Reading is a very personal thing, and tastes vary, and just because a reader doesn’t like a particular author, that doesn’t mean the author is bad. Case in point: Last week, I tried to read the debut novel, released about a decade ago, of an author who is very popular (and award-nominated). Just didn’t do it for me. Nothing against her, but I got about 30 pages in, and that was enough. Her style just wasn’t for me.

The week before that, I tried to read a book that was heartily recommended to me by an indie bookseller. Again, 30 pages, and I was done. I had no interest in seeing what happened next, nor did I feel any sense of disappointment when I set the book down and moved on to other things. Not a judgment, and I’m sure plenty of people have had the same experience with my books.

Life’s too short, and there are too many choices out there, to slog through a book you’re not enjoying.

Found a good one this week, though. A couple years ago, I started reading Tod Goldberg’s blog. Can’t remember how I stumbled across it, but that’s unimportant. He writes some funny stuff, including his weekly skewering of Parade magazine. However, for whatever reason, it took me until now to try one of his books. I shouldn’t have waited so long.

I’m reading “Fake Liar Cheat,” and it’s a blast. Not as funny as his blog, nor is it intended to be. Plenty of good satire in there, and a storyline that keeps me going. I look forward to the rest of his stuff.

You realize how many trans fats are in them tater tots?

I had to swerve to miss that possum.

This weather reminds me of the south of France.

I Tivo’ed the Live Earth concert.

Aw, shucks. I’ve already seen this episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

That gal would be prettier if she didn’t get all tarted up like that.

Let’s save some of that tequila for tomorrow night.

What you need is a good chemical peel.

Can you call back after Oprah?

Hey, I got a wild idea. Let’s go to the library.

Susan asked: “I was just wondering how you felt about places that deal in used books. (Half Priced Books, etc.)”

Here’s the short answer: I would love it if every reader was so enamored with their favorite author that they immediately ran out and bought his or her new hardcover as soon as it was available.

But, obviously, that’s not realistic. Who can resist a 50-cent paperback at a garage sale? Or a $5 hardback online, just six months after it was released? So, I can completely understand why people buy used books, and I’ve done it myself.

On the other hand, I don’t sell my used books to stores, I pass them along to friends, as most people do. The one time, years ago, when I took a bag of books to a store to sell, they offered something like $6 for about 30 paperbacks. They were selling paperbacks for, you guessed it, about half price. (That’s a hint as to the name of the place.) Yes, they have overhead costs, but I think that store in particular was being kind of stingy. If I’m bringing in books that you’re ultimately going to sell for about $100, you’re gonna have to give me more than $6.

I have no idea whether the used book market affects authors financially. It seems like it would, but it might be the case that many of the used-book buyers wouldn’t buy new books if used books weren’t available. They might not be able to afford it, or they might have different priorities.

I wonder how the price of a new hardback would be affected if there was no used market out there. Would the price go up or down? Any economists care to speculate?

Rounded out my official Gun Shy tour with two signings this weekend.

Started out with a 1:00 signing in Boerne, which, for those of you who haven’t been there, is a neat little town about thirty minutes west-northwest of San Antonio. It’s pronounced “Bernie,” so insert your own Weekend At Boerne joke here. The store I visited is called Read All About It, and they do a bustling business. Doesn’t hurt to be on the main drag, I guess, where a constant stream of cars was passing by. Thank you to the folks who stopped by to say hello—Wade and his two sons, Russell, Wayne, Maryanna, Nick, Anita, John, and several others. I signed quite a few books, and I didn’t break anything, so I consider it a success. Darla, Rebecca, and Matt (pictured below, with some strange guy who wandered in off the street) were gracious hosts. Thanks, guys.

Next, I visited Remember the Alibi in San Antonio at 4:00. Chatted with Jim, Russ, Elinor, and Jay Brandon, who was kind enough to stop by to say hello (and, more important, to buy the book, because, hey, I’m not in this for my health). Ray Hengst is the new owner—and a very friendly guy—so if you live in that area, stop by and check it out. Sue will make you feel at home and can help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Especially if you’re looking for a Ben Rehder book. She knows exactly where they are. Russ gave me a cigar, so he gets bonus points. What do bonus points earn you? Good karma. That’s about it.

