in their entirety in Kansas: I-35; US-75; K-177; K-254; K-17; and K-196. I have a few miles left to cover for US-77 and US-81, and quite a bit more for several other highways.

Check the schedule: I've just added a book talk next week at the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita. It's going to be a busy autumn!

Later!

The Fantastic Cases of Gwen Conner

I now have all the Gwen Conner fantasy/mystery short stories, the ones I've been publishing as ebook shorts, placed into one collection, The Fantastic Cases of Gwen Conner. Here's the back cover blurb:


Gwen Conner’s world isn’t your typical fantasy setting. She solves mysteries in a land where magic is used to create telephones, dictation machines, and streetcars. It’s also a world of scheming criminals, cheating spouses, and charming con artists. This collection contains nine Gwen Conner stories, plus three more set in her world. These stories have appeared in Tales of the Talisman and Pulp Empire, among others. Included are:

Spook Wagon: An ex-girlfriend of Gwen’s brother asks Gwen for help. The young woman’s hometown wants to build a power plant, but a ghostly wagon has the town on edge. Who’s behind the wagon? Are they trying to stop the project?

The “Affair” of the Love Letters: A woman who once loved an up-and-coming politician comes to Gwen. Someone wants the letters he wrote to the woman, and doesn’t want to take “no” for an answer.

A Lady Never Knows: A police officer asks Gwen to deliver a ransom to kidnappers. Can magic help her avoid danger when she meets the criminals?


The collection is available in print and as an ebook. Check your favorite retailer, or come to my table at one of my events this autumn and pick one up.