North on I-35

I’m in Waco, getting ready to head to Plano in the morning and since leaving Houston Wednesday night I’ve been traveling north on I-35. I like this freeway. It’s almost straight and it goes exactly where I need to go: Austin, Temple, Waco, Dallas.

I’ve been busy on the road, too, each day filled with lunch, brunches, teas, book signings, dinners, coffees.

It’s late to bed, up early, suitcase dragged out, suitcase dragged back, books signed, books sold, books given away, books shoved into a spare suitcase and into my rental car trunk.

I do give my books away, too. Sometimes I’ll hand one to a flight attendant. Sometimes I’ll leave one with the hotel’s concierge. Other times I’ll run to the car and sign one for my waitress at the Texas Smokehouse BBQ. Maybe I won’t get rich buying and giving away my own books, but I make friends and I thank those who’ve helped me and it takes my book tour and makes it personal. Makes it fun.

It’s easy for me to forget that not everyone’s an author, and that some people don’t know lots of authors. So many of my best friends are writers and I think about writing night and day so I assume everyone else is as obsessed (or exhausted) by writers and writing as I am, but that not always the case. Some people have never met a writer and they think it’s amazing that I’ve written one book, much less twenty.

Which reminds me–I did eat Texas barbecue today. BBQ chicken and beef brisket. Cornbread, too. I passed on the pinto beans. They weren’t sweet enough. But I covered everything else in rich tangy bbq sauce (the original recipe) and drank my ice tea like a professional Southern girl and I like Texas, I really do. My grandfather Lyles was born in El Paso and in California years later he became President of the California Cattlemen’s Association and he loved land and Black Angus cattle. I think I love land and Texans. From Houston to Waco everyone has welcomed me with open arms and shown me true hospitality and lots of kindness. I’ve had some misadventures in Texas, too (that’s another blog) but everyone’s rushed in, helped put things aright, and I know I could live here. I like Texas’ big heart, cocky confidence, sizzling heat, and sexy humor. I’ve never dated a Texas man but I’m sure some of these Texans would make amazing heroes.