So now I’m done with the PR portion of our program. (Which means very little, as I’ll have events throughout the year, as usual.) Am I tired? Yes, but it’s a good kind of tired, unlike the kind when your car breaks down in August and you have to hike six miles to the nearest paved road, but more like the kind when your car breaks down in April and you have to stroll four miles past a beer distillery and a day camp for cheerleaders. Best of all, I enjoyed meeting hundreds of new people, many of them non-felons. And I learned the most important aspect of life on the road: Hydrate, my friends. Hydrate.

Woke up this morning to learn that Marble Falls, about 20 miles northwest of my house (and a few minutes north of Blanco County), got 18 inches of rain overnight. This is the type of flash-flooding I mention in Guilt Trip, and it’s common around here. I haven’t heard if anybody died, but there were plenty of rescues performed in the past eight hours. More rain coming. No ark jokes, please. Come up with something more original.

My wife and I went to a signing last night for my friend Marsha Moyer, who is kicking off her new book, Heartbreak Town (third in a series). I’ve read it, and it’s excellent. I say that regardless of the fact that she mentions me in the acknowledgments. Marsha drew a crowd of at least sixty last night, so it was a good launch party. It’s labeled as women’s fiction, but I think anyone would enjoy it—particularly those who’ve lived in a small town. Check out the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Heartbreak-Town-Novel-Marsha-Moyer/dp/0307351548/ref=sr_1_1/002-5019626-9449608?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182951047&sr=1-1

Speaking of new books, my uncle, Jim Haught, who has published six non-fiction books, hundreds of magazine articles, and is the editor of the largest newspaper in West Virginia (which is great, but it’s a little like saying “the best Mexican food in Vermont”) has a new novel out. I read it a year or so ago, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Learned a lot, too. It’s called Amazon Moon, and here’s a description: “In ancient Greece, male supremacy made most women servants, slaves or concubines. Yet Greek art depicted bold, free, fighting females. Amazons were spirited women who fled to be rebels, according to this account by a captured scribe.” It’s self-published, and even though I’m not a fan of self-publishing, this was a case where it was appropriate. And I can vouch for the quality of the writing. Here’s a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Moon-James-Haught/dp/1601451598/ref=sr_1_1/002-5019626-9449608?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182951082&sr=1-1

My new computer is turning out great. I can actually watch videos on YouTube now. Surfing the Net is a ton faster, and pages load correctly. I can listen to streaming audio from various radio stations I enjoy (mostly talk radio, since I’m an old fogey.) There was one glitch while I was setting it up this weekend: I spent a solid day getting everything just the way I want it, then, after a shutdown, when I turned the computer back on, everything was gone. I was pissed. I won’t go into details, but it turned out to be my fault, and the nice guy at Apple tech support didn’t make too much fun of me. This thing has features that I’m sure I’ll never use.

I have two signings this weekend, one in Boerne and one in San Antonio. See below. After that, nothing else scheduled until September. If you want a signed book (they do, after all, make great gifts, which is a fact, albeit shameless self-promotion), just call one of these stores. They’ll ship to you.

Saturday, June 30, 1:00–3:00 pm?
Booksigning and discussion
Read All About It Bookstore
305 S. Main, Suite 400
Boerne, TX
(830) 249-7323

Saturday, June 30, 4:00 pm?
Booksigning and discussion
Remember the Alibi
8055 West Avenue, #101
San Antonio, TX
(888) 272-5135

You know who Dick Cheney reminds me of? Muttley. Remember him?

Cell phone update: I’ve had my phone for two months and used about 240 minutes. A little more than I expected, but I was touring in the past month. I learned that I can send and receive emails from it. The phone itself has its own unique email address. For what that’s worth.

By now you noticed that this post is a hodgepodge, hence the title, and that’s because no good topics have occurred to me lately. So, if you have any questions about writing or publishing, or my former career as an underwear model, let me know.